Takedown Report

Hendrickson, Hamiti Win NCAA Titles in Thrilling Upsets

PHILADELPHIA – Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson and Dean Hamiti Jr. claimed individual titles at the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships Saturday night as Hendrickson delivered a one of the most shocking upsets in the history of the NCAA tournament with a win over Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson to win the heavyweight title and Hamiti delivered an upset of his own by defeating two-time national champion Keegan O’Toole to take home the crown at 174 pounds.
The Cowboys finished in third place in the team standings with 102.5 points to mark its best finish since 2021 and highest point total since 2017. OSU’s two individual champions mark its most since 2016. “Finishing in third place, that’s pretty special because it’s not an individual thing,” coach David Taylor said. “It’s everybody. Individually, obviously those guys help you win, but you need everybody.”
As the most heavily favored wrestler in the finals, Minnesota’s Steveson entered the title bout already holding an Olympic gold medal, two Hodge Trophies, multiple NCAA titles, needing one more win complete a fourth consecutive undefeated collegiate season and with a cemented record as one of the best collegiate wrestlers ever.
Hendrickson entered with an undefeated record of his own this season, but it was his first time reaching an NCAA final.
In a thrilling match that came down to wire, Steveson scored a takedown in the first and Hendrickson followed with a quick escape and another to start the second to make it, 3-2, Steveson, entering the final period. Steveson escaped to start the third and held a 4-2 lead for a majority of the last frame. With time expiring, however, Hendrickson got to Steveson’s leg and finished a takedown with less than 20 seconds remaining to the most thunderous roar from the crowd in recent memory of the NCAA Championships. He held on in the final second to prevent a match-tying escape and came away with a 5-4 win and the most memorable moment of the 2025 wrestling season.
“I was looking at the clock and I’m squeezing him,” Hendrickson said about riding out the final 18 seconds. “I made up my mind. If he did stand up, I didn’t want to lock my hands. I don’t want to get a locked hands call, but I was squeezing. If he stands up, I’m just going to lock and pick him up and just hold him in the air for the last couple seconds, because I’m, like, ‘I have made it this far,’ and I knew I was going to win this match. I don’t care if I had to rip my arms off squeezing him. I was, like, ‘I’m holding this man down and winning this match.'”
Hamiti also produced some fireworks, upsetting Missouri’s top-seeded, undefeated, five-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion in sudden victory. The wrestlers traded escapes in the final two periods to take a 1-1 tie into overtime. … more at … https://okstate.com/news/2025/3/22/cowboy-wrestling-hendrickson-hamiti-win-ncaa-titles-in-thrilling-upsets
And … https://www.flickr.com/photos/osuathletics/54404269429/in/album-72177720324605018

March 27, 2025 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | ncaa, sports, wrestling