O-H-I-O! Stieber-led Buckeyes put finishing touches on first NCAA team championship
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Ohio State’s Logan Stieber wins his fourth national title on Saturday night. Tony Rotundo photo.
VIDEO: NCAA Championships Athlete and Coach Interviews
ST. LOUIS – The record-setting sellout crowd of 19,715 fans stood and cheered.
We have another four-time NCAA champion and a first-time team champion.
Logan Stieber and his powerful Ohio State team made history on a magical Saturday night at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Scottrade Center.
The top-seeded Stieber defeated No. 2 Mitchell Port of Edinboro 11-5 to win the 141-pound national championship. He won NCAA titles at 133 his first two seasons before adding his last two at 141 the last two years of his remarkable career.
Stieber raised his arms and then pumped his right fist as the dream season he envisioned for himself and his team became reality.
“I’m extremely proud of my teammates,” said Stieber, who was named Outstanding Wrestler. “This is something I have dreamed of since I came to Ohio State. To finally do it is unbelievable.”
The Buckeyes put the finishing touches on their first national title in school history and finished with 102 points, 18 ahead of second-place Iowa.
“This feels great – I’m so proud of how our guys competed,” said Ohio State coach Tom Ryan, who was named Coach of the Year. “1921 was the year Ohio State started wrestling. We’ve gone 94 years since the beginning of the program to winning our first NCAA championship. I’m so happy for all the support we’ve received from everyone. We felt all year we had the team to win a national championship.”
Stieber joins Oklahoma State’s Pat Smith, Iowa State’s Cael Sanderson and Cornell’s Kyle Dake as four-time NCAA champions.
Stieber finished 20-0 in the NCAA tournament in his career and won the final 50 matches of his brilliant career.
Stieber’s teammate, freshman Nathan Tomasello, earned a 9-5 win over unseeded freshman Zeke Moisey of West Virginia in the 125 finals. Tomasello, the No. 4 seed, defeated Moisey for the third time this season.
“It was crazy,” Tomasello said. “Zeke threw everything at me. And he competed as hard as he could. He was tough to score on and he was a great opponent. I was just had to stay focused, calm and ready.”
Edinboro finished third with 75.5 points, followed by Missouri (73.5) and Cornell (71.5).
Oklahoma State junior Alex Dieringer scored six takedowns on double-leg attacks to down Indiana’s Taylor Walsh 14-7 in the 165 finals. Dieringer captured his second straight national title after winning at 157 last year.
Dieringer capped a 34-0 season and now has won 49 straight matches. He earned his 100th career win with another season to go.
“It’s pretty special, knowing I got 100 wins and it’s only my junior season, and on top of that get a national title,” Dieringer said. “It feels good. I’m excited.”
Junior Nick Gwiazdowski of North Carolina State held off Michigan sophomore Adam Coon 7-6 to win his second straight national title at heavyweight. Coon tied the match 6-6 with a late takedown, but Gwiazdowski gained an escape with 15 seconds left to prevail.
Gwiazdowski, who took command early with a pair of takedowns, has won 55 straight matches.
“I knew it was going to be a war,” Gwiazdowski said. “It was not going to be easy. He doesn’t stop. I had to wrestle the whole time.”
Iowa State senior Kyven Gadson electrified the crowd by launching Ohio State freshman Kyle Snyder to his back to score a dramatic second-period fall in the 197 finals. Gadson fought off a Snyder shot attempt and then locked Snyder up before planting him on the mat with a spectacular throw.
“There wasn’t a lot of offense going around and I didn’t really commit to anything until I saw that move show up,” Gadson said. “Coach (Kevin) Jackson calls it ‘The Gadson’ – you don’t see nobody hitting it. He said you got to hit it on the big stage for it to really stick. I think it’s going to stick now.”
Illinois freshman Isaiah Martinez capped a magical freshman season with a dominating 10-2 win over No. 2 seed Brian Realbuto of Cornell at 157. The top-seeded Martinez peppered Realbuto with a barrage of leg attacks to finish the season unbeaten. He went 34-0.
Martinez becomes the first unbeaten freshman national champion since Cael Sanderson in 1999.
“I knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Martinez said. “I just stayed with what my coaches told me, and it worked out for the best for me. So I’m very happy right now. It’s just been an amazing journey and it’s been awesome.”
Top seed Gabe Dean of Cornell powered to a 6-2 win over No. 7 Nate Brown of Lehigh in the 184 finals. Dean, third in the 2014 NCAAs as a freshman, defeated Brown for the fourth time this season. Dean won a Junior World bronze medal in freestyle in 2014.
“It hasn’t really set in yet,” said Dean, who scored takedowns in the second and third periods. “It’s a surreal atmosphere to wrestle in. It’s just incredible to win this – especially to share this with my family and close friends and my teammates and my school. It’s the best. I’m truly blessed.”
Penn State’s Matt Brown earned a wild and wacky 5-4 win over Pitt’s Tyler Wilps in the 174 finals. Wilps scored a takedown late in the match to lead 4-3, but Wilps was called for stalling and locked hands in the final 10 seconds to give Brown the win. Brown was second at the 2013 NCAAs.
Brown was credited with the decisive locked-hands point after a Penn State challenge and a video review by the referees.
“Once the challenge started, I felt comfortable because I knew he locked his hands, and I was trying to point that out,” Brown said. “I didn't expect the match to end like that. But that's how the ball bounces and it landed my way this time.”
Top seed Drake Houdashelt of Missouri countered a shot attempt and spun behind No. 3 David Habat of Edinboro to win 3-1 in sudden victory at 149.
“It was a tough match,” Houdashelt said. “Nothing really mattered but winning. And I pulled it off. I’m excited.”
Oklahoma junior Cody Brewer, the No. 13 seed, put on a takedown clinic in earning an 11-8 win over No. 3 Cory Clark of Iowa in the 133 finals. Brewer scored five takedowns en route to the win.
“13 to No. 1 – that’s all that matters now,” said Brewer, who finished the season 22-1. “All that matters is where you finish at the NCAA tournament. Now I can say I'm top one in the country. But, yeah, I had a chip on my shoulder coming in.”
A new all-time attendance record of 113,013 total fans for six sessions was set this weekend. The previous overall and single-session records were set here in 2012.
The 2016 NCAA Championships will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
NCAA Championships
March 19-21, Scottrade Center, St. Louis
Team scoring (top 10)
Ohio State 102, Iowa 84, Edinboro 75.5, Missouri 73.5, Cornell 71.5, Penn State 67.5, Oklahoma State 65, Minnesota 59.5, Nebraska 59, Virginia Tech 56
Medal matches
149 pounds
1st – Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) dec. David Habat (Edinboro), 3-1 SV
3rd – Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) dec. Brandon Sorensen (Iowa), 3-1 SV
5th – Bryant Clagon (Rider) dec. Chris Villalonga (Cornell), 6-3
7th – Alexander Richardson (Old Dominion) pinned Daniel Neff (Lock Haven), 2:38
157 pounds
1st – Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) dec. Brian Realbuto (Cornell), 10-2
3rd – James Green (Nebraska) dec. Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech), 3-2
5th – Ian Miller (Kent State) won by medical forfeit over Dylan Ness (Minnesota)
7th – Brian Murphy (Michigan) won by medical forfeit over Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh)
165 pounds
1st – Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) dec. Taylor Walsh (Indiana), 14-7
3rd – Bo Jordan (Ohio State) pinned Jackson Morse (Illinois), 1:00
5th – Nick Sulzer (Virginia) dec. Ethan Ramos (North Carolina), 12-4
7th – Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) dec. Jim Wilson (Stanford), 3-2
174 pounds
1st – Matt Brown (Penn State) dec. Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh), 5-4
3rd – Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) dec. Logan Storley (Minnesota), 6-4 SV
5th – Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma State) dec. Mike Evans (Iowa), 2-1 TB1
7th – Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech) dec. Kurtis Julson (North Dakota State), 3-2
184 pounds
1st – Gabe Dean (Cornell) dec. Nate Brown (Lehigh), 6-2
3rd – Victor Avery (Edinboro) dec. Blake Stauffer (Arizona State), 3-2
5th – Kenny Courts (Ohio State) dec. Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota State), 4-3
7th – Willie Miklus (Missouri) dec. Tim Dudley (Nebraska), 6-5
197 pounds
1st – Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) pinned Kyle Snyder (Ohio State), 4:24
3rd – Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) dec. Scott Schiller (Minnesota), 12-7
5th – J’den Cox (Missouri) dec. Conner Hartmann (Duke), 4-2 TB1
7th – Nathan Burak (Iowa) dec. Max Huntley (Michigan), 6-4
285 pounds
1st – Nick Gwiazdowski (North Carolina State) dec. Adam Coon (Michigan), 7-6
3rd – Mike McMullan (Northwestern) dec. Connor Medbery (Wisconsin), 3-2
5th – Bobby Telford (Iowa) dec. Jimmy Lawson (Penn State), 6-0
7th – Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) dec. Michael Kroells (Minnesota), 6-2
125 pounds
1st – Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) dec. Zeke Moisey (West Virginia), 9-5
3rd – Alan Waters (Missouri) dec. Thomas Gilman (Iowa), 7-4
5th – Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) dec. Connor Youtsey (Michigan), 9-3
7th – Eddie Klimara (Oklahoma State) dec. Jordan Conaway (Penn State), 5-4
133 pounds
1st – Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) dec. Cory Clark (Iowa), 11-8
3rd – A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) dec. Chris Dardanes (Minnesota), 4-3
5th – Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State) dec. Mason Beckman (Lehigh), 9-5
7th – Ryan Taylor (Wisconsin) dec. Rossi Bruno (Michigan), 7-3
141 pounds
1st – Logan Stieber (Ohio State) dec. Mitchell Port (Edinboro), 11-5
3rd – Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) dec. Dean Heil (Oklahoma State), 17-8
5th – Kevin Jack (North Carolina State) dec. Chris Mecate (Old Dominion), 3-0
7th – Lavion Mayes (Missouri) wins by medical forfeit over Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
VIDEO: NCAA Championships Athlete and Coach Interviews
ST. LOUIS – The record-setting sellout crowd of 19,715 fans stood and cheered.
We have another four-time NCAA champion and a first-time team champion.
Logan Stieber and his powerful Ohio State team made history on a magical Saturday night at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Scottrade Center.
The top-seeded Stieber defeated No. 2 Mitchell Port of Edinboro 11-5 to win the 141-pound national championship. He won NCAA titles at 133 his first two seasons before adding his last two at 141 the last two years of his remarkable career.
Stieber raised his arms and then pumped his right fist as the dream season he envisioned for himself and his team became reality.
“I’m extremely proud of my teammates,” said Stieber, who was named Outstanding Wrestler. “This is something I have dreamed of since I came to Ohio State. To finally do it is unbelievable.”
The Buckeyes put the finishing touches on their first national title in school history and finished with 102 points, 18 ahead of second-place Iowa.
“This feels great – I’m so proud of how our guys competed,” said Ohio State coach Tom Ryan, who was named Coach of the Year. “1921 was the year Ohio State started wrestling. We’ve gone 94 years since the beginning of the program to winning our first NCAA championship. I’m so happy for all the support we’ve received from everyone. We felt all year we had the team to win a national championship.”
Stieber joins Oklahoma State’s Pat Smith, Iowa State’s Cael Sanderson and Cornell’s Kyle Dake as four-time NCAA champions.
Stieber finished 20-0 in the NCAA tournament in his career and won the final 50 matches of his brilliant career.
Stieber’s teammate, freshman Nathan Tomasello, earned a 9-5 win over unseeded freshman Zeke Moisey of West Virginia in the 125 finals. Tomasello, the No. 4 seed, defeated Moisey for the third time this season.
“It was crazy,” Tomasello said. “Zeke threw everything at me. And he competed as hard as he could. He was tough to score on and he was a great opponent. I was just had to stay focused, calm and ready.”
Edinboro finished third with 75.5 points, followed by Missouri (73.5) and Cornell (71.5).
Oklahoma State junior Alex Dieringer scored six takedowns on double-leg attacks to down Indiana’s Taylor Walsh 14-7 in the 165 finals. Dieringer captured his second straight national title after winning at 157 last year.
Dieringer capped a 34-0 season and now has won 49 straight matches. He earned his 100th career win with another season to go.
“It’s pretty special, knowing I got 100 wins and it’s only my junior season, and on top of that get a national title,” Dieringer said. “It feels good. I’m excited.”
Junior Nick Gwiazdowski of North Carolina State held off Michigan sophomore Adam Coon 7-6 to win his second straight national title at heavyweight. Coon tied the match 6-6 with a late takedown, but Gwiazdowski gained an escape with 15 seconds left to prevail.
Gwiazdowski, who took command early with a pair of takedowns, has won 55 straight matches.
“I knew it was going to be a war,” Gwiazdowski said. “It was not going to be easy. He doesn’t stop. I had to wrestle the whole time.”
Iowa State senior Kyven Gadson electrified the crowd by launching Ohio State freshman Kyle Snyder to his back to score a dramatic second-period fall in the 197 finals. Gadson fought off a Snyder shot attempt and then locked Snyder up before planting him on the mat with a spectacular throw.
“There wasn’t a lot of offense going around and I didn’t really commit to anything until I saw that move show up,” Gadson said. “Coach (Kevin) Jackson calls it ‘The Gadson’ – you don’t see nobody hitting it. He said you got to hit it on the big stage for it to really stick. I think it’s going to stick now.”
Illinois freshman Isaiah Martinez capped a magical freshman season with a dominating 10-2 win over No. 2 seed Brian Realbuto of Cornell at 157. The top-seeded Martinez peppered Realbuto with a barrage of leg attacks to finish the season unbeaten. He went 34-0.
Martinez becomes the first unbeaten freshman national champion since Cael Sanderson in 1999.
“I knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Martinez said. “I just stayed with what my coaches told me, and it worked out for the best for me. So I’m very happy right now. It’s just been an amazing journey and it’s been awesome.”
Top seed Gabe Dean of Cornell powered to a 6-2 win over No. 7 Nate Brown of Lehigh in the 184 finals. Dean, third in the 2014 NCAAs as a freshman, defeated Brown for the fourth time this season. Dean won a Junior World bronze medal in freestyle in 2014.
“It hasn’t really set in yet,” said Dean, who scored takedowns in the second and third periods. “It’s a surreal atmosphere to wrestle in. It’s just incredible to win this – especially to share this with my family and close friends and my teammates and my school. It’s the best. I’m truly blessed.”
Penn State’s Matt Brown earned a wild and wacky 5-4 win over Pitt’s Tyler Wilps in the 174 finals. Wilps scored a takedown late in the match to lead 4-3, but Wilps was called for stalling and locked hands in the final 10 seconds to give Brown the win. Brown was second at the 2013 NCAAs.
Brown was credited with the decisive locked-hands point after a Penn State challenge and a video review by the referees.
“Once the challenge started, I felt comfortable because I knew he locked his hands, and I was trying to point that out,” Brown said. “I didn't expect the match to end like that. But that's how the ball bounces and it landed my way this time.”
Top seed Drake Houdashelt of Missouri countered a shot attempt and spun behind No. 3 David Habat of Edinboro to win 3-1 in sudden victory at 149.
“It was a tough match,” Houdashelt said. “Nothing really mattered but winning. And I pulled it off. I’m excited.”
Oklahoma junior Cody Brewer, the No. 13 seed, put on a takedown clinic in earning an 11-8 win over No. 3 Cory Clark of Iowa in the 133 finals. Brewer scored five takedowns en route to the win.
“13 to No. 1 – that’s all that matters now,” said Brewer, who finished the season 22-1. “All that matters is where you finish at the NCAA tournament. Now I can say I'm top one in the country. But, yeah, I had a chip on my shoulder coming in.”
A new all-time attendance record of 113,013 total fans for six sessions was set this weekend. The previous overall and single-session records were set here in 2012.
The 2016 NCAA Championships will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
NCAA Championships
March 19-21, Scottrade Center, St. Louis
Team scoring (top 10)
Ohio State 102, Iowa 84, Edinboro 75.5, Missouri 73.5, Cornell 71.5, Penn State 67.5, Oklahoma State 65, Minnesota 59.5, Nebraska 59, Virginia Tech 56
Medal matches
149 pounds
1st – Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) dec. David Habat (Edinboro), 3-1 SV
3rd – Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) dec. Brandon Sorensen (Iowa), 3-1 SV
5th – Bryant Clagon (Rider) dec. Chris Villalonga (Cornell), 6-3
7th – Alexander Richardson (Old Dominion) pinned Daniel Neff (Lock Haven), 2:38
157 pounds
1st – Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) dec. Brian Realbuto (Cornell), 10-2
3rd – James Green (Nebraska) dec. Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech), 3-2
5th – Ian Miller (Kent State) won by medical forfeit over Dylan Ness (Minnesota)
7th – Brian Murphy (Michigan) won by medical forfeit over Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh)
165 pounds
1st – Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) dec. Taylor Walsh (Indiana), 14-7
3rd – Bo Jordan (Ohio State) pinned Jackson Morse (Illinois), 1:00
5th – Nick Sulzer (Virginia) dec. Ethan Ramos (North Carolina), 12-4
7th – Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) dec. Jim Wilson (Stanford), 3-2
174 pounds
1st – Matt Brown (Penn State) dec. Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh), 5-4
3rd – Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) dec. Logan Storley (Minnesota), 6-4 SV
5th – Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma State) dec. Mike Evans (Iowa), 2-1 TB1
7th – Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech) dec. Kurtis Julson (North Dakota State), 3-2
184 pounds
1st – Gabe Dean (Cornell) dec. Nate Brown (Lehigh), 6-2
3rd – Victor Avery (Edinboro) dec. Blake Stauffer (Arizona State), 3-2
5th – Kenny Courts (Ohio State) dec. Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota State), 4-3
7th – Willie Miklus (Missouri) dec. Tim Dudley (Nebraska), 6-5
197 pounds
1st – Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) pinned Kyle Snyder (Ohio State), 4:24
3rd – Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) dec. Scott Schiller (Minnesota), 12-7
5th – J’den Cox (Missouri) dec. Conner Hartmann (Duke), 4-2 TB1
7th – Nathan Burak (Iowa) dec. Max Huntley (Michigan), 6-4
285 pounds
1st – Nick Gwiazdowski (North Carolina State) dec. Adam Coon (Michigan), 7-6
3rd – Mike McMullan (Northwestern) dec. Connor Medbery (Wisconsin), 3-2
5th – Bobby Telford (Iowa) dec. Jimmy Lawson (Penn State), 6-0
7th – Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) dec. Michael Kroells (Minnesota), 6-2
125 pounds
1st – Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) dec. Zeke Moisey (West Virginia), 9-5
3rd – Alan Waters (Missouri) dec. Thomas Gilman (Iowa), 7-4
5th – Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) dec. Connor Youtsey (Michigan), 9-3
7th – Eddie Klimara (Oklahoma State) dec. Jordan Conaway (Penn State), 5-4
133 pounds
1st – Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) dec. Cory Clark (Iowa), 11-8
3rd – A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) dec. Chris Dardanes (Minnesota), 4-3
5th – Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State) dec. Mason Beckman (Lehigh), 9-5
7th – Ryan Taylor (Wisconsin) dec. Rossi Bruno (Michigan), 7-3
141 pounds
1st – Logan Stieber (Ohio State) dec. Mitchell Port (Edinboro), 11-5
3rd – Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) dec. Dean Heil (Oklahoma State), 17-8
5th – Kevin Jack (North Carolina State) dec. Chris Mecate (Old Dominion), 3-0
7th – Lavion Mayes (Missouri) wins by medical forfeit over Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
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