Luke completed his perfect season in decisive fashion, using three takedowns to secure an 8-4 decision over Central Michigan's seventh-seeded Mike Miller in the championship bout to improve to 32-0. The Wolverine captain wraps his collegiate career with a career mark of 113-24 and becomes the 14th different U-M wrestler to capture an NCAA individual title, upping the Michigan program's total to 20 trophies.
The Wolverine captain, who held the nation's No. 1 ranking at 174 pounds for the entirety of the season, struck quickly, converting on a low blast double off an early restart to gain control. When Luke tried for a suck back moments later, Miller used a switch to wrap up his leg but could not bring it in, settling for an escape as Luke stalemated the position. Luke shot in on another double, wrapped up the single leg and finished double on the mat to pad his lead and add to his riding-time advantage. Miller escaped late in the frame and again early in the second, but not before Luke pushed his time advantage over a minute. The Central Michigan wrestler went on the offensive midway through the period, taking a weak single shot, which Luke countered, came around and limp-armed out to score again. A quick Luke escape provided the only points in the third before the Wolverine used his 1:14 riding-time advantage to tack on another at match's end.
Todd posted a 1-1 mark on the day to claim fourth place in his final appearance at the NCAA event, falling 11-4 to Maryland's Hudson Taylor in the placing bout. Todd scored on a single leg early in the second to keep the bout close midway through, but the Terp wrestler scored on four takedowns of his own, including one in the waning moments to ice the match.
Todd used a big second period to rally back to an 8-3 decision over Boise State's third-seeded Brent Chriswell in the consolation semifinals. Chriswell gained the initial lead when both wrestlers attempted throws out of a lockup early in the first; the Bronco won the position, dumping Todd to the mat. The Wolverine captain evened the score with a pair of escapes and, soon after squaring off after the second, shot in on a single leg to get Chriswell's leg up high. Todd dumped him to the mat but did not get the call as the two quickly went back to their feet and locked up chest to chest. It was Todd who scored off the position the second time around, using an inside trip to take Chriswell to his back for five points. The Wolverine rode out the period and was in control long enough in the third to net his 1:01 in time advantage and add another point at match's end.
Russell wrapped up his weekend with a solid win over a familiar opponent, rallying from an early deficit to knock off Penn State's Frank Molinaro, 7-4, for seventh place. Molinaro got in on Russell's legs with several double legs and converted his second shot early in the first to take the initial lead. Russell tried to kick out, but Molinaro lifted his leg high and took him back to the mat, where the Wolverine wrestler scrambled to put him to his back. After a brief referee conference, Russell was awarded two points for the reversal and two for the near fall, giving him a two-point edge after the opening period. The wrestlers continued to flurry in the final two periods with both striking deep on scoring opportunities, but only Russell added offensive points, sprawling hard on a Molinaro double shot before turning the corner and converting the takedown on the edge of the mat to seal up the decision.
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