Will To Win: Nate Herda, Augustana Wrestling

by Kolbe Nelson
March 05, 2012 6:43 PM


This weekend, the Augustana wrestlers will vie for a national championship and leading the charge will be 149-pounder Nate Herda. His toughness has made him the number one nationally in his weight class.

"He's an in your face kind of guy." Teammate Carl Serck says, "He's gonna push the pace until the third period and that's how he wins matches."

"He's always got pressure on you and he doesn't really back off and it works for him," Teammate Jason Jeremiason says, "He wears his opponents down, he doesn't get tired and he's got a gas tank where he's gonna last and not get tired."

"You might take him down once or twice," Teammate Marcus Edgington says, "But I guaruntee he's gonna take you down five times for every one time you take him down."

So to review, Herda has the fight, conditioning, and determination that one would only find in those searching for a naitonal championship. And after taking the 149-pound title at the Super Region Three Championship, the junior is on the cusp of finding what he's looking for.

"It's been a dream of mine to win a national title so I'm right there and I don't wanna get third or fourth," Herda says, "I wanna make the stage and win it."

But those championship hopes were put in jeopardy before this season even began.

"I was in an accident this summer where my fingers kind of got hurt," Herda says, "I work at the butcher shop in my town. They got pinched in the machine."

Even a tough guy like Herda had to grimace.

"I looked down when it happened and I was like woah." Herda says, "I didn't look down again until I got my bandages off a week later."

But the Rock Rapids native went through surgery and rehab and eventually wound up ranked as the number one wrestler in the country at 149 pounds. A high accolade like that can put a lot of strain on a person, but Herda doesn't have a problem with it.

"The pressure only gets to you if you don't believe you're number one," Herda says.

And when asked if he believes he's number one?

"Absolutely," Herda says.

It's hard not to have that belief when you possess the fight, conditioning, and determination of Nate Herda.

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