Northwest Tech Launches Women’s Wrestling Program
Northwest Tech is pleased to announce the launch of collegiate Women’s Wrestling at the college, with competition beginning in the Fall of 2021. The move comes following a decision at the March board meeting as the college works to strengthen enrollment and increase female student-athletes on campus.
“We have discussed adding the program for a few years, but with the recent decision by the NJCAA to recognize women’s wrestling as an emerging sport the timing was right to make the move,” said Athletic Director Rory Kling.
Northwest Tech is no stranger to women’s wrestling, as it was a club sport during the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 academic years. “We are excited to bring the program back and provide an additional opportunity for student-athletes to earn a degree in a high-demand and high-wage field of study,” said Kling.
Women’s wrestling is on the rise all across the country. According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association website, the number of women wrestling at the high school level has grown from 804 athletes in 1994 to well over 21,124 by 2019 – and that was as of two years ago. Even while participation has increased, opportunities for female wrestlers in Kansas to compete at the collegiate level in-state are few and far between. According to the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association website, there are only five private NAIA colleges and universities in Kansas with women’s wrestling. “High school programs have grown rapidly in Kansas and all around the Midwest,” said Northwest Tech President Ben Schears. “This is an opportunity for us to be among the first in the state to meet the growing demand and provide an equal opportunity to compete.”
The creation of the women’s program will be a great addition to a highly successful NJCAA Men’s Wrestling program at Northwest Tech. The men’s program is currently ranked 9th in the nation and has already produced three national champions, eleven All-Americans, and has several nationally-ranked wrestlers heading to the national competition in late April. “We want to see the same success, talent, and skill with our women’s program as we have with our men’s program,” said Wrestling Head Coach Chris Guillot. “Our goal is to develop high-quality student-athletes in the classroom and on the mat.”
Both the men’s and women’s programs will be under the guidance of Head Coach Chris Guillot and Assistant Coaches Lelund Weatherspoon, Ramico Blackmon, and Ben Kritsonis. “Our coaching staff are the right people at the right time to get this off the ground,” said Schears. “They have the vision, skills, and mindset to get the program started on the right foot.”
For more information about the new wrestling program, contact Wrestling Coach Chris Guillot at chris.guillot@fhnw.edu or by phone at 785.890.1545. https://www.ntmavericks.com/sports/wwrest/index
Tiny Home Pioneer - Logan Klein
Northwest Tech has a tiny home pioneer on campus this year. Logan Klein, a second-year Carpentry student, and his classmates have begun constructing his very own tiny home. Klein’s tiny home shapes up to be 240 square feet, including a full kitchen, full bath, living room, a loft for sleeping quarters, and a loft for storage. He also added an exterior storage space for solar panels, which he plans to add onto the home in the future.“My biggest goal is to graduate debt-free,” stated Klein. “I want to begin my career with a clean slate - no student loans, and no mortgage debt.”.....Northwest Tech Earns 2021-2022 Military Friendly® School Designation
Northwest Tech Earns 2021-2022 Military Friendly® School Designation
Goodland, KS (02/17/2021)— Northwest Kansas Technical College announced today that it has earned the 2021-2022 Military Friendly® School designation.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 1,200 schools participated in the 2021-2022 survey with 747 earning the designation.
The 2021-2022 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey response set and government/agency public data sources, within a logic based scoring assessment. We measure the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
“Northwest Tech is delighted to be recognized for our commitment to those who have, and are serving, our country in the Armed Forces,” said Ben Schears, Northwest Tech President. “The US military has had a long history of offering highly-structured technical training that results in job-ready skills and bright futures - as a technical college we can appreciate the shared values in our approach to education.”
“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data driven standards in our designation process. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to consistently evolve and invest in their programs. Schools who achieve designation show true commitment and dedication in their efforts. Our standards assist schools by providing a benchmark that promotes positive educational outcomes, resources, and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community.” - Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®
For more information about Northwest Kansas Technical College student veteran programs, visit Northwest Tech’s website at www.fhnw.edu/students/military-veterans or call (785) 890-3641.
About Military Friendly® Schools:
The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate.
Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
About Viqtory:
Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at www.viqtory.com.
25% Occupancy Allowed at Home Games
Welcome Back, Maverick Fans!
25% Occupancy Allowed at Home Games
Goodland, KS (2/3/21) - The Jayhawk conference will allow in-person attendance at Northwest Tech athletic events effective Saturday, February 6th, 2021. Events are limited to 25% capacity, and fans will be required to follow COVID-19 safety protocols per the Jayhawk conference guidelines:
- Events are limited to 25% capacity.
- Capacity varies by venue size.
- Masks must be worn at all times.
- No food or drinks allowed.
Northwest Tech welcomes fans to attend spring athletic events that include shooting sports, women’s softball, wrestling, men’s and women’s basketball, track and cross country. For an up-to-date athletics schedule, visit www.ntmavericks.com.
Two Consecutive Northwest Tech Students Chosen as Succeeding SkillsUSA Kansas State President
Goodland, KS. (11/09/2020) – For the second year in a row, Northwest Tech has announced that a current student has been chosen as the SkillsUSA Kansas State President.
Logan Klein was recently announced as the succeeding SkillsUSA Kansas President, accepting the position from a former peer, Juan Colegio.
Formerly, Juan Colegio was named as the SkillsUSA Kansas President for the 2019/2020 school year. Colegio is a graduate of Northwest Tech’s CSI program and is currently finishing his Criminal Justice degree at Fort Hays State University. While attending Northwest Tech, Colegio served as the Student Body President and was very active in several groups and organizations.
Current SkillsUSA Kansas President, Logan Klein, is finishing his final year of the Carpentry program and plans to return to Yuma, Colorado to open a small handyman business. Klein chose carpentry because he enjoys designing and fabricating solutions to a wide variety of problems in residential construction.
The newly elected officers were announced at a virtual recognition ceremony. Before being selected, candidates went through an application process including written exams, essays, interviews and a speech.
“Becoming a State SkillsUSA President takes dedication and persistence”, said Northwest Tech’s SkillsUSA administrator, Rory Kling, “Having repeat State Officers from Northwest Tech will help advocate for the skilled trades and vocational education throughout the state of Kansas.”
SkillsUSA is a Career and Technical Education partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA provides educational experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship, and character development by building and reinforcing self-confidence, work attitudes, and communications skills.
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