Oklahoma State’s Alex Dieringer, Daton Fix win 2019 U.S. Open freestyle titles

Oklahoma State alum Alex Dieringer and rising redshirt sophomore Daton Fix won their respective weight classes in the men’s senior division in freestyle at the U.S. Open on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Dieringer scored a 11-0 technical fall in 1:10 against former Cowboy Chance Marsteller to claim the 79-kilogram crown. Dieringer outscored his five opponents at the tournament 53-0.

Fix, who was the NCAA runner up at 125 pounds in March, fended off a rally from World silver medalist Thomas Gilman at 57 kilograms. Up 2-0 on two step outs at the break, Fix took a 4-1 lead after a roll but Gilman took the lead on criteria after a takedown and a failed challenge from Fix’s corner.

Gilman took Fix down at the boundary line, but Fix’s left knee appeared to hit Gilman’s right leg as they went out of bounds. After a review, the call stood and Gilman led 4-4 on criteria. Fix then scored a takedown with 20 seconds remaining and added another at the buzzer.

Fix punched his ticket to Final X: Lincoln on June 15. Final X is the top freestyle best-of-three series event to earn a spot on the U.S. senior world team and the opportunity to compete at this year’s World Championships from Sept. 11-22 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Fix will face the 57kg World Team Trails winner, which will be decided May 16-19 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Reigning World champion Kyle Dake has accepted his automatic bid to Final X: Lincoln, so Dieringer will await his opponent in the World Team Trails final to compete for a spot at Final X: Lincoln against Dake.

OSU placers at U.S. Open

Former Cowboys Jordan Oliver (6th/65kg) and Derek White (4th/125kg) claimed spots at for WTT with top-seven finishes.

Anthony Collica (70kg) fell one spot short with an eighth-place finish.