RIT grad Kyle Schulze advances to American Ninja Warrior finals. How to watch

Recent Rochester Institute of Technology graduate Kyle Schulze is headed to Las Vegas for the American Ninja Warrior finals after his performance at this week's semifinals.

Schulze's semifinals run on Season 16 of the hit show aired on Monday Aug. 12, where the 'Deaf Ninja' went head-to-head with other semifinalists after completing the qualifying round for the first time in his eight-season run.

Here's what to know as Schulze advances through the competition.

Who is Kyle Schulze?

Born deaf into a hearing family, Schulze grew up in the Chicago area but has spent the last several years in Rochester attending the Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf .

A self-titled "athletic adventurer," Schulze has tried his hand at several sports but his path to ninja began with rock climbing at the age of 19, evolving into obstacle course racing a number of years later. And after going to his first ninja gym in 2016, it was love at first obstacle.

Schulze, or "The Deaf Ninja" as he's known in the ninja world, made his American Ninja Warrior debut in 2017 and has since competed in every season, spreading his knowledge of the sport off the course by coaching, working and training at several ninja gyms, including The Warrior Factory in Henrietta, all while going to school.

He transferred to RIT in 2020 after spending a year at Gallaudet University, a deaf college in Washington D.C. made popular through Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco's Deaf U show on Netflix . After graduating with a degree in mechatronics engineering technology in May, he plans to continue living and working in the Flower City at least through the end of the year as he finishes up an internship.

RIT grad competes in ANW: 'Deaf Ninja' Kyle Schulze reaches American Ninja Warrior semifinals

How to watch American Ninja Warrior finals

You can watch the final round of American Ninja Warrior starting on Monday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. on NBC or Peacock.

Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes . Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: RIT grad Kyle Schulze advances to American Ninja Warrior finals. How to watch