07/13/2026
Dustin Schlatter was a phenom - a once in a generation talent.
In high school, he was virtually untouchable within the state of Ohio.
Of his 16 state tournament bouts, only two were won via decision, and his closest match was 6 points victory.
Schlatter began his high school career at St. Paris Graham, where he won back-to-back state championships for the Falcons.
He later transferred to Massillon Perry for his junior and senior years and captured two more championships to become Ohio’s 14th four-time state champion.
Dustin amassed an impressive 154-4 record in high school, won the 2005 NHSCA Senior National Championship, and was also the Junior National Freestyle Champion.
In college, he burst onto the scene as a true freshman, twice defeating defending National Champion Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State.
He wasn't just beating the nation's top wrestlers though, he was winning handily and making it look effortless.
Schlatter ended the season with only one loss (which he avenged) and capped off his phenomenal freshman campaign with a national championship, defeating Ty Eustice of Iowa in the finals.
It was hard to imagine anyone challenging Dustin after his freshman season, but unfortunately, he was bitten by the injury bug and was never able to get 100% healthy.
Still, he became a 3-time all-American for Minnesota and compiled a 114-10 career record (92%), the fourth-best winning percentage in Gopher history.
After college, Schlatter had international success in freestyle.
He represented the U.S. at 74 kg at the 2009 World Championships in Herning, Denmark, and later won the 2015 Pan American gold medal at 70 kg in Santiago de Chile.
After his competitive career, Schlatter transitioned to coaching.
He served as a graduate assistant (2010–2015), volunteer assistant (2015–2016), and assistant coach (2016–2018) for the University of Minnesota.
During his tenure, he contributed to seven top-10 team finishes and mentored 18 NCAA All-Americans.
In 2018, Schlatter became the head coach of the GWC, the regional training center affiliated with the University of Minnesota.
Under his leadership, the club produced its first Olympic gold medalist, Gable Steveson, at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Schlatter stepped down from this role in August 2022 to pursue opportunities outside of wrestling.
