Fresno State's Stephen Abas ends his career as a three time champion as Cael Sanderson of Iowa State makes the most historical stamp ever in NCAA DI wrestling by ending his career as our first (and only) four time undefeated NCAA champion.
 |
| 2002 Champion 133 Johnny Thompson of Oklahoma State |
My all time favorite collegiate wrestler! Johnny Thompson came to Oklahoma State from Putnam City West where he was twice a state runner-up, winning the state title as a senior. He grew up a Sooner fan, but when it came time for college, they already had a 133 lbs'er. No bother, Thompson competed for the Cowboys instead. A four time BIG 12 champion, Thompson made the NCAA finals as a freshman giving Iowa's Eric Juergens all he could handle before eventually succumbing to the Hawkeye 10-7 to finish as the NCAA runner-up. He'd win two titles in a row in his sophomore and junior seasons of 2002 and 2003. As a senior in 2004, he was upset in the quarterfinals, but rallied back strong through the consolations, avenging three season losses to capture 3rd place.
 |
| 2002 Champion 141 Aaron Holker of Iowa State |
A three time Utah state champion for Orem High school, Holker originally chose to wrestle at home, until wrestling at home was no longer an option. Competing for the Cougars of Brigham Young, Holker earned All American honors as a true freshman in 1999, earning a 7th place finish. After not placing as a true sophomore in 2000, he was forced to find a new home as Brigham Young dropped their program. Settling on Iowa State, he redshirted in 2001, winning the NCAA title in 2002 as a junior. He would once again place 7th in 2003 as a senior. Post college, Holker went into the military.
 |
| 2002 Champion 149 Jared Lawrence of Minnesota |
A four time undefeated Idaho state champion for Sand Point High School, Lawrence competed for the Golden Gophers collegiately. Taking back to back 6th place finishes in 2000 & 2001, Lawrence's NCAA title came as a junior in 2002. As a senior in 2003, Lawrence finished as the NCAA runner-up. Coaching at various levels post college, Lawrence is part of Pinnacle Wrestling today.
 |
| 2002 Champion 157 Luke Becker of Minnesota |
You win the NCAA title at 149 lbs & moments later you watch your roommate and good friend win the NCAA title at 157 lbs. That's how it was for Jared Lawrence his junior season of 2002. Becker came to Minnesota from Cambridge-Isanti high school where he won three state titles, accumulating 210 wins. For the Gophers he won 126 matches, earning All American status four times. Placing 6th as a freshman in 2000, he was 4th in the nation as a sophomore in 2001. Like Lawrence his NCAA title came as a junior in 2002. He finished 4th as a senior in 2003. He has since coached at Minnesota.
 |
| 2002 Champion 165 Joe Heskett of Iowa State |
During Heskett's time at Iowa State, he drove a car with a license plate that read something to the effect of "Cradlem." If you ever watched any of his matches, you'd understand in a hurry what that meant. A master of the cradle, Heskett three Ohio state titles for Walsh-Jesuit before competing for the Cyclones. In college he won three BIG 12 titles, placing 3rd as a freshman in 1999, followed up by back to back NCAA runner-up finishes in 2000 and 2001. As a senior, he would end his collegiate career with the NCAA title as a senior in 2002. One that was never too busy to sign an autograph or talk to a young fan, Heskett then took his knowledge and love of the sport into coaching.
 |
| 2002 Champion 174 Greg Jones of West Virginia |
A two time state champion for Greensburg-Salem high school, Jones was hoping to one day be a collegiate football star. Instead his phenomenal talents on the mat, led him to be one of the best wrestlers of his era. Competing for West Virginia, he went 126-4 during career winning three NCAA titles in 2002 as a freshman, 2004 as a junior and 2005 as a senior. He did not place at the 2003 NCAA championships. Post college, he had a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers as he then got into training MMA fighters. Ironically enough one of the fighters he helped to train to much success is Rashad Evans, one of the only wrestlers who ever handed him a defeat in college.
 |
| 2002 Champion 184 Rob Rohn of Lehigh |
It's the third period. You're down 14-2. Your opponent who has tilted you a numerous amount of times during the match, goes for a final tilt. If he can secure these three points, you'll have lost the match 17-2 via technical fall. As he goes for the tilt, you granby out of it for a 1 point escape. Little time left on the clock you secure him in a front headlock and then out of nowhere hit a cement mixer to put him on his back. The crowd gasp as they wait in anticipation. You squeeze with every ounce of strength you have as with less than 15 seconds left, the referee slaps the mat. In one of the most dramatic matches ever, still talked about 20 years later, you win the national championship.
If that's not interesting enough, how about the fact that Rohn wasn't even going to wrestle in college to begin with. The Nazareth high school graduate thought that baseball was his future and he originally went to Clarion to play. Yet things changed, as did his school and he wound out at Lehigh to wrestle. Placing 5th as a sophomore in 2000, Rohn's NCAA title came in his senior season of 2002. 106 victories altogether, he won the Gorriaran award as well.
 |
| 2002 Champion HWT Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State |
A two time state champion for Bishop Ready high school, Rowlands had an outstanding career for the Buckeyes. Making the NCAA finals as a freshman in 2001, he won his first NCAA title as a sophomore in 2002. In 2003, he was injured at the NCAA tournament defaulting to 6th place. He came back as a senior to win the NCAA title in 2004. Post college Rowlands won Pan-American Siilver in 2007.
====
Abas and Sanderson previously mentioned
Thompson repeated in 2003 but did not in 2004
Jones did not repeat in 2003, but did in both 2004 and 2005
Rowlands did not repeat in 2003, but did in 2004
Holker, Lawrence and Becker did not repeat
Rohn and Heskett were seniors
No comments:
Post a Comment