Evan McGuire (Class of 2025) was only in seventh grade when he started his Varsity wrestling career at Mahtomedi High School (MHS). He shared that at the time, he was “beat up pretty bad,” but the now double All-American wrestler doesn’t look back. This year, he broke the MHS school record for wins (181) and exceeded it, now entering the State Tournament with 190 wins. In the fall of 2025, he will head to the University of Minnesota as a student-athlete.
Before he becomes a D1 athlete, he will make his fourth appearance at the Minnesota State High School League Wrestling State Tournament. McGuire has advanced twice to the Minnesota State Championships. A second-place medal from 2024 hangs on his bedroom door and serves as a visual reminder to him to “work twice as hard.” Most days, McGuire’s day starts at 5:55 am with a mix of strength training, wrestling exercises, and rehab. He cites consistently working hard and having both faith and mental wellness to balance the pressure of preparing for high-level competition.
In addition to being a top Minnesota wrestler, he also competes at the international level. In June of 2024, McGuire won Gold for the United States in Greco-Roman Wrestling at the 2024 U17 Pan American Championships held in the Dominican Republic. This significant accomplishment advanced Evan to the World Wrestling Championships in Amman, Jordan.
Evan’s path to these advanced wrestling tournaments has included setbacks of injuries and using that spirit of grit to get back and beyond with training. His advice to those working through setbacks is to “Picture yourself in the future. Imagine yourself, who you want to be, and what you want to accomplish.” His dreams for himself are vivid; first is the State Championship, becoming a D1 athlete at the Univeristy of Minnesota, and next, an Olympian in the 2028 trials for Greco wrestling.
The Minnesota State High School League Wrestling Tournament begins on February 27, and you can follow Evan’s progress in the competition in the 215 AA weight class.