There are five, four-time Division I NCAA champions with Penn State’s Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks a title away from adding their names to the list this year. 

Each four-time champ had a perfect record at the NCAA championships, of course, but each had a path that was uniquely his. 

Oklahoma State's Pat Smith had the pressure of becoming the first, and he won his third title over Iowa's Tom Ryan with a late takedown in the finals. He used a stellar takedown game and a tough ride to make history.

Iowa State's Cael Sanderson became the first and only undefeated four-time NCAA champion by going 159-0 for his career. He dominated his opponents with a relentless pace and boatloads of offense. 

Cornell's Kyle Dake won four NCAA titles at four different weights. No other college wrestler has won a title at more than two different weights. Dake used impeccable defense and was nearly impossible to score on. 

Ohio State's Logan Stieber had just as many falls and tech falls as Sanderson with his unrelenting ride and turns from the top.

Cornell's Yianni Diakomihalis won 17 of his 20 NCAA tournament matches by decision and is the only four-timer to win a Senior World medal in college.

The 2024 NCAA Championships could mark the first time two wrestlers from the same school win their fourth title at the same tournament. Below are the NCAA tournament match results for each wrestler. 

Pat Smith (Oklahoma State)

1990 NCAA Championships, 158 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Pete Welch, North Carolina, 19-7
R16: Michael Murray, Virginia Military, Fall 4:42
Quarters: Chauncy Wynn, Morgan State, 16-6
Semis: Dan Russell, Portland State, 16-7
Finals: Scott Schleicher, Navy, 11-7

1991 NCAA Championships, 158 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Rod Fisher, Liberty, 16-10
R16: Brian Malavar, Cal State-Bakersfield, TF 17-2, 5:12
Quarters: Torrae Jackson, Iowa State, 16-5
Semis: Scott Hovan, Pittsburgh, 5-4
Finals: Tom Ryan, Iowa, 7-6

1992 NCAA Championships, 158 pounds, 1 seed
R64: T.C. Dantzler, Northern Illinois, TF 25-9 6:05
R32: Lou Cerchio, Seton Hall, Fall 4:51
R16: Darren Gustafson, Oregon 22-7 5:25
Quarters: Mike Schyck, Ohio State, 8-3
Semis: Scott Hovan, Pittsburgh, 13-2
Finals: Ray Miller, Arizona State, 3-1

1994 NCAA Championships, 158 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Jim Andrassy, Kent State, TF 23-8 6:41
R16: Jason Kraft, Nebraska, TF 26-10, 7:00
Quarters: Dan Alar, Oregon State, 14-3
Semis: Earl Walker, Boston, 6-2
Finals: Sean Bormet, Michigan, 5-3

NCAA tournament record: 21-0
Falls: 2
Tech Falls: 5
Majors: 6
Decisions: 8

Smith Notes:
— Smith is the only four-timer to compete in the same weight class all four years.
— Dan Russell, Smith’s semifinal opponent as a true freshman, was a four-time NCAA D2 champion for Portland State.
— Smith is the only four-timer to wrestle a pigtail match.
— Smith defeated three current D1 head coaches (Tom Ryan, Jim Andrassy, and Sean Bormet).
— Smith was part of two NCAA team titles (1990, 1994).

Cael Sanderson (Iowa State)

1999 NCAA Championships, 184 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Josh Didion, Cleveland State, Fall 4:46
R16: Nate Patrick, Illinois, 18-6
Quarters: Andy Hrovat, Michigan, Fall 4:24
Semis: Brad Vering, Nebraska, Fall 1:58
Finals: Brandon Eggum, Minnesota, 6-1

2000 NCAA Championships, 184 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Adam Schaaf, Millersville, Fall 3:51
R16: Dax Pecaro, North Carolina-Greensboro, TF 21-6 7:00
Quarters: Rob Rohn, Lehigh, TF 20-5 7:00
Semis: Brandon Eggum, Minnesota, 16-5
Finals: Vertus Jones, West Virginia, 19-6

2001 NCAA Championships, 184 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Kyle Hansen, Northern Iowa, TF 24-9 7:00
R16: Jeremy Wilson, Portland State, Fall 1:37
Quarters: Jessman Smith, Iowa, TF 21-6 6:16
Semis: Viktor Sveda, Indiana, 21-7
Finals: Daniel Cormier, Oklahoma State, 8-4

2002 NCAA Championships, 197 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Eric Mausser, Clarion, Fall 3:32
R16: Kyle Cerminara, Buffalo, Fall 6:33
Quarters: Jason Payne, Northern Iowa, TF 23-8 6:51
Semis: Nick Preston, Ohio State, 18-7
Finals: Jon Trenge, Lehigh, 12-4

NCAA tournament record: 20-0
Falls: 7
Tech Falls: 5
Majors: 6
Decisions: 2

Sanderson Notes:
— Sanderson won 18 of 20 matches by bonus points.
— Sanderson defeated three future World/Olympic teamers as a freshman (Hrovat, Vering, and Eggum).
— Vering (Greco, 2007) and Eggum (freestyle, 2001) were World silver medalists.
— Eggum replaced Sanderson at the 2001 World Championships and won a silver medal.
— Sanderson defeated three future World medalists (Vering, Eggum twice, and Cormier).
— Sanderson was named Outstanding Wrestler at all four NCAA Championships.
— Sanderson’s two decisions came in the finals.

Kyle Dake (Cornell)

2010 NCAA Championships, 141 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Todd Schavrien, Missouri, 4-1
R16: Elijah Nacita, Cal State-Bakersfield, Fall 3:48
Quarters: Levi Jones, Boise State, 11-0
Semis: Reece Humphrey, Ohio State, 3-2 TB
Finals: Montell Marion, Iowa, 7-3

2011 NCAA Championships, 149 pounds, 4 seed
R32: Donnie Corby, Central Michigan, 9-0
R16: Torsten Gillespie, Edinboro, 8-0
Quarters: Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State, 3-0
Semis: Ganbayar Sanjaa, American, 4-0
Finals: Frank Molinaro, Penn State, 8-1

2012 NCAA Championships, 157 pounds, 1 seed
R32: John Nicholson, Old Dominion, Fall 1:13
R16: Joshua Kreimier, Air Force, Fall 1:31
Quarters: Frank Hickman, Bloomsburg, Fall 4:10
Semis: Ganbayar Sanjaa, American, 4-0
Finals: Derek St. John, Iowa, 4-1

2013 NCAA Championships, 165 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Mark Martin, Ohio State, 3-0
R16: Ryan LeBlanc, Indiana, 11-0
Quarters: Nick Sulzer, Virginia, 13-0
Semis: Tyler Caldwell, Oklahoma State, 2-0
Finals: David Taylor, Penn State, 5-4

NCAA tournament record: 20-0
Falls: 4
Tech Falls: 0
Majors: 5
Decisions: 11

Dake Notes:
— Dake won four NCAA titles at four different weights.
— Dake surrendered zero points in 10 matches that lasted seven minutes.
— Dake only gave up 12 points in 16 matches that didn’t end by fall.
— Dake defeated three future World/Olympic teamers (Humphrey, Molinaro, and Taylor).
— Dake and Taylor have combined for eight World/Olympic gold medals and 11 medals since their 2013 finals match.
— Three of Dake's finals opponents were or became NCAA champions (Molinaro, St. John, Taylor).

Logan Stieber (Ohio State)

2012 NCAA Championships, 133 pounds, 2 seed
R32: Mason Beckman, Lehigh, Fall 5:52
R16: Jordan Thome, Army, Fall 1:19
Quarters: Chris Dardanes, Minnesota, 7-4
Semis: Tony Ramos, Iowa, 4-2
Finals: Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State, 4-3

2013 NCAA Championships, 133 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Brandon Gambucci, Duke, Fall 3:00
R16: Shelton Mack, Pittsburgh, Fall 2:40
Quarters: Cody Brewer, Oklahoma, 17-1 TF 3:43
Semis: Aaron Schopp, Edinboro, 18-2 TF 7:00
Finals: Tony Ramos, Iowa, 7-4

2014 NCAA Championships, 141 pounds, 2 seed
R32: Lavion Mayes, Missouri, Fall 2:48
R16: Anthony Collica, Oklahoma State, 17-1 TF 4:52
Quarters: Todd Preston, Harvard, Fall 1:29
Semis: Zain Retherford, Penn State, 7-3
Finals: Devin Carter, Virginia Tech, 10-1

2015 NCAA Championships, 141 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Jordan Laster, Princeton, 18-1 TF 3:33
R16: Mike Morales, West Virginia, Fall 2:10
Quarters: Anthony Abidin, Nebraska, 16-1 TF 5:31
Semis: Kevin Jack, NC State, 12-2
Finals: Mitchell Port, Edinboro, 11-5

NCAA tournament record: 20-0
Falls: 7
Tech Falls: 5
Majors: 2
Decisions: 6 

Stieber Notes:
— Stieber and Sanderson had the same amount of falls and tech falls over their four NCAA Championships.
— Stieber defeated four current or future NCAA champions (Oliver, Ramos, Brewer, Retherford).
— Stieber was part of an NCAA team championship in 2015.
— Stieber gave up two points or less during all five of his tech falls.
— Stieber was the first four-timer to win a Senior World title (2016)

Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell)

2018 NCAA Championships, 141 pounds, 3 seed
R32: Nick Zanetta, Pittsburgh, 10-1
R16: Nick Gil, Navy, 13-4
Quarters: Dean Heil, Oklahoma State, 6-5
Semis: Jaydin Eierman, Missouri, 6-4 SV-1
Finals: Bryce Meredith, Wyoming, 7-4

2019 NCAA Championships, 141 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Pete Lipari, Rutgers, 10-5
R16: Chad Red, Nebraska, 7-3
Quarters: Dom Demas, Oklahoma, 5-1
Semis: Jaydin Eierman, Missouri, 6-5
Finals: Joey McKenna, Ohio State, 6-4 SV-1

2022 NCAA Championships, 149 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Zach Sherman, North Carolina, 9-2
R16: Willie McDougald, Oklahoma, 11-5
Quarters: Max Murin, Iowa, 6-3
Semis: Sammy Sasso, Ohio State, 6-3
Finals: Ridge Lovett (Nebraska), 11-5

2023 NCAA Championships, 149 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Dom Demas, Cal Poly, 6-1
R16: Jackson Arrington, NC State, Fall 2:11
Quarters: Max Murin, Iowa, 8-7
Semis: Shayne Van Ness, Penn State, 8-3
Finals: Sammy Sasso, Ohio State, 4-2

NCAA tournament record: 20-0
Falls: 1
Tech Falls: 0
Majors: 2
Decisions: 17

Diakomihalis Notes:
— Diakomihalis and Dake (Cornell) are the first wrestlers from the same team to win four NCAA titles.
— Diakomihalis was the first four-timer to win a World medal while still in college (silver in 2022)
— Diakomihalis has the most decisions of any four-time champ (17)
— Diakomihalis won his second NCAA title in 2019 and his third in 2022, which represents the biggest gap between titles of any four-time champ
— Diakomihalis won his first two titles at 141 pounds and his second two at 149 pounds.
— On four occasions, Diakomihalis faced the same wrestler twice: Jaydin Eierman (2018/2019), Dom Demas (2019/2023), Sammy Sasso (2022/2023), Max Murin (2022/2023).

Carter Starocci (Penn State)

2021 NCAA Championships, 174 pounds, 3 seed

R32: Victor Marcelli, Virginia, 8-7
R16: Hayden Hastings, Wyoming, 8-2
Quarters: Andrew McNally, Kent State, 6-3
Semis: Demetrius Romero, Utah Valley, 2-0
Finals: Michael Kemerer, Iowa, 3-1 SV-1

2022 NCAA Championships, 174 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Connor O`Neill, Rutgers, Fall 6:39
R16: Adam Kemp, Cal Poly, 10-4
Quarters: Mikey Labriola, Nebraska, 6-1
Semis: Hayden Hidlay, NC State, 10-3
Finals: Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech, 5-5 TB-2 (RT)

2023 NCAA Championships, 174 pounds, 1 seed
R32: John Worthing, Clarion, Fall 1:21
R16:  Donnell Washington, Indiana, 4-0
Quarters: Bailee O`Reilly, Minnesota, 5-2
Semis: Chris Foca, Cornell, 6-0
Finals: Mikey Labriola, Nebraska, Fall 2:46

Aaron Brooks (Penn State)

2021 NCAA Championships, 184 pounds, 1 seed
R32: Jhaquan Anderson, Gardner Webb, TF 17-1 5:26
R16: Owen Webster, Minnesota, 5-0
Quarters: Taylor Venz, Nebraska, 9-4
Semis: Parker Keckeisen, Northern Iowa, 6-4
Finals: Trent Hidlay, NC State, 3-2

2022 NCAA Championships, 184 pounds, 2 seed
R32: AJ Burkhart, Lehigh, 21-7
R16: Hunter Bolen, Virginia Tech, 9-1
Quarters: Kaleb Romero, Ohio State, 13-2
Semis: Trent Hidlay, NC State, 6-4 SV-1
Finals: Myles Amine, Michigan, 5-3

2023 NCAA Championships, 184 pounds, 3 seed
R32: Matthew Waddell, Tennessee-Chattanooga, 13-4
R16: Will Feldkamp, Clarion, Fall 4:59
Quarters: Kaleb Romero, Ohio State, 4-1
Semis: Trent Hidlay, NC State, 6-3
Finals: Parker Keckeisen, Northern Iowa, 7-2