The NCAA Wrestling Championships have been a proving ground for exceptional athletes for 95 years, with over 683 wrestlers crowned champions. Among these, only a select few have achieved the extraordinary feat of winning four times. The 2024 NCAA Championships saw Penn State stars Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks join this exclusive club.
Each four-time champion has a perfect record at the NCAA championships, but each had a path that was uniquely his. Let's take a look at these legendary wrestlers and their remarkable journeys.
The Exclusive Club of Four-Time NCAA Champions
There are seven, four-time Division I NCAA champions. Here are the names of those legends:
- Pat Smith (Oklahoma State)
- Cael Sanderson (Iowa State)
- Kyle Dake (Cornell)
- Logan Stieber (Ohio State)
- Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell)
- Carter Starocci (Penn State)
- Aaron Brooks (Penn State)
Pat Smith (Oklahoma State)
Pat Smith of Oklahoma State had the pressure of becoming the first four-time NCAA champion. He used a stellar takedown game and a tough ride to make history. Smith won his third title over Iowa's Tom Ryan with a late takedown in the finals. He is the only four-timer to compete in the same weight class all four years and the only four-timer to wrestle a pigtail match.
NCAA Tournament Record: 21-0
Falls: 2
Tech Falls: 5
Majors: 6
Decisions: 8
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He defeated three current D1 head coaches (Tom Ryan, Jim Andrassy, and Sean Bormet) and was part of two NCAA team titles (1990, 1994). Dan Russell, Smith’s semifinal opponent as a true freshman, was a four-time NCAA D2 champion for Portland State.
Pat Smith's NCAA Tournament Match Results
1990 NCAA Championships, 158 pounds, 1 seed- R32: Pete Welch, North Carolina, 19-7
- R16: Michael Murray, Virginia Military, Fall 4:42
- Quarters: Chauncy Wynn, Morgan State, 16-6
- Semis: Dan Russell, Portland State, 16-7
- Finals: Scott Schleicher, Navy, 11-7
- R32: Rod Fisher, Liberty, 16-10
- R16: Brian Malavar, Cal State-Bakersfield, TF 17-2, 5:12
- Quarters: Torrae Jackson, Iowa State, 16-5
- Semis: Scott Hovan, Pittsburgh, 5-4
- Finals: Tom Ryan, Iowa, 7-6
- R64: T.C. Dantzler, Northern Illinois, TF 25-9 6:05
- R32: Lou Cerchio, Seton Hall, Fall 4:51
- R16: Darren Gustafson, Oregon 22-7 5:25
- Quarters: Mike Schyck, Ohio State, 8-3
- Semis: Scott Hovan, Pittsburgh, 13-2
- Finals: Ray Miller, Arizona State, 3-1
- R32: Jim Andrassy, Kent State, TF 23-8 6:41
- R16: Jason Kraft, Nebraska, TF 26-10, 7:00
- Quarters: Dan Alar, Oregon State, 14-3
- Semis: Earl Walker, Boston, 6-2
- Finals: Sean Bormet, Michigan, 5-3
Cael Sanderson (Iowa State)
Cael Sanderson of Iowa State became the first and only undefeated four-time NCAA champion by going 159-0 for his career. He dominated his opponents with a relentless pace and boatloads of offense. Sanderson won 18 of 20 matches by bonus points and was named Outstanding Wrestler at all four NCAA Championships.
NCAA Tournament Record: 20-0
Falls: 7
Tech Falls: 5
Majors: 6
Decisions: 2
Sanderson defeated three future World/Olympic teamers as a freshman (Hrovat, Vering, and Eggum). Vering (Greco, 2007) and Eggum (freestyle, 2001) were World silver medalists. Eggum replaced Sanderson at the 2001 World Championships and won a silver medal. Sanderson defeated three future World medalists (Vering, Eggum twice, and Cormier). Sanderson’s two decisions came in the finals.
Cael Sanderson's NCAA Tournament Match Results
1999 NCAA Championships, 184 pounds, 1 seed- R32: Josh Didion, Cleveland State, Fall 4:46
- R16: Nate Patrick, Illinois, 18-6
- Quarters: Andy Hrovat, Michigan, Fall 4:24
- Semis: Brad Vering, Nebraska, Fall 1:58
- Finals: Brandon Eggum, Minnesota, 6-1
- R32: Adam Schaaf, Millersville, Fall 3:51
- R16: Dax Pecaro, North Carolina-Greensboro, TF 21-6 7:00
- Quarters: Rob Rohn, Lehigh, TF 20-5 7:00
- Semis: Brandon Eggum, Minnesota, 16-5
- Finals: Vertus Jones, West Virginia, 19-6
- R32: Kyle Hansen, Northern Iowa, TF 24-9 7:00
- R16: Jeremy Wilson, Portland State, Fall 1:37
- Quarters: Jessman Smith, Iowa, TF 21-6 6:16
- Semis: Viktor Sveda, Indiana, 21-7
- Finals: Daniel Cormier, Oklahoma State, 8-4
- R32: Eric Mausser, Clarion, Fall 3:32
- R16: Kyle Cerminara, Buffalo, Fall 6:33
- Quarters: Jason Payne, Northern Iowa, TF 23-8 6:51
- Semis: Nick Preston, Ohio State, 18-7
- Finals: Jon Trenge, Lehigh, 12-4
Kyle Dake (Cornell)
Cornell's Kyle Dake won four NCAA titles at four different weights. No other college wrestler has won a title at more than two different weights. Dake used impeccable defense and was nearly impossible to score on. Dake defeated three future World/Olympic teamers (Humphrey, Molinaro, and Taylor). Dake and Taylor have combined for eight World/Olympic gold medals and 11 medals since their 2013 finals match.
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NCAA Tournament Record: 20-0
Falls: 4
Tech Falls: 0
Majors: 5
Decisions: 11
Three of Dake's finals opponents were or became NCAA champions (Molinaro, St. John, and Taylor). Dake surrendered zero points in 10 matches that lasted seven minutes. Dake only gave up 12 points in 16 matches that didn’t end by fall.
Kyle Dake's NCAA Tournament Match Results
2010 NCAA Championships, 141 pounds, 1 seed- R32: Todd Schavrien, Missouri, 4-1
- R16: Elijah Nacita, Cal State-Bakersfield, Fall 3:48
- Quarters: Levi Jones, Boise State, 11-0
- Semis: Reece Humphrey, Ohio State, 3-2 TB
- Finals: Montell Marion, Iowa, 7-3
- R32: Donnie Corby, Central Michigan, 9-0
- R16: Torsten Gillespie, Edinboro, 8-0
- Quarters: Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State, 3-0
- Semis: Ganbayar Sanjaa, American, 4-0
- Finals: Frank Molinaro, Penn State, 8-1
- R32: John Nicholson, Old Dominion, Fall 1:13
- R16: Joshua Kreimier, Air Force, Fall 1:31
- Quarters: Frank Hickman, Bloomsburg, Fall 4:10
- Semis: Ganbayar Sanjaa, American, 4-0
- Finals: Derek St. John, Iowa, 4-1
- R32: Mark Martin, Ohio State, 3-0
- R16: Ryan LeBlanc, Indiana, 11-0
- Quarters: Nick Sulzer, Virginia, 13-0
- Semis: Tyler Caldwell, Oklahoma State, 2-0
- Finals: David Taylor, Penn State, 5-4
Logan Stieber (Ohio State)
Ohio State's Logan Stieber had just as many falls and tech falls as Sanderson with his unrelenting ride and turns from the top. Stieber’s 119-3 career record included 50 pins, 28 technical falls and 22 major decisions. His three defeats came in regular-season bouts and he avenged each of them in the postseason. In 20 career matches at the NCAA Championships, he notched seven pins, five techs and two majors.
There’s a case to be made for putting Stieber at 141, where he spent the second half of his career, completed his journey into the four-time NCAA champion club, won a Hodge Trophy and posted a slightly better record (he was 59-1 at 141 after going 60-2 at 133). But Stieber notched 30 of his 50 career pins at 133, scored seven wins over reigning or eventual NCAA champions, and he earned more points at 133 in the Flowrestling staff vote, so that’s why he’s here.
Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell)
Cornell's Yianni Diakomihalis won 17 of his 20 NCAA tournament matches by decision and is the only four-timer to win a Senior World medal in college. Diakomihalis has also won the EIWA Championship four times, in the same years he won the NCAA wrestling championship.
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Carter Starocci (Penn State)
Starocci’s win came first, as he took down a scrappy Rocco Welsh of Ohio State in the national finals 2-0. Despite coming into the tournament as the No. 9 seed because of two injury defaults at Big Tens due to injury, Starocci knocked off one elite opponent after the next, notably topping 2019 NCAA champion Mekhi Lewis in the quarterfinals and then outscoring 2021 NCAA champion Shane Griffith in the semifinals. In between that first title against Michael Kemerer, and his fourth title over Welsh on Saturday night, Carter Starocci did not take one loss besides his injury forfeits at Big Tens this year.
Aaron Brooks (Penn State)
Brooks remembers when he first met Starocci their freshman years at Penn State. “When we first came in at 2019 we both saw that we kind of had the same goals and aspirations,” Brooks said in the pre-tournament press conference. Brooks made his varsity dual debut for the Blue and White on December 6, 2019, and picked up a solid 10-5 win over Chris Weiler of Lehigh. He would then go on to win his next three matches before dropping his first (and only) bout of that season to Taylor Venz of Nebraska. He avenged that loss in the Big Ten tournament, capturing Big Ten freshman of the year honors.
Brooks has been equally dominant, though he did take a loss in the 2022 Big Ten finals to Myles Amine of Michigan and then suffered a loss to Iowa State's Marcus Coleman at the Collegiate Duals in December 2022. But those losses didn't impact his performance in March. Brooks avenged his loss to Amine in the 2022 national finals for title No. 2 and then beat Keckeisen last year for his third championship.
The expectations for Starocci and Brooks were high coming in this weekend, even with Starocci's injury. The pair were asked about their title quest at the opening press conference - to which Starocci said "I approach it the same. I think the next title is always the more fun one" - and they were asked about it after their semifinal wins. Brooks and Starocci did not invite these questions or these comments.
"I think you just don't really think about it," Brooks said in his press conference. "You don't let things consume you. Like the world want to consume you; labels, titles, accomplishments. With every match though, the intensity around this storyline grew. The fact that the finals started at heavyweight and ended with Brooks only added to the emotion. Starocci and Brooks are in elite company now, but they're not done. Both will have the chance to move forward to Olympic Trials and attempt to qualify for the 2024 Games in Paris.
Starocci has been public about intending to compete at 74kg, nearly 11 pounds less than his 174 pound collegiate weight class. Brooks, meanwhile is expected to go 86kg, a weight where he was the runner-up at Final X for the 2023 Senior World Team spot. The current Olympic champ at 86kg is Brooks' Nittany Lion Wrestling Club teammate, David Taylor.
He and Brooks have Olympic aspirations, but, as as of tonight, they are also college wrestling champions yet again, two athletes who did something no one from their university has ever done.
2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Results
The 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships concluded with several outstanding performances. Here are the finals results:
| Weight | Champion | School | Runner-Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 285 | Greg Kerkvliet | Penn State | Lucas Davison | 13-4 |
| 125 | Richard Figueroa | Arizona State | Drake Ayala | 7-2 |
| 133 | Vito Arujau | Cornell | Daton Fix | 5-3 |
| 141 | Jesse Mendez | Ohio State | Beau Bartlett | 4-1 |
| 149 | Caleb Henson | Virginia Tech | Austin Gomez | 15-7 |
| 157 | Levi Haines | Penn State | Jacori Teemer | 5-0 |
| 165 | David Carr | Iowa State | Mitchell Mesenbrink | 9-8 |
| 174 | Carter Starocci | Penn State | Rocco Welsh | 2-0 |
| 184 | Parker Keckeisen | Northern Iowa | Dustin Plott | 14-5 |
| 197 | Aaron Brooks | Penn State | Trent Hidlay | 6-1 |
Based upon the finals results, eight of the champions have punched their ticket for the Olympic Trials: Figueroa, Mendez, Henson, Haines, Carr, Starocci, Keckeisen and Kerkvliet.
The NCAA Div. I awards went to Aaron Brooks of Penn State (most dominant), Wyatt Hendrickson of Air Force (most falls) and Michael Beard of Lehigh (most technical falls)