Luther College wrestlers--as handy at a job site as they are on a wrestling mat

(Photos courtesy of Jim Fritz)

In the past 11 seasons Luther College wrestlers have qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships 60 times.  There have been 28 All-Americans, six national champions and eight national runners-up.

Norse wrestlers are also pretty good with a paint brush, leaf rake or crowbar.

It's a little-know secret--although one which is spreading--that Luther College wrestlers are often the best people to call if you want help moving or doing yard chores or doing a home remodeling job.

On Thursday around 30 wrestlers were working at a house on North Street owned by Jim Fritz of Decorah.  The wrestlers filled up three dumpsters with demolished building materials in the short time they were on site.

Luther wrestler Jayden DeVilbiss is this year's crew boss.  He says the wrestlers will tackle almost any job--they've even been hired to be bartenders at wedding receptions.

DeVilbiss says the benefit of hiring Luther College wrestlers to work at your house is not only that they'll do a good job, but that hiring them will help them pay tuition at Luther College.  This summer around a dozen wrestlers stayed in Decorah to work with other Luther wrestlers on projects they would get hired to do.  That not only put money in their pockets, but it helped the wrestlers to stay on campus during the summer so they could train together. 

DeVilbiss says the Luther wrestlers have gotten so popular that almost all of their jobs come through word of mouth.  But now that you know the secret, DeVilbiss can be reached at (563) 379-7744.