NCAA Wrestling Tournament 2023: Austin O'Connor wins second national title for North Carolina

North Carolina’s Austin O’Connor won his second national title for the Tar Heels in convincing fashion Saturday night.

The Tar Heel last won in 2021 at 149 pounds but looked pretty dominant to cap off an undefeated season in 2022-23. He defeated Penn State’s Levi Haines 6-2.

Here’s how it all went down.

In the first period, both wrestlers went through a feeling out process. Neither guy could find an opening for a shot. After three minutes, it was 0-0.

Haines chose down to start the second period and fought to get out within the first 45 seconds with a couple of dangerous positions near his back. During a roll, Haines got caught near his back and O’Connor scored two nearfall points initially, but it was challenged by the Penn State corner.

After review, there were no nearfall points and it remained 0-0. O’Connor managed to ride out the remainder of the period and get two minutes of riding time.

To start the third period, O’Connor got out immediately to take a 1-0 lead. On a re-attack about 30 seconds in, O’Connor scored a takedown to go up 3-0. Haines would escape.

But it wouldn;t be long before O’Connor immediately got another takedown to go up 5-1. Haines got out with less than a minute to go to cut it 5-2.

The Tar Heel held on for the win and added riding time.

More on the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships

The 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships were held March 16-18 at the BOK Center in Tulsa (Okla). The tournament consists of 330 wrestlers in total across 10 weight classes. Each weight class features wrestlers seeded No. 1 through No. 33.

Over the course of the three-day tournament, wrestlers can achieve national champion status by going 5-0 in their bracket, through Saturday night’s finals. The top eight placewinners in each bracket are considered All-Americans.

Losing one match does not eliminate a wrestler from competition. The consolation bracket is designed to determine the remaining spots on the podium (third through eighth place).

Since there are 33 wrestlers in each weight, the competitors seeded No. 32 and 33 compete in a “pigtail bout” prior to the first round to determine who matches up against the No. 1 seed in Round 1.

Losing the pigtail drops the wrestler to the consolation bracket where there is still an opportunity to finish as high as third place in the weight class.

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The 2024 NCAA Wrestling Tournament is set to take place in Kansas City (Mo.).