The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) currently has Northern State University graduate student Wyatt Turnquist ranked as the top Division II men’s wrestler in the country at 149 pounds and, so far this season, he’s proven why that’s the case.
Turnquist won the Midwest Classic’s 149-pound division following consecutive major decision wins. He defeated Ryan Moore of Thomas More (Kentucky), 10-2, and No. 7 Jacob Ealy of Pitt-Johnstown (Pennsylvania), 15-7, en route to the Midwest Classic title.
Fifty-one teams competed in the tournament on Dec. 16-17 in Indianapolis, and NSU (3-3, 1-1 NSIC) finished ninth overall. Turnquist’s efforts earned him NSIC Wrestler of the Week honors.
“Got the job done, but it really wasn’t the ideal performance I was looking for,” Turnquist said. “It was kind of a good measuring stick to see where I’m at and where I need to keep going.”
For Turnquist, it’s been quite the journey to becoming the nation’s best at 149.
Turnquist, a Winner native, was a four-time state place winner at Winner High School. As a senior in 2019, he captured his only state championship at 138 and led South Dakota in nearfall points. Turnquist helped the Warriors finish as the state runner-up in ‘18 and ‘19.
He ended his high school career with 199 career wins.
Turnquist’s success at Winner led him to receiving wrestling scholarships at the Division II, Division III and NAIA levels. He initially committed to Augustana University, but he ended up signing with NSU and head coach Rocky Burkett.
“I wanted to go somewhere where something was established,” Turnquist said. “But after developing a relationship with Rocky, I saw the vision that he had, and I really wanted to be a part of it.
“He had everything I needed to be successful, the guys on the team were really motivated and we were all on the same page,” Turnquist added. “Everything I was looking for was kind of aligned with what Northern was trying to do.”
The Winner native immediately made an impact in Aberdeen, tallying a 16-8 record as a redshirt freshman. He went 7-3 the following season.
In 2021-22, Turnquist posted a team-best 20-5 record (9-0 NSIC) and led NSU with nine decision wins and five technical falls. He capped off his junior season with a third-place finish in the NCAA Super Region V Tournament, advancing him to the NCAA Championships.
Turnquist went 1-2 in the national tournament, but he was named to the NSIC All- Conference First Team.
Turnquist took things a step further in his senior campaign following another third-place finish at the NCAA Super Region V Tournament. This time, he secured third at the National Championships after defeating three of the top-six wrestlers, including No. 1 Ealy by an 8-4 decision in the consolation semifinals.
NSU ended the year 20th, the second-best finish in school history (15th, 2004), and Turnquist earned himself All-America and NSIC All-Conference First Team honors.
“Last year, I think he was right there,” Burkett said. “When he got third at the national tournament, I think he realized then, ‘Yeah, I’m really good.’ I think he knew it, but I think that really put it in his mind that he can be the best.”
Burkett noted that Turnquist has made “tremendous strides” since his freshman year, and this growth, among other things, has enabled him to be the best in his weight class.
“I feel like I’m in the right environment where I can really grow,” Turnquist said. “I got great coaches, I got great teammates, I got people supporting me.
“So it’s not on my own, it’s kind of just an accumulation of a lifetime of work starting to come to fruition,” he added. “Just living life the right way, training super hard every day, being around the right people. All those things are what I think has made the difference.”
When asked about his goals for this season, Turnquist has one particular achievement in mind.
“I want to be a national champion,” he said. “I won’t be satisfied with anything else.”
Historically, the Wolves wrestling program has had five national champions — Doug Neuharth (1968), Dave Harvey (1985, 1986) and Matt Meuleners (2011, 2012). If Turnquist does reach the mountaintop this year, he would be the first NSU wrestler to do so in over a decade.
“I mean, that’s what I’ve been working my whole life towards,” Turnquist said. “It would be incredible, not even to do it for myself but to do it for all the people who have invested in me. I think that would make it 100 times sweeter.”
Burkett explained the impact that another NSU national champion would have on the program.
“I think it would just show to our guys, our team and incoming recruits that ‘Hey, you can achieve greatness,’” Burkett said. “‘You don’t have to be the biggest and greatest recruit coming out of high school. You don’t have to have the biggest name. You just have to believe in the process, do the right things and good things will happen for you.’”
After the holiday break, Turnquist and the 18th-ranked Wolves will return to action on Jan. 5 and 6 for the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where 16 of the top programs nationwide will take the mat.
“I can’t be the national champion in December. So, right now, it’s just being the best version of myself every day, training super hard every day (and) finding areas to improve,” Turnquist said. “I know if I do that, then I’m going to be fine when March rolls around.”
