John K. Sterner
Southwest Minnesota State University
Wrestling / Football
John K. Sterner was a wrestler and played football at Southwest Minnesota State University from 1984-1989. He was a member of three Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) Wrestling Championship teams and became the first SMSU national champion in 1989. The 190 pound wrestler completed the year with a 38-2 record while finishing with a career record of 100-21 (.826), which ranks in the top five in career winning percentage in school history. Sterner, a native of Marshall, Minn., was NIC Champion in 1987 and 1989 and was NIC runner-up in 1985. He qualified for the NAIA National Championships all four years and was a two-time NAIA All-American (1987 & 1989). Sterner also played football for four seasons under head coach Gary Buer. A linebacker for the Mustangs, he finished his career with 140 tackles and six and a half sacks. His best season came in 1986 when he had 57 tackles including eight for loss and five fumble recoveries. Sterner was part of a Mustang squad that recorded the school's first ever wins over MSU Moorhead, Minnesota-Morris and Minnesota Duluth.
Sterner also was a finalist in the discus and the javelin on the 1985 Mustang track & field squad that finished second in the NIC.
Sterner served as head wrestling coach at SMSU for nine season from 1998 to 2007. He led the Mustangs to the 2001 NSIC Championship and was named NSIC Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2003. He also was named Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2003. Sterner coached 19 Division II national qualifiers, including five All-Americans and also coached two NSIC wrestlers of the year. IN 1998 Sterner coached Link Steffen to an undefeated season and a NCAA II National Championship. Sterner was inducted into the SMSU Hall of Honor in 2005.
Sterner is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Fine Arts & Communications department at SMSU. He and his wife Tracy have two children, Elijah and Julia, and reside in Marshall, Minn.