Watching history being made right in front of your very eyes is incredible.
In seven minutes, Cornell senior wrestler Kyle Dake did exactly that, as he became the greatest wrestler in NCAA history on March 23.
Dake is not just the first wrestler to win four NCAA titles. He is the first to win them in four separate weight classes: 141, 149, 157 and finally 165 pounds.
His performance against the No. 2 seed, Penn State junior David Taylor, was a masterpiece.
Taylor took Dake down early, but Dake was never fazed.
Dake methodically reversed Taylor and rode him out with picturesque technique to cement himself in wrestling history.
Dake wasn’t the first four-time NCAA champion. Pat Smith of Oklahoma State did that in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994
He didn’t even have the best record. Iowa State’s Cael Sanderson went 159-0 from 1999 to 2002.
Dake did something even more impressive.
By winning at successively heavier weight classes, Dake proved that not only was he better than everyone in the country, but he also wasn’t afraid to move up in weight to prove it either.
In Des Moines on Saturday night, he definitely proved it.
Reach the columnist at ejsmith7@asu.edu
