Wrestling with Elite Status
Twenty-five years ago, Nick Ackerman ā01 shocked the college wrestling world by winning the NCAA Division III national title at 174 lbs.
The NCAA celebrated his amazing accomplishment by presenting him with its 2026 Silver Anniversary Award in January during a special ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Ackerman shared the spotlight with three other NCAA legends earning the honor: former Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees, Purdue University; five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Tamika Catchings, University of Tennessee; and tennis great Dr. Lauren Witmer, Millersville University (Pa.). Ackerman says the experience was delightfully surreal.
āSharing the same award with those greats was almost laughable,ā said Ackerman. āIām so far removed from my time competing that you kind of forget that it was kind of a big deal, so it was really cool to be reminded of and reflect back on those times.ā
Ackermanās remarkable rise to national championship glory has been chronicled many times, highlighting his inspirational journey in overcoming the loss of both legs at 18 months old due to bacterial meningitis. His road to greatness featured no shortcuts.
āThe culture of our wrestling room was tough, man,ā said Ackerman. āWhen I was a freshman, guys like [national champion] Cory Christensen ā98, Tim Norton ā98 and Ben Kalainoff ā99 just beat on me. There were no excuses ā we held each other accountable.ā
Mastering a Winning Mindset
Grueling practice battles helped a lot, but getting better wasnāt just about the physical aspect of the sport.
āWrestling is 80 percent mental,ā said Ackerman. āCoach [Ron] Peterson could get into my head and make me think about things. He knew how to motivate each of his athletes, recognizing that we all tick differently.ā
As things began to click and Ackerman started piling up wins, his confidence began to soar. āI had a belief in myself that was a bit irrational,ā he admits.
Long before his championship showdown against unbeaten and defending national champion Nick Slack, Ackerman vividly envisioned his coming glory.
āEven though I had never qualified for the [national] tournament, I convinced myself that I was going to win it. I repeated that belief aloud in front of my mirror hundreds of times for a year and a half. So, by the time I got to the title match, I was like, āHere we come, Iām going to win this thing.āā
Bold positive thinking has carried Ackerman to fulfilling success in his professional life as well, serving others who have suffered limb loss as a certified prosthetist for the past 20+ years across Iowa. He and his wife, Rachel, have three sons who are all ā not surprisingly ā multi-sport athletes.
Ackermanās message to his family, his patients and all of us is to believe in yourself and to keep pushing forward, regardless of circumstances and outcomes.
āThereās something to be said about the power of the mind. Sometimes youāre going to struggle, but youāve got to grind through it and stay determined to make things good. Thatās what living is all about.ā
Article Information
Published
June 23, 2026
Author
Roger Degerman
