South Dakota State Wrestler and Animal Science Student Tanner Sloan Takes Home NCAA Division I & U23 World Silver Medals

South Dakota State University wrestler and animal science graduate, Tanner Sloan, was unsure if he was ever going to wrestle beyond high school, let alone take home two major silver medals within a year’s time.

In October 2022, Sloan placed second at the U23 World Championship in Pontevedra, Spain, as well as placing second in the 197-pound bracket for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in March 2023. 

It wasn’t until Sloan’s senior year at Alburnett High School in Alburnett, Iowa, that he started to consider wrestling at the collegiate level. With the help of his football coach, he connected with the SDSU wrestling coaching staff and toured the campus. 

After his visit to Brookings, SDSU quickly became the perfect place for Sloan because it gave him the best of both worlds – a place where he could continue wrestling and pursue a degree in animal science. 

Prior to attending SDSU, Sloan was involved in 4-H, FFA, football and wrestling. During that time, he built up his sheep herd and raised a few cows, while also excelling in high school football and wrestling as he was named one of the top three running backs in Iowa and won two state wrestling titles. 

Sloan started his collegiate wrestling career as a redshirt freshman and has seen great success in his last five years on the SDSU wrestling team, having qualified for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at 197 pounds four times. This year’s tournament was different than the others as Sloan felt much more confident and prepared. Entering the tournament as a 7-seed, Sloan made an impressive climb to the championship match and walked away with a silver medal. 

“This NCAA tournament had a lot of emotions, and to finish the season healthy was a huge part of my success this year,” said Sloan. “Being able to focus on getting better at wrestling and having fun versus rehab and injuries makes a big difference in mental health.”

Sloan has also represented Team USA on two occasions – at the U20 World Championship in 2019 where he wrestled in Tallinn, Estonia, and again at the U23 World Championship in 2022 in Pontevedra, Spain, where he took home a silver medal. 

When asked if he had ever imagined getting the opportunity to wrestle on an international level, Sloan said, “If you would’ve asked me in high school, no. I didn’t even know that I was going to wrestle in college and I didn’t realize the opportunities that I had ahead of me. But once I started getting my feet under me during my freshman year and realized how much I had improved, then my eyes opened and my goals changed – they went from wanting to be a world team member to wanting to be a world medalist, and then becoming a silver medalist.”

Aside from having the honor of representing Team USA at international tournaments, Sloan still values the opportunity to represent SDSU and contribute to his Jackrabbit team. 

“It’s such an individualized sport, but at the same time we have a team,” said Sloan. “It’s like the football team winning the national title together – we win duels together, and that’s fun. It’s rewarding to see everyone give everything they have for one another.”

While learning to balance school and wrestling, Sloan has enjoyed the hands-on learning that the SDSU animal science program provides. From administering vaccinations, to participating in weaning protocols, to performing lambing checks and learning about processing in the SDSU Meat Lab, Sloan says these hands-on learning opportunities were a big selling point for why he chose to pursue a degree in animal science at SDSU. 

He received his bachelor's degree in May and Sloan plans to remain at SDSU to attend graduate school for interdisciplinary studies, with an emphasis in agriculture, and wrestle his last season for the Jackrabbits. 

“My original goal as a college athlete was to become an All-American,” said Sloan. “As I have developed as a wrestler over the past few years, I knew I was better than just an All-American, and my goals changed. I have achieved my first collegiate goal and now have my sights set on the next one of being a national champion.”