Penn State wins the 2022 NCAA wrestling team title
149 pounds: No. 1 Yianni Diakomihalis beats No. 10 Ridge Lovett for his third NCAA title
THIRD PERIOD: Ridge Lovett chooses down to start the third period and escapes, so now he only trails 9-4, but Diakomihalis is quick with another takedown to extend his lead 11-4. Now the name of the game will be bonus points. Lovett escapes, adding a point to his total and making the score 11-5. One minute remaining. The "Let's go Yianni" cheer is back as the Cornell fans feel his third title inching closer. Twenty seconds. Ten seconds. Yianni Diakomihalis is a THREE-TIME NCAA champion!
"For me it's pursuit of improvement and development," Diakomihalis said after his third title. "When you're looking to improve and constantly growing, it can seem like you're staying this much ahead."
3x champion ! 🏆🏆🏆
— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling)
📺 ESPN x
SECOND PERIOD: Diakomihalis chooses down to start the second period, as the Cornell fanbase launches into a "Let's go Yianni" cheer. Lovett is riding tough, and he'll need some points here to slow down Diakomihalis' momentum after the Big Red scored twice in first period. Diakomihalis escapes and goes back on the attack for another takedown. He now leads 7-2 with 45 seconds to go in the second period following Lovett's escape. That's two more for Diakomihalis and an escape for Lovett. The Big Red defending champ will enter the third ahead 9-3.
FIRST PERIOD: An early takedown for Yianni Diakomihalis, but Ridge Lovett escapes. The Cornhusker trails two-time NCAA champion 2-1 with 1:44 to go in the first period. Add another takedown to the scoreboard for Diakomihalis as the Cornell junior ends the period on top with a 4-1 lead.
141 pounds: No. 1 Nick Lee outscores No. 15 Kizhan Clarke
THIRD PERIOD: Clarke chooses neutral to start the third — he decided bottom might not be the best choice after Lee rode him about most of the second period. Lee earns another takedown, so he now leads 9-2 with riding time. The Nittany Lion is looking at bonus here in the championship bout. Lee's riding time hits four minutes, and he's still wrestling strong in that top position. Time ticks down. Ten seconds. Five seconds. Nick Lee is a two-time NCAA champion at 141 pounds by way of a 10-3 win!
"I'm just so grateful. It doesn't feel like me winning, I feel like the whole community, our staff, our fans, my family -- I just feel like we we're all [winning]," Nick Lee said in the press conference following his win. "The best part is I get to follow RBY again, so we wrestle on the same mat the whole tournament. We've got a pretty good record. That's what we've got."
🏆 141 LB. CHAMPION 🏆
— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling)
Nick Lee...2x NATIONAL CHAMPION! x
SECOND PERIOD: Lee chooses down to start the second period. He escapes. Takedown Nick Lee. He extends his lead 6-2 with 1:24 of riding time. Clarke is hit with stalling again, adding to Lee's point total. The Nittany Lion moves into the third period with a 7-2 lead.
FIRST PERIOD: Kizhan Clarke is on the board first with a takedown. What a start for the Tar Heel! Nick Lee escapes, but he's trailing Clarke 2-1. Blood time. Lee is in on a shot, and he finishes for two points, giving him the 3-2 lead against Clarke. Ninety seconds to go in the first period. Lee is looking to turn Clarke, but the Tar Heel is too strong and sturdy. Lee will settle for the ride instead. Stalemate. Back to the middle. The Penn State crowd cheers as Lee's riding time ticks up over a minute. Clarke is hit with stalling. He's in a tough spot here, as Lee is a machine in the top position. Lee will hold the 3-2 lead heading into the second period.
133 pounds: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young outscores No. 2 Daton Fix
THIRD PERIOD: Roman Bravo-Young chooses down to start the third period, and he escapes. Bravo-Young is back in the lead and on the offense. Let's scramble! The ref calls stalemate, the wresters reset. One minute left. Bravo-Young takes another shot, but Fix is so tough. Stalemate. Forty-three seconds to go. Thirty seconds. Lots of handfighting between these two guys as time ticks down. Fifteen seconds. Fix needs a takedown to avoid losing in the national finals for the third year in a row. Bravo-Young holds on! Penn State has a two-time NCAA champion in Roman Bravo-Young after his 3-2 win!
"It means everything," Bravo-Young said in the press conference following his win. "[I'm] living my dream every day. I never thought, looking back, where I was a kid growing up in Tucson, Arizona, I never thought I'd be in this position, wrestling in front of my family in a pretty much sold-out arena. [I] never thought I'd be a national champ yet a two time champ. I'm excited, and I'm going to celebrate this for a while."
That winning moment! x
— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling)
SECOND PERIOD: Fix chooses bottom to start the second period, but Bravo-Young sends a message with a major mat return. Fix overcomes that power and escapes, and he's tied the score. And woah — almost a takedown from Fix! Back to the center. That will end the period. Tied 2-2.
FIRST PERIOD: Lots of action early at this weight, but it's Roman Bravo-Young on the board first. Bravo-Young's ability to wrestle each of his opponents in a different way just demonstrates how smart he is on the mat. The Nittany Lion defending champ just needed one takedown against Austin DeSanto in the semifinals, and he notched that takedown in the final period, but here, against Fix, he's on his offense earlier. He wants another title. Fix escapes, and we'll move into the second period 2-1 with the Nittany Lion in the lead.
125 pounds: No. 1 Nick Suriano takes down Pat Glory
THIRD PERIOD: It's time for Glory to go to work on top. He trails 4-0, and Suriano also has 1:31 of riding time. Glory wants a turn, and Princeton wants a stall call against Suriano. The Wolverine is indeed hit with stalling again, giving Glory a point. Glory trails 4-1 with one minute to go, but the Tiger lightweight has effectively worn down Suriano's riding time. Suriano is hit with his third caution, and Princeton picks up another point. It's now 4-2 Suriano. One minute to go, and Glory is looking for backpoints again. He has Suriano in trouble, but Suriano fights back to his stomach. Suriano is hit with stalling a third time. That's another point for Glory. Suriano escapes. He leads 5-3. Suriano wins the 2022 NCAA title!
"That guy wrestled me tough, he had nothing to lose," Suriano said in the press conference following the match when asked about his match. "[I've] got a lot of respect for Pat Glory..but I was so locked in that I dominated and won the match."
🏆 125 LB. CHAMPION 🏆
— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling)
Nick Suriano is a 2x champion! x
SECOND PERIOD: Suriano chooses down to start the period, as "Let's go Nick" chants come from the Michigan side of the arena. Suriano is back on top after a reveral, and he takes a 4-0 lead with one minute to go in the second period. Princeton wants a stall call against Suriano. Emotions are high. BIG mat return from Suriano as he ticks up the riding time. Forty-seven seconds to go in the second period. There's the stall call against Suriano. Fourteen seconds left in the period. Suriano rides out Glory for the second period, but we're taking a quick break as Glory collects himself following what appears to be a tweak to his arm.
FIRST PERIOD: It's two New Jersey natives here in this first final as Nick Suriano and Patrick Glory meet in the center. Glory, a first-time finalist but two-time placewinner, earned his spot in this final with a win over Vito Arujua in the semifinals. Suriano is here by way of a win over Brandon Courtney in the semifinals. This marks his third finals appearance in his career.
"Glory" chants fill the arena — credit to Princeton. Despite this tournament being in Michigan and Suriano representing the Wolverines, Princeton traveled, and they're here to support their guy.
Suriano is on the board first with a takedown in the final seconds of the first period. Glory works to escape, but Suriano ends the period on top with a 2-0 lead.
Meet the 2022 NCAA All-Americans
Under the bright lights of Little Caesars Arena, 80 athletes fought their way on to the podium at the 2022 NCAA wrestling championships. This is an honor they will hold for the rest of their lives, and it's a distinction that puts them in elite company.
Here's how the 2022 placewinners earned their spot, along with updated final placements.
Jared Franek wins the Elite 90 Award
North Dakota State's Jared Franek wins the 2022 Elite 90 Award with a 4.0 in Sports Management. Franek is a three-time NCAA qualifier and a two-time Round of 12 finisher.
The Elite 90 Award recognizes the collegiate athlete at each NCAA championship across all sports and all three divisions with the highest grade point average. The honor celebrates individuals who represent the epitome of the term student-athlete. You can read more about the Elite 90 Award .
Congratulations Jared on this incredible accomplishment.
Congrats to 's Jared Franek on being named the 2022 award winner for DI !
— NCAA (@NCAA)
The 157-pounder carries a 4.0 GPA in sports management.
2022 NCAA Wrestling tournament schedule
ON SITE SCHEDULE:
All times in Eastern Time
| DAY | DATE | DOORS OPEN | SESSION STARTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | March 17 | 10:30am | 12pm |
| Thursday | March 17 | 5:30pm | 7pm |
| Friday | March 18 | 9:30am | 11am |
| Friday | March 18 | 6:30pm | 8pm |
| Saturday | Mach 19 | 9:30am | 11am |
| Saturday | March 19 | 5:30pm | 7pm |
TV SCHEDULE:
| DAY | DATE | TIME | DURATION | PRODUCTION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | March 17 | 12pm | 3:30 | ESPNU |
| Thursday | March 17 | 7pm | 3:30 | ESPN |
| Friday | March 18 | 11am | 3:00 | ESPNU |
| Friday | March 18 | 8:00pm | 3:00 | ESPN |
| Saturday | Mach 19 | 11am | 3:00 | ESPNU |
| Saturday | March 19 | 7pm | 3:00 | ESPN |