Austin O'Connor calls second wrestling national title 'more special' than first for North Carolina

Austin O’Connor retooled in 2022-23 to go after his second national title for North Carolina Wrestling. It worked.

O’Connor defeated Penn State’s Levi Haines in the 157-pound final 6-2 to cap off an undefeated senior season. He established himself as one of the greatest wrestlers in Tar Heels history.

The first title in 2021 amid a lot of uncertainty in a shortened season was great, but No. 2 topped it, according to O’Connor.

“It’s very special,” O’Connor said. “Honestly, it might be more special than my first one. Obviously, it was a long journey, battling back after an injury last year. I just got — my determination, it was (like) no other and I was ready to get here. And I did.”

O’Connor won it all at 149 pounds in 2021 and bumped up a weight last year. But injuries derailed his NCAA Tournament as he finished in 8th place, just getting to All-American status.

“Yeah, it was a long road,” O’Connor said. “I got to the top of the podium at 49. And I went up a weight the following year. I know people doubted me. I had a rough bump in the road right off the bat against Payton Rahm (phonetic), and all of a sudden everybody is like, ah, he’s not as good as he was up a weight.

“There’s always going to be someone saying something. I wanted to prove them wrong. I started wrestling hard and I was getting to where I needed to be for the national championship. And I got set back again by an injury. And that just upped my determination. As soon as the offseason hit I got on the ground running, and I got in with my trainers, had the surgery the following week after nationals. And every day since the last tournament ended I was ready to start grinding to get me to where I am today.”

O’Connor finished his career 116-10 over the course of five varsity seasons. He was a five-time All-American and two-time national champion in a Tar Heels’ singlet.

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“I set out to North Carolina to be as great as I could be,” O’Connor said. “I know I had all the resources. I knew I was setting myself up with the right coaches. Some kids pick the best college — they want to pick these big schools, like a school like Penn State. And I wanted to go to be a part of something that we’re starting up.

“Coleman Scott, a great coach, took over that program the year before I got there. And me and him had the same goal in mind. We wanted to be the best university. And to get there we needed to start building and to be a two-time national champ for that university is something very special.”