The annual award, now in its second year, is a product of Amateur Wrestling News' ongoing feature where the magazine's staff lists the nation's top ten wrestlers each issue, regardless of weight or collegiate division. As the magazine's press release stated, "The concept isn't new -- boxing's premier spotlight Ring Magazine has been doing it for decades."
Dieringer won his third title at the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in New York just last weekend, joining an exclusive club of only 15 other Cowboy wrestlers with a trio of titles in the 86-year history of the NCAA championships. The product of Port Washington, Wisconsin wrapped up his career with a 133-4 overall record for a 97 winning percentage, on top of an 82-match win streak. Dieringer has held the No. 1 ranking in all national polls at 165 pounds for the 2015-16, and has occupied AWN's Pound For Pound top slot the entire season.
Isaiah Martinez, back-to-back NCAA 157-pound champ for Illinois, was runner-up in the Pound for Pound contest, while J'den Cox, twice titlist for Missouri at 197, placed third. Other wrestlers included in the AWN feature throughout the 2015-16 season include Nick Gwiazdowski of N.C. State; Cody Brewer of Oklahoma; Ohio State's Nathan Tomasello, Bo Jordan and Kyle Snyder; Gabe Dean, Nahshon Garrett, and Brian Realbuto of Cornell; Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern; Penn State's Morgan McIntosh, Zain Retherford, and Jason Nolf; and Dean Heil of Oklahoma State. Joey Davis, Notre Dame College standout who won his fourth NCAA title this month and was never defeated, was the only Division II wrestler included in this feature.
Instead of being presented with a trophy or plaque, Dieringer will receive The Hammer, symbolic for the idea behind the Pound for Pound award, according to Amateur Wrestling News.
Dieringer is the second collegiate wrestler to receive the Pound for Pound award. Last year's award was presented to four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber of Ohio State.
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