The Olympic Movement at NMU
Northern Michigan University is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for its resident athletes while offering world-class training.
Current resident training programs include Greco-Roman wrestling. Athletes must be approved by the coaching staff, their national governing body and NMU to be admitted into the program.
Athletes attend NMU while training in their respective sport(s). The student athletes receive access to training facilities as well as sports medicine, academic tutoring, and a waiver of out-of-state tuition fees by NMU. Some athletes may also receive athletic scholarships. Athletes are responsible for tuition at the in-state rate, travel and other training expenses.
The idea of bringing an Olympic Training Center (OTC) to Northern Michigan University originated in 1965 and came to fruition in 1985, joining Colorado Springs, Colo., and Lake Placid, N.Y., as the nation's third OTC.
Because of the center's commitment to incorporating educational opportunities in addition to offering world-class training, the United States Olympic Committee changed the center's designation to the country's only "Olympic Education Center" in 1989. The designation was changed once again in 2014 to Olympic Training Site.
In 2020, the Center was given the title of National Training Site to recognize the partnership with USA Wrestling and USA Weightlifting.
Approximately 25,000 athletes from more than 40 countries have participated in Olympic programs at NMU since the center opened. These athletes have won more than 70 Olympic medals, and earned more than 100 high school diplomas and college degrees.
Additionally, 29 sports, ranging from archery to wrestling have trained at the center on either a long-term or a short-term basis.
The Site has also hosted a number of national and international events, such as the short track speed skating World Cup in 2003 and the 2006 Olympic Trials. In 2010 the NTS hosted the USA Weightlifting National Collegiate Championships and has hosted numerous Junior Olympic Championships for boxing.
