2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships: Dean Heil wins 141-pound national title

Oklahoma State's Dean Heil defeated Big 12 foe Bryce Meredith by 3-2 decision to win the 141-pound NCAA title on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Heil, a redshirt sophomore, finishes the season 35-1, including two wins over Meredith. Heil went a perfect 5-0 at the NCAA Championships to become Oklahoma State's 140th individual national champion.

Heil scored a first-period takedown and gave up an escape to hold a 2-1 lead after the first. He escaped in the first 15 seconds in the second and fought off a wild scramble by Meredith for a 3-1 lead going into the final period. Meredith continued to push the pace forcing a stall call, but the Wyoming wrestler was also warned for pushing the action out of bounds.

The OSU wrestler previously beat Meredith, 5-4, in the December dual, but the two did not wrestle at the Big 12 Championships. Heil won his second conference title, and Meredith took third.