Like most Texas boys, Arlington’s Marty Usman grew up loving and playing football.

But when he entered high school standing 5-2 and weighing just more than 100 pounds, Usman turned to wrestling.

Now a junior at the Nebraska-Kearney and ranked third in the nation in the 174-pound class, Usman is back in Texas as a national qualifier for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. He won the 174-pound bracket at the East Regional and heads to the Division II National Championships Festival with a record of 42-8 on the year and as the nation’s leader with 15 technical falls.

“He works his tail off in the practice room and in competition,” Lopers head coach Marc Baur said of Usman. “He is just an outstanding all-around student-athlete and really fires everyone up while still being focused. He is just one of those kids who is a hard worker. He is great to have in the room to set an example for the entire team.”

Kamarudeen “Marty” Usman was born in Nigeria and came to the United States when he was about 5 years old. His family relocated to Arlington, Texas. After Usman entered high school, played football and did not hit any sort of a growth spurt, one of the assistant coaches asked him to join the wrestling squad.

Usman waited until his sophomore year to do so. He wrestled for the next three years in high school, closing out his prep career with a third-place finish at the Texas University Interscholastic League state meet and an overall record of 53-3 his senior year. He was offered a scholarship to NAIA William Penn University and headed off to be a college athlete – as a wrestler from Texas, not a football player.

“All it takes is just a few people from somewhere to open the doors for other people,” Usman said of his Texas roots and success in wresting. “It is just great to be where I am right now and to be able to compete at this level.”

After one season at William Penn, Usman transferred to Nebraska-Kearney. Baur says the Lopers were “fortunate to get him,” although it was Baur’s connection with Usman’s high school coach Henry Harmony that established the Texas pipeline to Kearney. The Lopers currently have seven Texans on their roster, with two coming from Arlington. Two-time national heavyweight champion Tervel Dlagnev was also from Arlington.

Usman is the only qualifier at the festival who lists a Texas hometown. His family will make the four-hour trip south to see him on the national stage.

“This is like part of a dream for us,” said Usman’s father, Nasiru. “It is something that I personally have hoped for. As parents we always hope for the best for our children, so this is just great.”

In addition to his parents, Usman will also have the support of his younger brother, Mohammed, who is a freshman on the University of Houston football team.

“(Mohammed being able to come) is a big deal to me,” Usman said. “We have gotten closer since we have gone to college and he is a big part of my support system. It is going to give me that mental edge and a little bit of an advantage to be at home with my family cheering me on. It is just great to be able to compete at this level in front of my family.”