CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Two-time NCAA Championship qualifier (2021 – 165, 2022 – 174)
2021-22 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• Finished 18-15 at 174 pounds, including an 8-6 dual mark and eight wins over ranked opponents.
• Qualified for his second straight NCAA Championships, earning an automatic bid at the Big Ten Championships.
• Ranked in every poll of the season, earning a high mark of No. 13 in the country via FloWrestling.
• Placed eighth at the 2021 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, posting a 3-3 tournament mark, including wins over Oklahoma’s Anthony Mantanona and Stanford’s Tyler Eischens.
• Took fifth at the inaugural Matmen Open, carding a 4-2 tournament record with a technical fall and major decision.
• Earned the highest-ranked win of his career in his 2022 Big Ten Dual opener, scoring a 6-4 decision over No. 3 Mikey Labriola of Nebraska in Purdue’s 18-15 win over the Huskers.
• Posted three straight Big Ten Dual wins over Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin, notching a major decision over Nathan Jiminez, pinning D.J. Shannon in 2:00, and earning a 3-1 sudden victory over No. 22 Andrew McNally.
• Went 1-2 at NCAA’s, scoring a first-round win over No. 8 seed Mickey O’Malley of Drexel as he avenged his first loss of the year with a 6-4 sudden victory.
2020-21 / AS A FRESHMAN#
• Stats
• Named Purdue’s Most Outstanding Freshman
• Finished 11-7 in his rookie season at 165 pounds, appearing in eight varsity duals
• Ranked as high as 18th in the nation at 165 via TrackWrestling
• Purdue’s first true freshman to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Christian Brunner in 2017, earning an automatic qualifying spot at the Big Ten Championships
• Posted the best individual finish by a true freshman at the conference tournament since 1987 (Scott Pierre), placing fifth as the No. 9 seed with a 4-2 record
• Finished 2-2 as the at the NCAA Championships, pinning Hofstra’s Ricky Stamm and posting a 7-4 decision over Navy’s No. 14 seed Tanner Skidgel
• Led the Boilermakers with four falls and nine reversals
• Tied for the team lead with five bonus-point wins
• Finished 5-3 in Big Ten duals
• Scored bonus points in his collegiate debut, posting an 8-0 win over Illinois’ Luke Odom
• Posted his first collegiate fall against Iowa, pinning Joe Kelly in 4:27
• Earned his first win over a ranked opponent in Purdue’s home dual victory over Indiana, sticking 20th-ranked Nick South in 3:52
• All four of his wins at the Big Ten Tournament came over ranked opponents, topping Michigan State’s Jake Tucker twice, pinning Penn State’s Joe Lee and defeating Nick South of Indiana
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner at Canon-McMillan High School
• 2020 Pennsylvania High School AAA State Champion at 182 pounds, going 47-0 in his final season
• 2019 Pennsylvania High School AAA State Champion at 170 pounds
• Won the 2019 Super 32 Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina at 182 pounds
• Finished second at the 2019 Fargo Freestyle Junior Championships
• Placed third at the 2018 Pennsylvania High School State Championships at 160 pounds
• Took third at 152 pounds as a freshman at the 2017 Pennsylvania High School State Championships
NATIONAL RANKINGS
• Named the No. 8 pound-for-pound wrestler in the country by FloWrestling (3/11)
• Tabbed the No. 18 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by FloWrestling (3/25)
• Ranked as the No. 12 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by InterMat (4/15)
• Listed as the No. 15 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by TrackWrestling (4/15)
• Ranked No. 2 at 182 pounds by FloWrestling, The Open Mat and InterMat
HIGH SCHOOL RECORD
• 2019-20 (182): 42-0
• 2018-19 (170): 44-3
• 2017-18 (160): 44-6
• 2016-17 (152): 46-7
• TOTAL: 176-16 (.917)
PERSONAL
• Full Name: Gerrit Nijenhuis
• Major: Undecided
• Birthday: July, 6, 2001
• City Born: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Parents: Rabo and Beth Nijenhuis
• Siblings: Sister, Skylar, who intends to join the cheerleading squad at Purdue
# - Student-athlete's eligibility may have been impacted by NCAA Legislative Actions concerning COVID-19
• Two-time NCAA Championship qualifier (2021 – 165, 2022 – 174)
2021-22 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• Finished 18-15 at 174 pounds, including an 8-6 dual mark and eight wins over ranked opponents.
• Qualified for his second straight NCAA Championships, earning an automatic bid at the Big Ten Championships.
• Ranked in every poll of the season, earning a high mark of No. 13 in the country via FloWrestling.
• Placed eighth at the 2021 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, posting a 3-3 tournament mark, including wins over Oklahoma’s Anthony Mantanona and Stanford’s Tyler Eischens.
• Took fifth at the inaugural Matmen Open, carding a 4-2 tournament record with a technical fall and major decision.
• Earned the highest-ranked win of his career in his 2022 Big Ten Dual opener, scoring a 6-4 decision over No. 3 Mikey Labriola of Nebraska in Purdue’s 18-15 win over the Huskers.
• Posted three straight Big Ten Dual wins over Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin, notching a major decision over Nathan Jiminez, pinning D.J. Shannon in 2:00, and earning a 3-1 sudden victory over No. 22 Andrew McNally.
• Went 1-2 at NCAA’s, scoring a first-round win over No. 8 seed Mickey O’Malley of Drexel as he avenged his first loss of the year with a 6-4 sudden victory.
2020-21 / AS A FRESHMAN#
• Stats
• Named Purdue’s Most Outstanding Freshman
• Finished 11-7 in his rookie season at 165 pounds, appearing in eight varsity duals
• Ranked as high as 18th in the nation at 165 via TrackWrestling
• Purdue’s first true freshman to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Christian Brunner in 2017, earning an automatic qualifying spot at the Big Ten Championships
• Posted the best individual finish by a true freshman at the conference tournament since 1987 (Scott Pierre), placing fifth as the No. 9 seed with a 4-2 record
• Finished 2-2 as the at the NCAA Championships, pinning Hofstra’s Ricky Stamm and posting a 7-4 decision over Navy’s No. 14 seed Tanner Skidgel
• Led the Boilermakers with four falls and nine reversals
• Tied for the team lead with five bonus-point wins
• Finished 5-3 in Big Ten duals
• Scored bonus points in his collegiate debut, posting an 8-0 win over Illinois’ Luke Odom
• Posted his first collegiate fall against Iowa, pinning Joe Kelly in 4:27
• Earned his first win over a ranked opponent in Purdue’s home dual victory over Indiana, sticking 20th-ranked Nick South in 3:52
• All four of his wins at the Big Ten Tournament came over ranked opponents, topping Michigan State’s Jake Tucker twice, pinning Penn State’s Joe Lee and defeating Nick South of Indiana
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner at Canon-McMillan High School
• 2020 Pennsylvania High School AAA State Champion at 182 pounds, going 47-0 in his final season
• 2019 Pennsylvania High School AAA State Champion at 170 pounds
• Won the 2019 Super 32 Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina at 182 pounds
• Finished second at the 2019 Fargo Freestyle Junior Championships
• Placed third at the 2018 Pennsylvania High School State Championships at 160 pounds
• Took third at 152 pounds as a freshman at the 2017 Pennsylvania High School State Championships
NATIONAL RANKINGS
• Named the No. 8 pound-for-pound wrestler in the country by FloWrestling (3/11)
• Tabbed the No. 18 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by FloWrestling (3/25)
• Ranked as the No. 12 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by InterMat (4/15)
• Listed as the No. 15 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by TrackWrestling (4/15)
• Ranked No. 2 at 182 pounds by FloWrestling, The Open Mat and InterMat
HIGH SCHOOL RECORD
• 2019-20 (182): 42-0
• 2018-19 (170): 44-3
• 2017-18 (160): 44-6
• 2016-17 (152): 46-7
• TOTAL: 176-16 (.917)
PERSONAL
• Full Name: Gerrit Nijenhuis
• Major: Undecided
• Birthday: July, 6, 2001
• City Born: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Parents: Rabo and Beth Nijenhuis
• Siblings: Sister, Skylar, who intends to join the cheerleading squad at Purdue
# - Student-athlete's eligibility may have been impacted by NCAA Legislative Actions concerning COVID-19