Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
NCAA Wrestling
Perry, Dieringer Claim NCAA Individual Titles
March 22, 2014 | Cowboy Wrestling
March 22, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma State wrestling team crowned two national champions en route to a third-place team finish at the 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championships Saturday night, with Chris Perry winning the 174-pound title in the first bout of the night and Alex Dieringer claiming the 157-pound championship with a bonus-point victory.
"I think my goal every year as a coach is to walk away from the national tournament with a good feeling,” coach John Smith said. “Although we had a third-place finish, I like the fact that we made a run at it. Back in early February after losing five-straight matches this year, it didn't look like it was coming together, and it did for us.”
For the second year in a row, the NCAA Championships finals began at 174 pounds with Oklahoma State's Chris Perry setting the tone for the night and winning his second-straight national title with a 4-0 decision over Oklahoma's second-seeded Andrew Howe.
The first period ended scoreless, and Perry elected to start the second period on bottom. He escaped just six seconds into the second period, and the two hand fought until halfway through the second period when Perry scored a takedown on the edge to take a 3-0 lead. The Cowboy rode out the Sooner for the remainder of the period, gaining more than a minute of riding time to enter the final period. Howe chose a neutral start for the third period, and the two stayed on their feet the rest of the bout as Perry sealed another national title and his second-straight win over Howe this year.
“I told everybody I was going to set the tone this match,” Perry said. “I told them I would make adjustments from the last time I wrestled him, and I did. I hand fought him a little more last time. This time I knew he thought I was going to not shoot on him, and I wanted to let him know right off the whistle I'm coming for you. Like Coach (Smith) said before I ran out of the tunnel, go out there and set the tone and let him know you're here to go.”
Dieringer's title was the first of his career and came via 13-4 major decision over No. 9 seed Dylan Ness of Minnesota.
The sophomore two-time All-American jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and nearfall and never looked back. He added a pair takedowns, another nearfall and a riding time advantage of more than two minutes to seal his team-best 19th bonus point win of the year.
“Winning on that big stage, there's really nothing better,” Dieringer said. “I've been working so hard in the room, doing extra workouts, all that. So to know that it all paid off, it's a great feeling.”
After a stellar tournament appearance, No. 11 seed Josh Kindig finished his third NCAA Championships as a finalist and a first-time All-American.
The junior turned in the best NCAA performance of his career and nearly ended it with a national title, but fell in a hard-fought sudden victory to Northwestern's fifth-seeded Jason Tsirtsis, 3-1.
The fourth Cowboy finalist to wrestle was senior Tyler Caldwell, who faced top-seeded and undefeated David Taylor of Penn State.
Caldwell held his own against the favored Taylor, but fell in a decision to the Hodge Trophy winner, 6-0.
It marked Caldwell's second runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships and was his fourth All-America honor.
Sophomore Austin Marsden was also in action on Saturday. Despite losing his final bout of the tournament, Marsden finished in eighth place to earn his first All-America honor.
Oklahoma State's third-place finish marked its second-straight year to finish in the top three at the event and record at least five All-Americans.
“We made a good run at it and we had two NCAA individual champions,” Smith said. “We had a two-timer with Chris Perry and then added a new one to the list with Alex Dieringer. We have three All-Americans returning next year and I look forward to beginning the process again."
Oklahoma State Results
Pigtail Round
197: Mario Gonzalez (ILL) dec. Blake Rosholt (OSU), 10-3
Championship First Round
125: No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU) dec. Dominic Parisi (APPST), 6-4
133: No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. James Gulibon (PSU), 4-0
141: No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU) dec. Avery Gardner (UVU), 10-6
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. Ian Paddock (OHST), 9-4
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) TF Austin Sommer (DREX), 18-1, 5:00
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) fall Curtis Cook (UVU), 3:36
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) MD Scott Liegel (WISC), 8-0
184: No. 7 Kevin Steinhaus (MINN) dec. Nolan Boyd (OSU), 5-0
285: No.11 Austin Marsden (OSU) MD Collin Jensen (NEB), 10-2
Championship Second Round
125: No. 3 Nico Megaludis (PSU) dec. No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU), 6-0
133: No. 13 Cody Brewer (OU) fall No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU), 2:45
141: No. 2 Logan Stieber (OHST) TF Anthony Collica (OSU), 16-1
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. No. 6 Jake Sueflohn (NEB), 7-5
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) fall No. 14 Joey LaVallee (MIZZOU), 1:38
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) dec. No. 15 Danny Zilverberg (MINN), 9-2
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) MD Tony Dallago (ILL), 11-3
285: No. 11Austin Marsden (OSU) dec. No. 6 Michael McMullan (NW), 3-2
Championship quarterfinals
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. No. 14 Scott Sakaguchi (ORST), 7-5
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) dec. No. 6 Nestor Taffur (BU), 18-11
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) MD No. 7 Pierce Harger (NW), 14-2
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 9 Elliot Riddick (LEH), 4-0
285: No. 3 Adam Chalfant (IND) dec. No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU), 3-2
Championship Semifinals
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) vs. No. 15 Mitchell Minotti (LEH), 5-2
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) vs. No. 7 Brian Realbuto (CORN), 7-4
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) vs. No. 3 Nick Sulzer (UVA), 5-0
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) vs. No. 4 Mike Evans (IOWA), 3-2 TB1
Championship Finals Schedule
149: No. 5 Jason Tsirtis (NW) dec. No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU), 3-1 SV1
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) MD No. 9 Dylan Ness (MINN), 13-4
165: No. 1 David Taylor (PSU) dec. No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU), 6-0
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 2 Andrew Howe (OU), 4-0
Pigtail Consolation Round
197: Zach Nye (UVA) dec. Blake Rosholt (OSU), 7-3
Consolation First Round
184: Kurtis Julson (NDSU) dec. Nolan Boyd (OSU), 8-4
Consolation Second Round
125: No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU) dec. No. 13 Evan Silver (STAN), 4-1
133: No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. Shelton Mack (PITT), 3-0
141: No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU) MD Gabe Moreno (ISU), 8-0
Consolation Third Round
125: No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU) fall No. 11 Robert Deutsch (RID), 3:35
133: No. 12 Joe Roth (CMU) dec. No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU), 5-4 TB1
141: No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU) dec. No. 7 Zach Horan (CMU), 5-4
Consolation Fourth Round
125: No. 8 Cory Clark (IOWA) dec. No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU), 7-6 TB1
141: No. 12 Richard Durso (F&M) MD No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU), 13-2
285: No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU) dec. No. 8 JT Felix (BSU), 5-3 SV1
Consolation Fifth Round
285: No. 7 Mike McClure (MSU) dec. No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU), 3-2
Seventh Place Schedule
285: No. 10 Jeremy Johnson (OHIO) dec. No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU), 4-2
Players Mentioned
