Northern Michigan University’s National Training Site for Greco-Roman wrestling announced on Friday that 2024 U20 World silver medalist Otto Black (67 kg) has committed to join their program on an official basis in time for the fall semester which begins this coming August.
Black, who competed for Mead High School (Colorado), was a state titlist and three-time placer who also happened to be equally, if not more, skilled when it came to international wrestling. To that end, Black was a two-time Fargo national champion as well as a U20 World Team Trials runner-up (in ’23). He was also courted by, and eventually committed to, the University of Iowa. Upon graduating from high school — and after advancing to the finals of the ’24 U20 World Championships — Black entered his true freshman season as a “grey shirt” and limited to collegiate open competition.
However, it was what Black achieved away from the confines of scholastic wrestling which helped prompt him to eventually reconsider his options.
Towards the end of November, Black earned a silver medal at the Haparanda Cup in Sweden, a Senior division tournament which represented his first experience above the age-group level. Then one week later, Black went up from 63 kg to 67 and won the Haavisto Cup (Finland), which, too, was a Senior-level event. Due to these accomplishments, and thanks to fan support, Black was named this platform’s Impact Performer for last year.
During the winter, Black had begun to shift gears and intended to continue the folkstyle path at Western Wyoming University. Those plans have now changed.
It all came to a head last week in Las Vegas at the ’25 US World Team Trials where Black, the 4th seed at 67, rocketed to the best-of-three finals before ultimately falling to champ (and NMU alumnus) Alston Nutter (Army/WCAP). Two series earlier, Black’s older brother Max Black (60 kg) clinched his first-ever Senior World Team spot with a sweep over Zane Richards (TMWC/IRTC).
Although Black had consistently maintained that he would still pursue Greco-Roman objectives whilst part of a collegiate folkstyle program, he reportedly switched course in the immediate aftermath of the World Trials. He had realized how close he is skill and ability-wise to the top level — and that four or five years of only delving into Greco on a pseudo-part time basis may severely disrupt his developmental trajectory.
Black — who had been training at NMU leading to the World Team Trials — now officially joins a program that includes his aforementioned brother Max, ’24 Olympian/current World Teamer Payton Jacobson (87 kg), David Stepanyan (67 kg), former age-group rival and ’23 U20 World Team member Landon Drury (63 kg), and freshly-minted Senior National Team representative Kaden Ercanbrack (63 kg), among others.
“I am excited to help Otto pursue his wrestling goals at NMU,” Northern Michigan University National Training Site head coach Andy Bisek said on Friday of Black’s decision to commit to the school. “He brings a positive attitude and a desire to learn. His addition raises the competitiveness of the entire room.”
NMU assistant coach Parker Betts went further, declaring it as a “big deal” and tethering the news to the health of the sport overall in the US. “It is the type of situation which proves that we are working to reshape Greco in the United States and he wants to play a big role in that,” said Betts. “These young guys are passionate, driven, and don’t hold back any emotion when they are winning. They are starting to command the spotlight more, which is what we need. I couldn’t be more excited for the future.”
Plenty of Greco-Roman supporters in the US likely feel the same way.
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