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Marquette, Mich. - Northern Michigan University has had rich ties to the Olympics for several decades. Currently, we have two former students competing for Team U.S.A., Nick Baumgartner and William "Jake" Brown.
Northern has seen success in the Olympics. The University has had over 50 athletes compete in the Olympics, the earliest dating back to 1924.
Olympians Made Here has a complete list of collegiate Olympic athletes listed HERE.
Below is a handful of athletes that have competed in the Olympics and have attended Northern Michigan University.
Nick Baumgartner
Nick Baumgartner is a three-time Olympian, 2010, 2014 & 2018, and is currently participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Baumgartner originally from Iron River Mich. began playing sports at a very early age especially wrestling, football and snowboarding. His first official snowboard was a plastic board he would use on the sledding hills near his home. In high school, he became an All-American and state champ in wrestling, a state champion hurdler, and an All-State football player. In an article from TV6 in 2020, Baumgartner stated; "I had a big love for football, thought I was going to go to the NFL."
Baumgartner enrolled in college at Northern Michigan University and was a part of the school's football team. However, Baumgartner took a semester while attending school to evaluate his future career options. He eventually discovered snowboard cross, which in his words is a perfect mix between football and snowboarding, and two years later he was in the X Games.
Baumgartner would go on to qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics that took place in Vancouver, Canada. He would go on to place 20th amongst all snowboard cross athletes. Following his success in Canada, Baumgartner competed in both the 2011 and 2012 Winter X Games, which earned him both a gold and silver medal.
Nick Baumgartner would go on to qualify in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. Baumgartner placed fourth and 25th in the 2018 and 2014 games respectively. In addition, Baumgartner has participated in four World Championships in which he earned two bronze medals in 2009 and 2015.
Currently, Nick Baumgartner is competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Baumgartner again is set to compete in the snowboard cross event for Team USA. This is his fourth Winter Olympics and he recently set the record for oldest U.S. Olympic snowboarder, at 40 years old.
William "Jake" Brown
William "Jake" Brown was a member of the 2015 Northern Michigan University Nordic Ski team while attending graduate school. Coached by NMU's finest Sten Fjeldheim and Shane McDowell, Brown finished his NCAA career at the U.S. Nationals, placing as an All-American with an outstanding top-five finish.
Brown has an extensive resume when it comes to Biathlon competitions, taking trips all across the world, and competing at the highest of levels. Jake has spent the last three years racing in the World Championship that has taken him to Sweden, Italy, and Slovenia. Brown competed with the best the world has to offer, adding a career-high eighth-place finish in 2020 while competing in the relay event.
Other career highlights include a first-place finish in Sprint racing in the 2019 US Biathlon National Championship, adding a second-place finish in Pursuit, and finishing just outside the top five in the Super Sprint event. Brown also found finishes in the top 10 in Sprint, Pursuit, and Mass Start during the 2018 US Biathlon National Championships.
Brown, a long-time endurance athlete never participated in a biathlon event until he made it to the U.S. Biathlon Development Camp, breaking a record in the uphill run test to prove he had the discipline and desire to learn the sport. Jake will look to help the U.S. capture its first biathlon medal in this year's 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, competing alongside seven other U.S. athletes.
William "Jake" Brown is a native of St. Paul Minnesota, but currently resides and trains in Craftsbury, Vermont.
Caitlyn Compton
Caitlin Compton, a member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Winter Games, and an NMU Nordic Skier was inducted into the NMU Hall of Fame in 2010.
Compton, suited up for Northern for a total of four seasons, between 1995-1999, graduating in 1999 with a degree in Architecture and Environmental Design.
Caitlin was a decorated member of the Nordic Ski team, as a four-time All-American in cross country and an All-American in skiing. Compton holds the honor of being the first NMU women's cross country runner to become an All-American. Continuing her success with NMU, Cailtin was a member of the first cross country team at Northern to advance to NCAA Division II Championships.
Compton found herself as the GLIAC Cross Country Champion in 2001 and placed sixth in the 15-kilometer freestyle at the 2002 NCAA Skiing Championships.
Compton continued her success post-graduation, competing for Team USA on the big stage, becoming a two time World Championship Team Member in 2007, and 2009, grabbing three U.S. Championships, three world cup championships, and found herself in the First World Cup competing in the biathlon World Cup in Pyong Chang, South Korea.
In 2010, Compton made the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, competing in three different events, 10km Free, 15km Pursuit, and Team Sprint Free.
Caitlin Compton currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a professional athlete for Team Gregg.
Spenser Mango
Spenser Mango is a two-time Olympian, 2008 & 2012, and is currently a staff sergeant and coach with the United States Army's World Class Athlete Program.
Mango started out playing football for Christian Brothers College High School but quickly learned that he was not as big as some of the other guys playing the sport. Wrestling caught his eye because the sport is broken up into several different weight classes. He quickly excelled at the sport, winning state his junior and senior years. While still attending high school, Spenser participated in two Junior Nationals placing third his junior year and second his senior year.
Upon graduation from high school, Mango enrolled at Northern Michigan University to study physical education while continuing his wrestling career at the U.S. Olympic Education Center on campus. From 2005 to 2007 Mango won a total of nine Greco-roman wrestling championships, including two University Nationals Championships.
After successfully winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Mango qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Mango placed eighth overall in the Olympics but continued to have great success in '08, winning the New York AC International invitation.
For the next three years, Spenser Mango continued to find success, winning six more invitations including two U.S. World Team Time Trials, World Team Time Trials, and the U.S. Open. Mango also graduated from college in 2010, earning a Bachelor's degree in physical education from Northern Michigan University. It was then that Spenser enlisted in the United States Army's World Class Athlete Program, the summer after graduation, to continue his wrestling career.
In 2012, Mango qualified for the London Olympic Games and placed ninth overall in the games. In that same year, he won five invitations out of eight that he participated in.
Since his last appearance at the Olympics, Mango would go on to have continued success until his retirement from the sport in 2016. He has since become an assistant wrestling coach for Team USA and assistant coach and sergeant for the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program, the same program he enlisted in after college.
Mark Beaufait
Mark Beaufait, a member of the 1991 National Championship team that saw a handful of players progress on to future success.
Beaufait played four years in the green and gold, playing from 1988-1992, where he'd register a total of 157 points in 133 games.
Beaufait was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the 1991 NHL supplemental draft. Mark played in a total of five games where he'd register just one goal.
After a brief stint in the NHL, Beaufait found his stride in the IHL, where he'd play a majority of his professional career. Spanning over nine years, playing for Kansas City Blades, San Diego Gulls, and the Orlando Solar Bears; Mark put up impressive numbers as he registered 693 points in 591 games and even captured the Ken McKenzie Trophy, awarded to the American-born player judged to be most outstanding in his first season in the IHL.
After nine seasons in the IHL, Mark progressed into the AHL for one season, suiting up for the Houston Aeros, playing 63 games and registering 51 points.
Beaufait found himself overseas in the German League at the start of the 2002-03 season, rocking the colors of the Berlin Polar Bears, suiting up for a total of seven seasons, registering 321 points in 334 games.
Beaufait had a successful hockey career, especially when he was given the chance to suit up for Team USA during the 1993-94 season, suiting up in 51 games where he registered 51 points. Mark continued his successes in the Olympic Games, suiting up in eight games, registering five points.
Mark Beaufait currently resides in Lowell, Michigan
Mikaela Mayer
Mikaela Mayer is a one-time U.S. Olympian and current featherweight world champ, having held the WBO title since 2020 and the IBF title since November of 2021.
Mayer, originally from Los Angeles, Calif, grew up with three sisters and a single father. As she has stated in various interviews, raising three girls as a single man is undoubtedly hard work. When she turned 17, Mayer had no aspirations of being a boxer but instead was an aspiring model. Mayer jumped around from schools growing up, having gone to four different schools in the span of three years. Shortly after realizing that her life was not going in the direction she wanted it to, Mayer joined Muay Thai and Kickboxing at her local gym.
Mayer proceeded to move to Marquette, Mich., and join the USOEC program housed at Northern Michigan University. It was there that Mayer met her coach Al Mitchell and quickly proved herself in the ring. Mayer would go on to rack up a long list of achievements before competing in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. She was the 2012 USA Boxing National Champion, USA Boxing Elite National Champion, and Continental Champion. In 2015 Mayer was the USA Boxing National Champion again. With this track record of winning in the ring, Mayer qualified and competed in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Since her time at Northern and the Olympic Games, Mayer has gone on to become a fearsome female boxer. She started with a bang with a K.O. against Widnelly Figueroa, back in 2017. Since then Mayer has been undefeated in the ring, having fought 14 matches and winning all 14 of them, with five coming from knockouts and nine from majority votes. Mayer is also the current WBO and IBF female champion having held the belt in each since 2020 and 2021 respectively.
Good Luck to All Athletes
With so much excitement for the 2022 Winter Olympics, Northern is extremely proud and grateful to not only our current and former student-athletes but for the fan support, NMU receives every year. Good Luck to all the current and future Olympians representing Northern Michigan University in the Olympics.
