Hall of Fame
Kurt Karjalainen, a Washington native, was one of the building blocks for UNK wrestling as he and his teammates helped transform the program and turn it into the national powerhouse that it is today.
A two-time All-American (134 and 141 pounds), he was national runner up in 2000. At the time, he was the seventh second place finisher in team history; that tally is up to 22. Karjalainen also was the seventh two-time All-American; that number is up to 21. Finally, the 1999-00 squad finished eighth at the NCAA Championships, an improvement of 27 places from the year before. It also marked the program's second highest finish at an NCAA meet. Â
Going 49-15 in his two-year Loper career, Karjalainen was a 2000 West Region champion at 141 pounds, and helped the Lopers win their first-ever Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) title. He resides in Kearney with his wife, Jolene, and their children, Claire, Cathryn and Cain. He is Owner and President of the PAI/Premier Merchants Group, LLC
