At Last! Nick Suriano, Anthony Ashnault are National Champions

It finally happened.

National Champion and Rutgers are in the same sentence.

Nick Suriano captured the first title in program history with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Oklahoma State’s Daton Fix in the second sudden victory period.

Anthony Ashnault followed it up with a 9-4 victory over Ohio State’s Micah Jordan to clinch his first title and give Rutgers their second champion of the night.

Match Results

133: No. 3 Nick Suriano - Rutgers vs. No. 1 Daton Fix - Oklahoma State

Result: Suriano by Decision 4-2 (SV2)

-Oh. My. God.

What a match. Suriano was relentless in his attacks, emphatic in his escape send it to sudden victory two and then the final takedown to seal it. Are you not entertained?!

149: No. 1 Anthony Ashnault - Rutgers vs. No. 2 Micah Jordan - Ohio State

Result: No. 1 Anthony Ashnault - Rutgers vs. No. 2 Micah Jordan - Ohio State

-Wow. There’s two of them.

Two national champions. Ashnault overcame an early penalty point and rolled to a 9-4 victory and defeated Jordan for the third time this season.

How it Happened: Suriano

After being tied 1-1 after the third, with stall warnings aplenty, Suriano and Fix did not score in the first sudden victory and that’s where the deja vu was coming in. The first set of tiebreakers started with Suriano riding out Fix for a full 30 seconds but he was hit for stalling at the end of that period. Scott Goodale threw out the challenge brick but it was not overturned.

The second thirty seconds was even more of a blast. Suriano got caught in the double boots from Fix and was almost ridden out. He gave everything he had and earned the escape for send it to the second sudden victory. From there, Suriano was relentless, earned the takedown and captured that elusive National Title. He then stood in the center of the mat reminiscent of “Gladiator.”

How it Happened: Ashnault

Ashnault overcame a 1-0 deficit after he was penalized for hands to the face. From there, he earned a takedown and near-fall points to go up 4-1 and it was all Shnaulty from there.

Ashnault winning was the icing on the cake, but it was the culmination of a historic career. A four time All-American, three time Big Ten Champion, and now 2019 National Champion. There isn’t much to say other than the greatest athlete in the history of Rutgers University is walking off into the sunset.

For a recap on post-match reactions, click here.