OSU's Alex Dieringer Named Amateur Wrestling News’ Pound for Pound Winner

Oklahoma State wrestling standout Alex Dieringer has been named the 2016 Pound for Pound award winner by Amateur Wrestling News, it was announced Thursday.


Dieringer is coming off his third NCAA title, a feat that has been accomplished by only 15 other Oklahoma State wrestlers. He received his fourth All-America honor as well. The Cowboy wraps up his career with a 133-4 overall record for a 97 percent win percentage in addition to an 82-match win streak. Dieringer has held the No. 1 ranking in all polls at his weight for the last two seasons and has proved to be the guy to beat.


This is only the second year the award has been given out by the organization, with the inaugural prize going to four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber of Ohio State.

An award is only as prestigious as the quality of those who have previously won it. With Alex Dieringer being Pound For Pound’s second winner, it’s solidly established.


Amateur Wrestling News publishes a feature that lists who the staff feels are the nation’s top ten wrestlers each issue regardless of weight class or college division. The concept isn’t new -- boxing’s premier spotlight Ring Magazine has been doing it for decades.


A trophy or plaque was initially considered as an award, however those felt too common, especially for something as unique as Pound For Pound. What kept sticking was the word ‘pound.’ The AWN staff finally decided on a hammer engraved with the award’s specifics. It seemed appropriate, and completely unprecedented.


Illinois sophomore Isaiah Martinez finished runner-up in Pound For Pound, and J’den Cox from Missouri was third. Others included in the feature during the 2015-16 season were Nick Gwiazdowski/N.C. State, Cody Brewer/Oklahoma, Nathan Tomasello/Ohio State, Gabe Dean/Cornell, Jason Tsirtsis/Northwestern, Bo Jordan/Ohio State, Morgan McIntosh/Penn State, Nahshon Garrett/Cornell, Brian Realbuto/Cornell, Zain Retherford/Penn State, Dean Heil/Oklahoma State, Jason Nolf/Penn State, and Kyle Snyder/Ohio State. Notre Dame College standout Joey Davis won his fourth NCAA title, was never defeated, and was the only DII wrestler included in this feature.