MARSHALL, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State University is celebrating 50 years during the 2017-18 academic year.
During the next few months, SMSU Athletics will take a look back and fondly remember some of the most memorable events, teams, coaches and student-athletes over the past 50 years.
This week, wrestling/football head coach,
Mike Sterner:
Mike Sterner served as the head wrestling coach at SMSU from 1969-98 and also served as head coach of the football program from 1973-76.
Sterner coached 47 NAIA and NCAA All-Americas, including two NAIA individual national champions and one NCAA II national champion. His teams won six NSIC championships and recorded 254 dual match victories. His teams placed among the top 10 at the NAIA championships three times.
Sterner was named NIC Coach of the Year seven times during he tenure.
Sterner was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1991, the SMSU Hall of Honor in 1998 and the NSIC Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2009, he was inducted into the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
