History

The Greco-Roman wrestling program at the United States Olympic Education Center was established in 1999.  The program was created to give athletes the opportunity to wrestle in the Greco-Roman style full-time while giving them the opportunity to earn a college degree.

During the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Adam Wheeler (pictured left) won a bronze medal and became the first USOEC alumnus to medal at an Olympics. Northern Michigan University graduate and USOEC athlete Spencer Mango participated in the Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012. There were six wrestlers on the 2012 Olympic Team with ties to NMU and the USOEC.

In 2006, Mango became the first American wrestler to win a gold medal in the University World Championships. In 2012, Max Nowry became a World Champion at the University Worlds in Finland.

Since its inception, the program has developed a number of Olympians, U.S. World Team members and champions at the FILA-Junior, University and Senior level.

The USOEC has hosted numerous wrestling events against teams from China, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Navy, and the Marines.

USOEC VS China wrestling event held in NMU's Berry Events Center