Senior Jaritt Shinhoster has been in the sport of wrestling since he was just five-years-old. After performing well at the state meet his senior year of high school he was drawn toward the University of Wisconsin Whitewater by coaches and the profound business program. He considers this to be one of the best decisions he has ever made. 

Shinhoster has been recognized in all three of his previous years of competition for having outstanding academics. He is a three time Scholar All-American, and was recognized as being on the WIAC Scholastic honor roll three years in a row. To top it off Shinhoster won the WIAC Conference Championship in 2020 and took first place in his weight class at the WIAC Wrestling Championship Saturday, Feb. 12. Now he has his eyes set on his first National Championship in his senior season. 

Q: What does it mean to be a Warhawk?

A: For me being a Warhawk, especially in athletics, means family. Your family is your teammates, your coaches, the community and everyone who supports you. The togetherness is huge out here. Other Warhawk sports teams and other athletics here support each other and I didn’t really have that in high school so it was an awesome concept to me. The work ethic is insane, in my opinion out of everyone in our conference we are the hardest working program out there, especially in D3. 

Q: What do you consider to be the biggest factors contributing to your success?

A: Discipline. Sticking to a strict diet and not going out during the season. Making sure that I show up to everything and give it one hundred percent. Also just reminding myself of what I want to do. This year I want to be a national champ so, everyday I always visualize that goal and what I need to do to succeed.

Q: What are your plans after you graduate?

A: I have been talking to a couple of companies such as Northwestern Mutual. I want to get into personal finance, but I want to keep my options open. I do not have any definite plans but I am going to work after graduation.

Q: What is a lesson that you have learned from the sport of wrestling?

A: You get the results based on the work you put in. If I put in the amount of work that I need to do in academics and athletics, I will get the results that I want. It all has to do with your work ethic and your attitude. That is what has worked for me so far.

Q: How are you so successful in both athletics and academics?

A: I just give myself a set time to do homework and then that discipline aspect comes back into play. I feel like classes are not hard as long as you talk to professors, study the material, and do whatever assignments are given. If you do all of that you will also have enough time to hangout with your friends and do what you want which is also important. 

Needless to say, Shinhoster has mastered the algorithm for success and applies it into every aspect of his life. There is no ceiling to the potential of what he can accomplish after he ventures away from the Whitewater culture, but the Warhawk spirit will be with him wherever he goes. His teammates, coaches, friends, family, and the Warhawk community will be rooting for him as he wrestles through his last matches of the season and aims for the National Championship.