Stephen Buchanan II Wins NCAA Championship

PHILADELPHIA – University of Iowa graduate student Stephen Buchanan II won the 197-pound NCAA Championship on Saturday night, defeating Penn State’s Josh Barr, 5-2.

Buchanan, the No. 2 seed, used a second-period takedown and a third-period escape, along with a riding time point, to end up on top of the podium.

“You know, you get to the semifinals twice and you get denied by it, and you have to make the journey back the next morning,” Buchanan said. “And you don't want to wrestle those two matches, but you do, and you pull through. You're still left with this bittersweet feeling in your stomach, in your mind. You come back the next year and the same thing happens to you.

And you finally get on a new team. And you're placed around people who will pour into you, who teach you the little things that make the biggest differences. And you get on that stage, and you use the things that they taught you to win, it means the world. I mean, the work that I put in, just the amount of time that people put into me, it means the world.”

The Loyal, Wisconsin, native is the first national champion at 197 pounds in program history since the NCAA implemented the current weight class configuration in 1999. Buchanan’s individual national title is the 86th in program history and the 14th under head coach Tom Brands.

“Awesome, love it, can’t say enough,” head coach Tom Brands said. “He’s a grateful guy, so I think he has the right perspective about it for sure. The way it was done is a tribute to a champion. The way that he did it, the way he goes about his daily business is a tribute.”

Buchanan finishes his season 26-1 and his career as a four-time All-American.

No. 2 seed Drake Ayala earned a second-place finish at 125 pounds, falling to top-seeded Lucas Byrd of Illinois, 3-2, in tiebreakers. With the score tied 1-1 after sudden victory, Ayala earned an escape in the first period but was hit with his second stalling call in the second tiebreak period.

The Fort Dodge, Iowa, native finishes his season with a 21-3 record and is a national runner-up for the second straight season.

No. 2 seed Michael Caliendo finished second on the podium at 165 pounds for the first time in his career. He dropped an 8-2 decision to top-seeded Mitchell Mesenbrink. With the score locked at 1-1 in the second period, Mesenbrink notched a takedown to make it 4-1, and an escape and a late takedown made it an 8-1 final.

The Geneva, Illinois, native finishes his season with a 24-3 record, with all three of his losses coming to Mesenbrink.

OF NOTE
–    Iowa’s 56 NCAA Champions have combined for 86 NCAA titles. 
–    Iowa has earned a team trophy at the NCAA Championships 15 times in the last 17 championships.
–    The Hawkeyes have won 49 team NCAA trophies in program history and have 70 top 10 finishes in program history.
–     Iowa has had an NCAA finalist in 35 consecutive national tournaments (every year since 1990).
–    Iowa has crowned at least one All-American in 54 consecutive tournaments, a stretch dating back to 1972. Iowa has totaled 332 All-Americans during that stretch.
–    Iowa has had at least four All-Americans in 17 straight seasons and 17 times in Brands’ 18 years.

ALL-AMERICANS
1st – Stephen Buchanan II (197)
2nd – Drake Ayala (133), Michael Caliendo (165)
4th – Patrick Kennedy (174) 
8th – Ben Kueter (285)

NCAA FINALS RESULTS
184 – #1 Carter Starocci (Penn State) dec. #2 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa), 4-3 
125 – #4 Vincent Robinson (North Carolina State) dec. #7 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State), 2-1 TB1
133 – #1 Lucas Byrd (Illinois) dec. #2 Drake Ayala (Iowa), 3-2 TB1 
141 – #3 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) dec. #1 Brock Hardy (Nebraska), 12-9
149 – #2 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) dec. #1 Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech), 1-0
157 – #3 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) dec. #8 Joey Blaze (Purdue), 4-2
165 – #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) dec. #3 Michael Caliendo (Iowa), 8-2
174 – #3 Dean Hamiti (Oklahoma State) dec. #1 Keegan O’Toole (Missouri), 4-1 SV1
197 – #2 Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) dec. #4 Josh Barr (Penn State), 5-2
285 – #2 Wyatt Hendrickson (Oklahoma State) dec. #1 Gable Steveson (Minnesota) 5-4

TEAM STANDINGS – TOP 10
1. Penn State, 177.0
2. Nebraska, 117.0
3. Oklahoma State, 102.5
4. Iowa, 81.0
5. Minnesota, 51.5
5. Ohio State, 51.5
7. Cornell, 50.0
8. NC State, 46.5
9. Northern Iowa, 45.5
10. Illinois, 44.5