Ohio State prides itself on being a well-rounded athletic department. The Buckeyes are able to win national championships in multiple different sports because of the resources they have. It's not just football that is able to bring home the ultimate prize.
The Ohio State wrestling program has really come into its own under coach Tom Ryan. He has produced a lot of really good wrestlers. Kyle Snyder was the gold standard. He won three Big Ten Championship and three national titles, as well as an Olympic gold medal.
There hasn't been a multi-national title-winning wrestler at Ohio State since Snyder left in 2018. That has now changed because of Jesse Mendez. He won a national championship over the weekend, becoming the first multi-time national champion since Snyder.
Ohio State wrestler Jesse Mendez wins his second national championship
Mendez won his second national title as a 141-pound wrestler. He took down the top-seeded wrestler in the national championship match, Brock Hardy from Nebraska. He now becomes the latest wrestler to win a national title for Ryan as he continues to build a powerhouse program.
Ohio State is becoming the go-to program for wrestlers in the country. Iowa was the powerhouse wrestling program for a long time, but the Ohio State Buckeyes have started to change that. They have been able to take that crown from them in the last decade or so.
Mendez has worked hard to win two straight national championships. He has a shot to win three straight next year because he is just a junior. He can match Snyder's national championship total with the Buckeyes if he is able to win it again next year.
The Buckeyes are proud of what Mendez has been able to do. Ryan has done a great job recruiting and developing talent for his program, too.