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Willie Miklus was part of the early run of success at Southeast Polk that has continued to this day on the wrestling mats. Now, Miklus has found his next calling as a coach.
Miklus, who spent the last five years with the Michigan State wrestling team, was announced as an assistant coach at North Dakota State by the university recently.
"Will has the passion and expertise for helping student-athletes develop into better people, not just an athlete," NDSU head coach Obenson Blanc said. "Willie's accomplishments as a competitor speak highly about his knowledge, toughness and work ethic in a very difficult sport.
"He will make an immediate impact for our Bison student-athletes."
— NDSU Wrestling (@NDSUwrestling) June 25, 2025Success started for Miklus early on, as he was a two-time Iowa high school state champion while competing for Southeast Polk. As a senior, he put together a perfect 47-0 record that included scoring 368 takedowns.
Miklus was also a 2011 Folkstyle Nationals runner-up and finished eighth at the Junior Freestyle Nationals. Before heading off to Missouri to begin his college career, he spent a season at the Olympic Training Center.
With Missouri and Iowa State, Miklus was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American, placing as high as sixth twice. He also won a Mid-American Conference title, as a Big 12 runner-up and was the 2015 MAC Freshman of the Year.
"I'm excited to join the staff here in Fargo and to be a part of this Bison program," Miklus said. "Coach Blanc has a great vision for this team and I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team."
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