PITTSBURGH – History was made for Rutgers wrestling, as New Jersey natives Nick Suriano (133) and Anthony Ashnault (149) both secured the program's first individual titles at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Saturday evening at PPG Paints Arena. With 51.5 points, the Scarlet Knights placed ninth in the team standings, their first ever top-10 team finish at the national tournament.

Suriano downed No. 1 seed Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) in a wild overtime match to claim the 133-pound title, while Ashnault defeated No. 2 seed Micah Jordan (Ohio State) to earn the 149-pound individual crown. Suriano rallied for a 4-2 triumph in the second sudden-victory period. Ashnault earned a 9-4 win to complete an undefeated season.

RU was one of just two programs to have multiple individual champions this season, as head coach Scott Goodale was named the Division I National Tournament Coach of the Year. 

"What an unbelievable accomplishment for both Nick and Anthony as well as this program," Goodale said. "Those two showed that titles can be won right here at Rutgers. This state produces some of the top talent in the country, and tonight solidifies those guys can succeed without going too far from home."

"This is an historic night for Rutgers University," said Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs, who was in attendance to watch Ashnault and Suriano win their titles. "I cannot be happier for Nick and Anthony. It's a tremendous accomplishment. We're going to keep this going and keep building. Tonight, we started to show people where Rutgers is going to be moving forward."

Suriano took the mat first for Rutgers, and once again battled in a low-scoring matchup against Fix. After a scoreless first period, both registered escapes in the following two periods to force overtime. No scoring occurred in the first sudden victory, and Suriano was hit for a stall point in the first rideout to hand Fix a 2-1 lead. Suriano then escaped in the closing moments of the second tiebreaker to force a second sudden victory, where he earned the clinching takedown for the 4-2 final.

 

The win over Fix completed a revenge tour of sorts for Suriano, who avenged all three of his regular-season losses during the postseason. Suriano downed Austin DeSanto (Iowa) at the Big Ten Conference Championships earlier this month and defeated Stephan Micic (Michigan) and Fix this weekend en route to his title. 

"I am blessed," Suriano said. "It's an honor to bring history to Rutgers where it belongs. It's an honor and a blessing. I heard Goodale yell, and it made me so happy, man. Honestly, when I heard Coach Goodale yell and cheer me on, it was a dream."

For the third time this season, Ashnault faced Jordan, as his foe took an early 1-0 lead after the first period when Ashnault was hit with hands to the face. But Ashnault was never deterred. The four-time All-American landed a takedown at the 1:43 mark in the second period and rode out Jordan heading into period three. Ashnault then hit a four-point move on a takedown and two near fall, and tacked on the riding time for the 9-4 final.

"It's everything that I've worked for up to this point," Ashnault said. "I try not to idolize wrestling, but a big part of my life was focused on getting a national title. I was extremely blessed to get a sixth year, and I just want to go hug my family and be with them and just bask in it for a little bit."

Championship Notes

• After taking the mat first, Suriano takes the distinction of being the program's first national champion. Ashnault will be the second.
• Rutgers has now had finalist in each of the last two seasons, as Suriano appeared in the 2018 national final at 125 pounds.
• Rutgers finished with multiple All-Americans for the fourth consecutive season. In total, five Scarlet Knights have accounted for 10 All-America accolades under Goodale's watch.
• Ashnault closed out his career with 123 wins, the most all-time.
• The last Rutgers student-athlete to earn an NCAA Championship before tonight was fencing's Alexis Jemal (sabre). She won the title 16 years ago to the day on March 23, 2003.
• The last male Rutgers student-athlete to earn an NCAA Championship before tonight was track & field's Elliott Quow in the outdoor 200m in 1983.
• Rutgers had two national champions in same sport once before. Fencers Alex Treves (sabre) and Ralph Tedeschi (foil) both earned titles in 1949.

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