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Amateur Wrestling Reports

Wyatt Hendrickson Wins 2025 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, Presented by ASICS

NEWTON, Iowa – When Wyatt Hendrickson emerged from the Wells Fargo Center tunnel and into the spotlight, the American flag draped around his shoulders, he knew the 285-pound NCAA title would soon belong to him.
In fact, the Oklahoma State fifth-year senior, who spent his previous four seasons at the Air Force Academy, knew it well before that historic Saturday night in Philadelphia.
It did not matter who he would have to go through to stand atop the podium. A two-time national champ, two-time previous Dan Hodge Trophy recipient and Olympic gold medalist stood between him and the realization of a lifelong dream, as did the reigning 285-pound NCAA champion. Having been tech falled by both foes in previous collegiate seasons, it still did not matter.
From the moment he committed to rookie head coach David Taylor’s Cowboys, the persistent incoming text messages from his new coach became his mantra. “Wyatt Hendrickson 2025 national champion.”
He read it, comprehended it, believed in it, and willed it into existence.
Hendrickson’s high-crotch takedown, executed with 23 seconds to go in the final on Minnesota’s Gable Steveson for a 5-4 lead and the eventual win, will go down as arguably the most dramatic points in NCAA collegiate wrestling history. On the year, he finished 27-0 with 13 pins, eight tech falls and a bonus-point percentage of 81.5. He took out Penn State’s defending national champion, Greg Kerkvliet, 8-2, in the NCAA semis and the legendary Steveson for the title.
And now, the Kansas native Hendrickson and his season will even further be etched in college wrestling’s history books, as he has been named the recipient of the 2025 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy presented by ASICS Wrestling.
Hendrickson will be presented the Hodge Trophy at the Oklahoma State University wrestling banquet. Like in past seasons, Hendrickson will then publicly be presented the Hodge at a football game this fall. For more information on the Dan Hodge Trophy, visit www.WIN-magazine.com.
The 145th national champion for Oklahoma State and third wrestler to win the Hodge, Hendrickson narrowly won one of the most competitive Hodge votes in history … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/03/31/wyatt-hendrickson-wins-2025-win-magazine-culture-house-dan-hodge-trophy-presented-by-asics/

April 2, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

Celebrating the many “firsts” of our great sport

By Mike Chapman

Being first in any sporting activity is a part of history that lasts forever. There can only be one first in any event for an athlete. Babe Ruth, Roger Bannister, the Green Bay Packers were all first, in one way or another. And college wrestling is no different.
As we speed toward another NCAA tournament, here are some fabulous firsts that come to my mind:
The very first NCAA tournament was held in Ames, Iowa, in 1928.
That year, Harold DeMarsh, Oklahoma State, became the first NCAA champion ever, at 115 pounds.
The first official team champion was Oklahoma State in 1929. (No team score was kept in 1928.)
The first three time champion was Earl McCready, Oklahoma State heavyweight, from 1929 to 1931.
In 1932, Edwin Belshaw, Indiana, became the first O.W.
The tournament was cancelled from 1943-1945 due to World War II, and David Arndt of Oklahoma State stands tall as the only wrestler to win titles on both sides of the war. He claimed two at 145 pounds prior to the conflict, then flew over 100 combat missions in Europe, and returned home to win his third in 1946, this time at 136 pounds.
In 1947, tiny Cornell College in Mount Vernon, under Coach Paul Scott, became the first of four Iowa colleges to win the team title.
In 1948, Bill Koll, Iowa Teachers College (now UNI), was the first to win two O.W. awards at the tournament.
The first four-time finalist was Dick Hutton, Oklahoma State heavyweight, with three titles and one runner-up spot, his final year in 1949.
Penn State claimed its first NCAA title in 1953, under Coach Charlie Speidel.
In 1956, Oklahoma’s Dan Hodge became the first wrestler to capture NCAA, freestyle and Greco-Roman titles all the same year (and with 13 straight pins)!
In the 1957 tourney, Ed Peery of Pittsburgh won his third title at 123, giving the Peery family an amazing nine crowns, the most ever for one family. Father Rex won three for Oklahoma State in the 1930s and Hugh won three for Pittsburgh when Rex was the head coach there.
That same year, Simon Roberts of Iowa earned the honor of being the first African-American by winning at 147 pounds.
In 1958, Myron Roderick of Oklahoma State became the first NCAA champion to also coach a team to the title.
In 1967, Michigan State was the first Big Ten team to win the official title, under coaches Grady Peninger and Doug Blubaugh.
The first and only seven-time college champion is Gray Simons, Lock Haven State (three NCAA and four NAIA), his last pair coming in 1962. … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/03/06/celebrating-the-many-firsts-of-our-great-sport/

April 2, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

‘It’s not the end of the world for me’: Gable Steveson says NFL, MMA doors are still open

  • Steveson, one of the greatest college wrestlers ever, is looking forward after a shocking loss at the NCAA Championships.
  • Steveson says NFL teams have called, and he wants a meeting with Dana White.

What’s next for Gable Steveson? After the Gophers heavyweight suffered a loss in the national championship match — a bout that’s been called the biggest upset in college wrestling history — to Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson, Steveson is looking ahead to opportunities in the NFL and MMA.

“I’m not happy with the results,” Steveson said Monday on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. “Win or loss, the road doesn’t end for me and I keep going forward.”
“The sun always comes up the next day,” he added. “What’s next for me is I’ve been boxing, I’ve been putting on the gloves, doing Jiu-Jitsu classes, trying to get ready for an MMA career. Or right after I stepped off the mat Saturday night, just a couple calls from a few new teams in the NFL. The roads keep opening and I’m just so happy that I can go out there and put on my best performance. Win or lose, like I said, I’m always a showman. I go out there and I turn the crowd up, I show love, and if a guy gets his hand raised across from me, it’s respect always.  … more at … https://www.si.com/college/minnesota/it-s-not-the-end-of-the-world-for-me-gable-steveson-says-nfl-mma-doors-are-still-open

April 2, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment