Penn State's Starocci wins record 5th national title; Hendrickson stuns Steveson for 285-pound title

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State's Carter Starocci won an unprecedented fifth national title and Oklahoma State's Wyatt Hendrickson stunned Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson 5-4 in the heavyweight final Saturday night at the NCAA men's wrestling championships with President Donald Trump in attendance.

Hendrickson, a transfer from Air Force, trailed in the last match of the evening until scoring on a takedown in the final minute — the only takedown Steveson allowed all season.

Hendrickson saluted Trump after his victory. With a United States flag draped over his shoulders, he then walked over and shook Trump's hand and hugged him as part of his celebration. Trump attended the event, just as he did as a candidate in 2023 when the tournament was in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“It's bigger than worlds, Olympics, anything," an emotional Hendrickson said moments after the win.

Minnesota's Steveson, seeking his third national title, was on a 70-match win streak. The 2021 and 2022 national champion retired at the end of the 2022 event, but returned this year after stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and the National Football League.

Steveson entered the third period with a 3-2 lead before giving up the takedown with about 20 seconds remaining. The crowd erupted when Hendrickson scored and as time expired.

Starocci's Nittany Lions claimed their third four-peat, running away from the field to claim their 12th men's Division I men's wrestling national title under coach Cael Sanderson.

Starocci defeated Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen 4-3 in the 184-pound final. Keckeisen was the defending champion in the class.

Starocci kept it all in perspective.

“It means a lot to me, but as for me — I never want to down play 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."

Penn State, just the second program to have 10 All-Americans in one season, scored 177 points to top its record from last year. The Nittany Lions picked up another championship when Mitchell Mesenbrink won the 165 final 8-2 over Iowa's Michael Caliendo. Mesenbrink finished unbeaten this season after losing in the national final a year ago.

Nebraska finished second with 117 points and closed out it's best tournament ever with Ridge Lovett winning at 149 and Antrell Taylor at 157. Oklahoma State finished third with 102.5 points and Iowa was fourth with 81.

North Carolina State freshman Vincent Robinson defeated Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley 2-1 at 125, and Illinois' Lucas Byrd defeated Iowa's Drake Ayala 3-2 at 133.

At 141, Ohio State's Jesse Mendez rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat Nebraska's Brock Hardy 12-9 and claim his second straight national title. Hardy was the No. 1 seed.

At 149, Lovett toppled the defending champion, Virginia Tech's Caleb Henson, 1-0. Lovett became the first Cornhusker national champion since Jordan Burroughs in 2011.

Nebraska's Taylor hung on to defeat Purdue's Joey Blaze 4-2.

Oklahoma State’s Dean Hamiti defeated Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole 4-1 in overtime to win at 174. O’Toole, the national champ at 165 in 2022 and 2023, challenged a takedown during regulation that was reversed and allowed him to get to overtime. In sudden victory, another takedown was challenged, but this time, it was upheld, and Hamiti celebrated with first-year coach David Taylor.

Iowa's Stephen Buchanan defeated Penn State's Josh Barr 5-2 in the 197 final. He's been an All-American at Wyoming, Oklahoma and now Iowa.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

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