Conqu'ring Heroes: Bertin Recalls Michigan Difference as Key to His Successes
11/2/2023 11:27:00 AM | Wrestling
By Danielle Hersh
To this day, former Michigan wrestler Ryan Bertin is one of the most decorated University of Michigan wrestlers in program history. The two-time 157-pound NCAA champion and four-time All-American spoke on the "Conqu'ring Heroes" podcast about his upcoming induction as a member of the 2023 class in the University of Michigan Hall of Honor.
Although he grew up in Ohio, Bertin claimed Michigan was the obvious choice for him.
"Everybody was all in, the academic support was all there, so it was kind of the best of both worlds for me." said Bertin.
He thought Michigan "felt different," wherein the people he met in the athletic department encouraged him to achieve his goal of becoming a wrestling national champion and excelling in the business school.
Bertin was able to accomplish his goal on the wrestling mat twice, the first time in 2003. His championship win was Michigan's first NCAA individual wrestling title in 18 years. Even though he sat out most of that season with an injury, he was able to look back and see it as a positive.
"In a lot of ways it was a blessing because I was very fresh for that part of the season" Bertin said. "It just worked out."
When it came to his second national title in 2005, Bertin said, "We had a really good team that year and I was obviously able to win it myself individually. Just a really fun year to close out my career."
Bertin remains the sole Wolverine to have been awarded Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and one of four U-M wrestlers selected as a Michigan Athletics Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient, both coming in his final season as Wolverine.
As a testament to his career at Michigan, Bertin will be inducted into the Hall of Honor and when asked what his reaction was when he got the call, Bertin commented that the moment was, "Pretty surreal actually. I was at O'Hare in Chicago. I was flying home from a business meeting and I got a phone call from a 734 number that I didn't recognize. It ended up being Warde Manuel. It was one of those kind of breathtaking moments to be honest."
Not only is Bertin an inductee, but his wife and former U-M field hockey player, April Fronzoni Bertin, also is part of the Class of 2023.
"It's hard to describe," said Bertin about sharing the moment with his wife, whom he met during his time at Michigan.
Bertin recalls his time at Michigan as life-changing.
"I met my wife," he said. "I've had a lot of very good friends come out of it. I've been able to excel professionally because of it. I still have a lot of really good relationships within the wrestling program."
In reference to his legacy within the program's record books Bertin said, "To be on that list is pretty phenomenal."
