In a loaded bracket, Lehigh's Darian Cruz looks to repeat as NCAA champion 125

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Although he enters the NCAA Division I Championships undefeated, as the No. 1 seed and the defending national champion, Lehigh’s Darian Cruz is still overlooked by many.

Cruz won the 2017 NCAA title at 125 pounds, stunning the country. As the fourth seed, he bulldozed through the Nos. 13, 12, 1 and 6 seeds, respectively, en route to the championship. Those in his path of destruction included a semifinal win over No. 1 Thomas Gilman of Iowa, who went on to be a World silver medalist just months later, and victory over Minnesota’s Ethan Lizak in the finals.

He became Lehigh’s 28th NCAA wrestling national champion and the first since 2011 Zach Rey won the heavyweight crown.

This year, he is one of several names in the mix to take the title in Cleveland, Ohio. Opposite of him as the No. 2 seed is 2015 NCAA champion and three-time All-American Nathan Tomasello of Ohio State. Holding the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds are freshman phenom Spencer Lee of Iowa and standout Nick Suriano of Rutgers. In addition to having Suriano on his side, Cruz also has to go through returning NCAA finalist Lizak in order to make it to this year’s finals.

The talent-filled bracket is nothing for Cruz to shy away from.

“This tournament is going to be really exciting. My weight is stacked,” Cruz said. “A lot of kids are getting better at a younger age, so age is not going to be a factor in this. I’m excited to wrestle some of those top guys. It’s something that we train for all year, to wrestle the best competition and see who the best 125-pounder is. I’m excited to climb the podium again this year.”

There was criticism swirling on social media of Cruz’s strength of schedule during the regular season, but a perfect 26-0 record speaks for itself, and Cruz has beaten six wrestlers in the field just this season.

“I just try to think about what I can control and not worry about what I can’t. I may not have wrestled the top, top guys. I did wrestle a couple in the top 10 maybe top five, but you don’t have to beat everyone to be an NCAA champion. You just have to beat whoever is on the other side of the line. For me, it’s the next five guys. I’ve been there and done that, so I understand where I have to be mentally and emotionally,” Cruz said.

In his short window of opportunity, Cruz has done a lot to add to Lehigh’s long legacy in addition to his national championship. In 2014, he became the first true freshman All-American since 1980. In the next three years, he would go on to win three-straight EIWA individual titles and help lead the Mountain Hawks to the 2018 EIWA team title, its first one in 11 years.

This weekend, he looks to join a short list of Lehigh wrestlers to win multiple national championships. The last time it happened was in 1983 by Daryl Burley.

“I think it’s really cool to think about the sense that no one can take away what I did last year,” Cruz said. “It’s not really defending. It’s going out to get another one and chasing another dream, which is winning another NCAA title this year. I feel like a lot of people want me to feel the pressure, but I’m just smiling through it all. I’m excited to come out here and compete again.”