Time for a little Buccaneer Brag!
Congratulations to Blue Earth Area alumni, Luke Eustice and Ty Eustice, who will be inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Dave Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame on May 4.
Tickets to the induction ceremony can be purchased using this form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16drwvUglVGeRb3smdiv_5jO3_s9zxn_D/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111821688917583172919&rtpof=true&sd=true
Luke Eustice attended Blue Earth Area High School, graduating from there in 1999. Luke was a three-time state champion and a state runner-up with a career record of 163-18. Luke was an avid freestyle wrestler as well and was crowned an All-American in Cadet Freestyle placing 2nd in 1996 and 6th in Junior Freestyle in 1999.
Luke continued his wrestling at the University of Iowa where he was a three-year starter with a career record of 86-26. Luke was an All-American in 2002 with his 2nd place finish. He was a two-time Big Ten Runner up, placing 2nd in 2002 and 2004, as well as a two-time Midlands Runner-up in 2002 and 2003. He was named the Iowa Most Improved wrestler in 2002. Luke also competed in the 2004 NWCA All-Star Classic which was held in Cedar Falls, IA that year. After college Luke competed internationally placing 2nd in the Sunkist Kids Freestyle open in 2004 and 3rd in 2005. He placed 2nd in the NYAC Christmas Championships in 2005. He also competed in the Dave Schultz Memorial Invitational where he placed 3 in 2005. Luke also placed 5th in both the 2005 and 2006 World Team Trials. After competing Luke served as Director of Operations for the University of Iowa from 2006-2019 and was instrumental in organizing and running the Grapple on the Gridiron held in Kinnick stadium, which is still the largest crowd to watch a wrestling meet with over 42k spectators on Nov. 15, 2015. Luke resides in Iowa City, IA where he is now the Director of the Iowa City Area Sports Commission. Luke is married to Jenny Eustice and they have two children: Peyton 12 and Charlie 10.
Ty Eustice attended Blue Earth Area High School, graduating from there in 2001. He wrestled collegiately at the University of Iowa where he was a two-time NCAA All-American, four-time NCAA Qualifier, and Midlands Champion. In 2006, the two-time team captain was a NCAA Finalist, and won the team’s Most Valuable Wrestler Award. Ty finished with over 100 career wins during his four years of varsity competition. Ty graduated from Iowa in 2006 with a degree in Art, and eventually obtained a Master’s in Sports Management from Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2008.
Before wrestling collegiately, Eustice was a four-time High School State Champion in Minnesota, and five-time State Place winner. Eustice was also a National Freestyle All-American in the Cadet, Junior and FILA Junior age groups. During Ty’s senior year of high school competition, he broke the Minnesota State record for takedowns in a career, helping the Bucs to a Team State Title in Class AA. Ty still owns the Blue Earth Area program record for career wins with 191.
In October 2021, Ty joined the NCAA Div. I Davidson College Wrestling program as head assistant coach. In just his first season, Eustice helped lead Davidson to its most successful season since 2005, notching five dual wins. Additionally, three 'Cats were named to the RPI Rankings for the first time in program history. An additional three were named to the NWCA All-Academic Team as well.
Eustice made the move to North Carolina from Minnesota State University, Mankato, a program he had coached in two separate stints. During the 2007 and 2008 seasons, the Mavs crowned two individual national champions and 12 individual All-Americans, as well as winning the 2008 NWCA National Duals Championship. In his second stint at Minnesota State, 2018-2021, Eustice helped coach seven All-Americans and 15 National Qualifiers, including two NCAA Finalists.
From 2012 to 2017, Ty helped manage and operate J Robinson Intensive Camps in Minneapolis, MN as the Director of Wrestling Operations and then as Executive Director.
Eustice currently resides in Davidson, NC with his wife Dani and two children Camryn (8) and Grayson (6). Ty’s oldest son, Jack (18), resides in Rochester, MN and will join the UW-Eau Claire baseball team in the fall of 2024.