Posted on 03/22/2015 6:02:49 AM PDT by FlJoePa
ST. LOUIS — The greatest day in the history of Ohio State wrestling ended with the university’s most successful wrestler ever capping his glorious career in the grand fashion he long craved.
Senior Logan Stieber etched his name into a permanent spot in his sport’s history by becoming only the fourth wrestler to win four individual NCAA championships.
Stieber, top-seeded in the 141-pound division, earned his individual immortality on the same day that Ohio State won its first team national title in the 94-year history of the program.
“It’s amazing to win my fourth title and a team title,” Stieber said. “It’s one of the best moments in my life, for sure.”
A Scottrade Center crowd saw Stieber (29-0) defeat second-seeded senior Mitchell Port (36-2) of Edinboro (Pa.) by an 11-5 decision in the final match of the three-day national tournament.
Stieber’s 50th consecutive victory allowed him to join Kyle Dake (Cornell, 2010-13), Cael Sanderson (Iowa State, 1999-2002) and Pat Smith (Oklahoma State, 1990-92, ’94) as the only four-time NCAA champions.
“I think it is just an accumulation of 15 years of really, really hard work and sacrifice,” Stieber said. “And to be one of the four people to win four is truly amazing. I’m honored to be in the group.”
Stieber had spoken about this goal since before he won four state titles at Monroeville High School. That ignited a legendary career later polished by his three prior NCAA championships — the first two at 133 pounds and last year’s at 141.
“Logan was so ready for this,” Ohio State coach Tom Ryan said. “This has been a season-long focus for him. I’m just really proud of him. I say this, as an analogy: There’s been more people on the moon than have won four national championships. What this guy just did was incredible. He has reignited Ohio State wrestling.”
About 50 friends and family members — including his parents, Jeff and Tina, and his brother and teammate Hunter — from Monroeville were in the stands to see Stieber create pride for his three-stoplight town of 1,400 in rural Huron County.
Fans also saw OSU redshirt freshman Nathan Tomasello, the reigning Big Ten champion from Parma, Ohio, win the 125-pound national title with a 9-5 decision over unseeded Zeke Moisey (31-14) of West Virginia.
Tomasello (33-4) survived nearly being pinned with about 1:30 left when he held a 5-2 lead. The fourth seed lost two points on the takedown but scored one with an escape. He built the lead to 8-4 before giving up a late point.
“It’s been a dream of mine and a goal of mine for many years now,” Tomasello said. “At this tournament I felt like I peaked at the right time and was wrestling my best.”
Ohio State true freshman Kyle Snyder, fourth-seeded in the 197-pound class, lost in his championship match when he was pinned by third-seeded Kyven Gadson of Iowa State at 4:24.
“It was a match I thought I could win and was planning on winning, but it didn’t happen,” Snyder said. “I have to keep trying to get better and improve on this performance next year.
Gadson (30-1) is a redshirt senior, the reigning Big 12 champion and a two-time all-American. Snyder, a Big Ten finalist from Woodbine, Md., finished his first OSU season 30-4.
Ohio State had clinched the team title earlier in the day when two other all-Americans — Bo Jordan and Kenny Courts — combined for three wins in the consolation bracket.
Stieber became Ohio State’s only four-time Big Ten champion after winning his final 179 high-school matches while going 184-1 when capturing four state titles at Monroeville.
Last night, Stieber finished his college career with a 119-3 record for Ohio State’s best all-time winning percentage (.975) — and the four national titles only three others have won.
Long live the king.
tOSU should be a top 5 program for the near future. Lots of youth. PSU will be back next year (finished 6th w/ only one champion) as all the redshirts will return.
I have to wonder if the Iowa coach is on the hot seat. Being lapped by tOSU can't sit well with that fan base.
The tournament will be in Madison Square Garden next year!
Congrats to them!
Final team results (a HUGE congratulations to little Edinboro as well):
1-Ohio State, 102
2-Iowa, 84
3-Edinboro, 75.5
4-Missouri, 73.5
5-Cornell, 71.5
Good grief, my Gophers really fell off the map this year.
Bo Jordan is from my hometown. Eldest son of Jeff Jordan, brother of Congressman Jim Jordan whose son, Isaac, wrestles for Wisconsin where Jim won two NCAA championships(1985, 86).
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