After graduating high school, Nate continued his wrestling career at Ridgewater College and Saint Cloud State University, where he became a three-time national qualifier and earned All-American honors. Following his collegiate success, Nate transitioned into professional mixed martial arts, competing at a high level and earning a strong record of 20 wins and 6 losses.
Nate began his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu journey in 2008, shortly after finishing college wrestling. He initially trained under the Alliance Jiu Jitsu banner before joining forces with Tim Blackstone of Rebel Jiu Jitsu. During Nate’s 12 years in the military, he was deployed to Afghanistan where he was able to share his love of Jiu Jitsu. While there he was honorably recognized for organizing and running a Jiu Jitsu club on base. He also was a key contributor in organizing and running a base wide Jiu Jitsu tournament to help boost morale of the Soldiers stationed on the base. His dedication and competitive spirit led to a series of standout achievements:
- 🥈 2022 – Purple Belt Silver medalist at the Master World Championships
- 🥇 2023 – Gold medalist at Master World Championships and promoted to Brown Belt on the podium
- 🥉 2024 – Brown Belt Bronze medalist at Master World Championships
- 🥇 2025 – Gold medalist at Master World Championships and promoted to Black Belt on the podium
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Nate currently shares his knowledge and passion for wrestling by coaching the STMA Youth Wrestling Team, where both of his sons are active competitors. He’s known for blending high-level technique with a focus on discipline, work ethic, and character development—on and off the mat.
He lives in Saint Michael, Minnesota, with his wife Jeana and their three children: Alivia (16), Easton (12), and Kael (9)