Wyatt Hendrickson Overcomes Olympian Steveson for NCAA Wrestling Title
Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson shocked the wrestling world Saturday night by defeating Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson 5-4 in the heavyweight final at the NCAA men’s wrestling championships. The event, attended by former President Donald Trump, saw Hendrickson, a former Air Force athlete, trail until the final match where he achieved a decisive takedown in the last minute—Steveson’s only takedown conceded this season. After his win, Hendrickson saluted Trump, then draped himself in the American flag and personally greeted Trump with a handshake and hug. Trump, having attended the event previously in 2023 during his presidential run in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was present to witness this momentous upset.
Hendrickson’s victory marks the first time an Oklahoma State wrestler has clinched an NCAA heavyweight title since Steve Mocco in 2005. Overcome with emotion, Hendrickson stated, “It’s bigger than worlds, Olympics, anything,” underscoring the significance of his accomplishment. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s Steveson, aiming for his third national title, saw his impressive 70-match winning streak snapped. The reigning national champion in 2021 and 2022, Steveson attempted a professional wrestling career with WWE, mainly performing in NXT. Following his release, he tried out for the Buffalo Bills, although he did not make the team, resulting in his return to Minnesota this season. Holding a 3-2 lead going into the third period, Steveson conceded a critical takedown with 20 seconds left, sealing Hendrickson’s victory as the crowd erupted in excitement. The pair had encountered each other once before, with Steveson claiming a technical fall win in their 2021 NCAA tournament match.
In team events, Penn State claimed its third consecutive four-peat, securing its 12th men’s Division I wrestling national title under coach Cael Sanderson’s guidance. With only Iowa’s Dan Gable having more titles (15), Penn State continues to dominate. Carter Starocci delivered Penn State’s first fifth-time national championship, achieving a narrow 4-3 victory against Northern Iowa’s defending 184-pound champion, Parker Keckeisen. Starocci reflected on his historic victory, attributing his success to preparation and focus on future challenges, “It means a lot to me, but as for me—I never want to downplay the moment—but I mean, it’s always cool, but one thing that Coach Cael really instills in us, this is all just preparation for the next thing.”
Highlighting their prowess, Penn State became the second program in history to have 10 All-Americans in a single season (matched by Minnesota in 2001), earning 177 points to surpass their previous record. Their triumph was solidified with Mitchell Mesenbrink’s 8-2 win over Iowa’s Michael Caliendo in the 165 final, finishing an unbeaten season after last year’s runner-up finish. Nebraska secured second place with 117 points, marking its best tournament to date with victories from Ridge Lovett at 149 and Antrell Taylor at 157. Oklahoma State followed in third with 102.5 points, while Iowa captured fourth place with 81.
In individual battles, NC State freshman Vincent Robinson edged out Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley 2-1 at 125, while Illinois’ Lucas Byrd narrowly defeated Iowa’s Drake Ayala 3-2 at 133. Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez overturned a 5-0 deficit to vanquish Nebraska’s top-seeded Brock Hardy 12-9, clinching his second consecutive national title at 141. At 149, Lovett accomplished a 1-0 victory over defending champion Virginia Tech’s Caleb Henson, becoming Nebraska’s first national champion since Jordan Burroughs in 2011. Also, Nebraska’s Taylor clung to a 4-2 victory against Purdue’s Joey Blaze.
Oklahoma State’s Dean Hamiti competed fiercely in the 174 category, overcoming Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole 4-1 in overtime. Initially contesting a takedown during regulation, O’Toole forced the match into sudden victory, where Hamiti secured the win after another challenged takedown was upheld. He celebrated triumphantly with first-year coach David Taylor. Finally, Iowa’s Stephen Buchanan conquered Penn State’s Josh Barr with a 5-2 decision in the 197 final, adding to his collection of All-American honors across his tenures at Wyoming, Oklahoma, and now Iowa.