Dominic “Mick” Ruettiger 

High School

Started his wrestling career in 1973 as a senior in high school at Providence High School, now Providence Catholic High School.  Mick was a three-sport varsity letterman Football (2x), Wrestling (1x) and Baseball (2x)

Providence started its wrestling program in 1971-72 school year.  A broken arm kept him off the mats as a junior.  His senior year he went 19-3-1, a Private School Conference Champion and placed 3rd in the IHSA Regionals in a one class system.   Mick was the first Providence wrestler in its outstanding history to medal in the IHSA State Individual Series at the Regionals as well as the first to win a conference champion along with his brother John in 1973.  He was also the first collegiate wrestler from Providence. 

College

Mick wrestled two years at Joliet Junior College (1973-75) under Hall of Famer Henry Pillard earning one Varsity Letter.

He transferred to Eastern Illinois University (1975-78) where he wrestled for NCAA Champion and Hall of Famer Ron Clinton.  He earned three varsity letters in an average collegiate career.  Mick wrestled to runner-up honors in three tournaments. 

Coaching

EIU

His coaching career started at EIU (1978-79) as a Graduate Assistant.  EIU in 1979 placed 2nd at the NCAA II championships losing by ¼ of a point.  EIU produced 7 All Americans with 2 National Champions.  At the NCAA I Championships, EIU (unofficially) placed 8th with 3 All Americans. 

Mount Saint Joseph

In 1979-81, Mick journeyed out to a job in Baltimore, MD.  He volunteered as a varsity assistant at Mount Saint Joseph High School.  Mt. St. Joe added two titles to its 12-year win streak at the Maryland Scholastic Private School state championships.  Mt. St Joe won a 1980 Eastern Prep National title held at Lehigh University, and captured third place in 1981. 

Plano High School

Mick’s first head coaching job and Physical Education position brought him back to Illinois (1981-82) at Plano High School.  Plano had a winning dual meet season at 11-7 with one state qualifier.

Plano had 1 wrestler start his collegiate career at a United State Military Academy. 

St. Charles High School

In 1982, Mick accepted the head coaching job and a Physical Education position at St. Charles High School.  He later became a Dean of Students for his final 4 years. He coached 15 years (1982-97) at St. Charles.  His dual meet record was 187-117-2 (.601).  Mick returned as an assistant coach at SCE (2018-present).  

His team won the school’s first IHSA wrestling trophy in 1997.  SC won 3rd place at the IHSA Dual Meet State Championships.  His teams won an IHSA Sectional, 3 IHSA Regional Titles and 2 Upstate 8 titles with a total of 14 regular season and post season tournaments.  

Individually, St. Charles produced 44 State Qualifiers and 21 State Place Winners, including 2 State Champions and 7 finalists.  Its 1997 team was ranked 23rd nationally.

Also, in 1997 the IWCOA recognized St. Charles as the “Unofficial Team State Champion from the traditional scoring at the IHSA Individual State Championships. 

St. Charles scored in the top six, six times in the IHSA State Individual Championships. 

Established the St. Charles IKWF Wrestling Club 1985-86 which led to an outstanding 1990s run; a Dual meet record of 119-29-2 along with the individual and team championship performances.

Aurora Beacon News Coach of the Year – Nominated 5x IWCOA Coach of the Year. 

It also prepared 14 student/athletes to wrestle in college.  Five were NCAA I National Qualifiers with one All American and one NJCAA All American. 

SC had 6 wrestlers graduate from the United State Military Academies and serve the USA. 

Neuqua Valley

In 1997, Mick took on the Head Coaching and Dean of Students positions at the new Neuqua Vally High School (1997-2018).  

His teams garnered a dual meet record of 276-148-2 in 19 years of varsity wrestling.  Its first year was a JV schedule.  After retirement, Mick volunteered in 2017-18. 

NV reached the Sweet Sixteen 3 times in the IHSA State Dual Meet tournament.  Neuqua won six IHSA Regional Championships and 8 Upstate 8 Championships.  

NV was ranked 11 times in the Illinois Best State rankings including 5 times in the top six.  Its 2006 and 2008 teams were nationally ranked 18th and 23rd respectively.  Mick’s teams won 30 regular season and post season tournaments. 

Individually, NV qualified 55 State Qualifiers and had 29 placewinners, including 2 State Champions and 8 finalists at the IHSA State Individual championships.  

The Fox Valley Wrestling Club made its permanent home at NV in 2000 focusing on the NV incoming student. 

The collegiate level saw 34 Neuqua Valley Wrestlers continue to wrestle at least one year at different levels of the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA.  NV sent 16 to NCAA I.  One wrestler qualified for NCAA I and one wrestler won an NJCAA National Championship and took 3rd twice at the NAIA National Championships for 3 All American finishes. 

NV had 3 wrestlers graduate from the United States Military Academies and Serve the USA.

Wrestling Service Awards

Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Official Association (IWCOA) Hall of Fame – Inducted 2002

Neuqua Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame – Inducted 2020

St. Charles East High School Hall of Fame “Jodie Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award – Inducted 2020

IWCOA Lifetime Service Award Honoree – 2020

IWCOA Grand Marshall at the IHSA Individual State Finals - 2021

One of Neuqua Valley High School Most Influential Educators of the Year 2003

Honored by Neuqua Valley Wrestling with naming IKWF Tournament “Mick Ruettiger Invitational”

IWCOA Lifetime Member

Honored by IPSD School District Board Several Times for Wrestling Success

Illinois State Deans Association Member – Retired

City of St. Charles Recognition for wrestling Success

St. Charles HS Recognition Award

Nominated Five times for IWCOA Coach of the Year

Certificate of Merit Award from The City of St. Charles

Recognized by IPSD 204 School Board for Neuqua Valley Wrestling success several years

Honored by The Aurora Newspaper and the St. Charles newspaper as Area Coach of the Year

Overall Head Coaching Record – 35 years at Varsity Level

Plano Head Coach 1981-82

St. Charles High School Head Coach – 1982-97

Neuqua Valley Head Coach – 1998-2017

Dual meet record – 463-274-4

1 State Finals Dual Meet Trophy / 1996-97 – 3rd Place IHSA Dual Meet State Finals

1 IHSA Sectional Dual Meet State Title

9 IHSA Regional Titles

10 Conference Championships

4 State Champions

15 State Finalists

50 State Placewinners

99 State Qualifiers

Won 44 Tournament Championships

Eight Years as University of Illinois Camp clinician

St. Charles HS Honored by IWOCA as State Champions at the Individual State Tournament 1997

Won 12 of 25 Ruettiger Cups

48 Wrestlers, (28 Division I) 10  SC / 18 NV went on to wrestle in college for at least one year

10 wrestlers went on to the United States Military Academies / Plano 1, SC 6, NV 3

Assistant Coach

Eastern Illinois Graduate Assistant – EIU finished 2nd in NCAA II – 1978-79

Volunteer Assistant Mt. St. Joseph Prep School, Baltimore, MD – 1979-81

·         Mt. St. Joe – 2x State Champions / 1980 Eastern National Prep Champions

Neuqua Valley Volunteer Assistant Coach (2017-18)

St Charles East Assistant Coach (2018-present) / 2023 IHSA Dual Meet State Champions