A nagging shoulder injury stunted his progress in his final collegiate wrestling season, but Michael Kemerer is moving on to his next venture in the sport.
The former Iowa and Franklin Regional standout has joined the Spartan Combat RTC, a world-class training outfit in Ithaca, N.Y.
Spartan Combat RTC specializes in international styles of wrestling.
A five-time All-American, Kemerer will serve as a resident athlete and assist with coaching.
“The opportunity offered everything I was looking for,” Kemerer said in a news release. “The alumni network is amazing, and it’s a great place for wrestling with great people and great coaches. It hit all the areas I was looking to develop myself in on and off the mat.”
Kemerer finished with 119 wins at Iowa and didn’t finish worse than fourth at the NCAA Championships.
A shoulder injury forced him to default in the Big Ten Conference quarterfinals in March.
He had surgery after the season.
“Right now, my No. 1 priority is to get healthy and get back on the mat,” he said. “I’m excited to help with coaching. I look forward to sharing my wrestling knowledge and influencing younger guys. I had a lot of good influences in my life, and I’m excited to pass along what I’ve learned.”
Kemerer was a three-time Fargo All-American in high school. He won the Junior Freestyle Nationals and was third at University Nationals.
A 174-pounder in college, he is expected to wrestle at 79 kilograms for RTC.
“It’s a perfect weight for me,” Kemerer said. “I’ll have a lot of partners that can help me develop. That was a big appeal. I’m excited to see some new perspectives and wrestle with some new guys, pick their brains and share what I know. I see a lot of people here who have really high standards and have set their sights on lofty goals. I think of myself the same way, so it feels like a great fit in a place that is having a lot of success.”
Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill by email at bbeckner@triblive.com or via Twitter .
