PHILADELPHIA, PA • Dean Hamiti, after two All-American finishes as a freshman and a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin, sixth both times, and a Blood Round loss and exit last season as a junior, he decided to transfer, and he chose Oklahoma State University where new head coach David Taylor was looking to put together something special. Hamiti, along with a few transfers and a solid core of wrestlers already in place, have now done just that.
Throughout his tournament, Hamiti had been impressive. He opened his tournament as the three seed with a technical fall, a 15-3 major decision, an 8-6 decision in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals, he downed Penn State’s Levi Haines, the two seed, 4-2. In this, Hamiti had shown what many already knew: he was talented, could score points from all positions, and he could win the close matches. But now, for his title bout, he would have to be able to string it all together and be nearly perfect if he was going to take down two-time defending national champion and currently undefeated Keegan O’Toole of Missouri.
