Kyle Dake at Cornell
Four years. Four weight classes. Four NCAA Championships. The most historic college wrestling career ever.
Cornell Career Statistics
Why Kyle Chose Cornell
Despite receiving offers from wrestling powerhouses across the country, Kyle Dake made the decision to stay close to home and attend Cornell University in Ithaca, New York—just minutes from his hometown of Lansing.
Hometown University
Cornell was right in Kyle's backyard, allowing him to compete in front of family and friends while staying connected to his roots.
Academic Excellence
As an Ivy League institution, Cornell offered Kyle a world-class education to complement his athletic pursuits.
Coach Rob Koll
Under legendary coach Rob Koll's guidance, Kyle knew he could develop into a champion while pursuing his unprecedented goals.
The decision to attend Cornell proved to be the perfect fit. Kyle would go on to become the most successful wrestler in Cornell history and one of the greatest college wrestlers of all time.
Four Years, Four Weights, Four Titles
2010 • Freshman Year
141 pounds
Kyle burst onto the college wrestling scene as a freshman, winning Cornell's first NCAA Championship in 12 years. His 5-4 victory over Matt McDonough of Iowa in the NCAA Finals announced his arrival as a force to be reckoned with.
Key Achievement: First Cornell NCAA Champion since 1998 • Immediate impact as true freshman
2011 • Sophomore Year
149 pounds
Kyle's sophomore campaign was perfection. Moving up to 149 pounds, he went undefeated (36-0) and dominated the NCAA Finals with a 7-1 victory over Kellen Russell of Michigan—the same wrestler who had defeated him the year before. He was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA Championships.
Key Achievement: First undefeated season • Avenged only loss from freshman year • NCAA's Most Outstanding Wrestler
2012 • Junior Year
157 pounds
Moving up to 157 pounds, Kyle faced perhaps his toughest challenge yet in the NCAA Finals against David Taylor of Penn State. In what many consider one of the greatest NCAA Finals matches ever, Kyle won 5-4 to claim his third title at a third weight class. Taylor would go on to win two Olympic gold medals, making this victory even more impressive.
Key Achievement: Third title at third weight • Defeated future 2x Olympic gold medalist David Taylor
Read the complete Dake vs Taylor rivalry →2013 • Senior Year
165 pounds
In his senior year at 165 pounds, Kyle made history. His 5-1 victory over David Chamberlain of Boise Statein the NCAA Finals made him the ONLY wrestler in history to win NCAA Division I Championships at four different weight classes. He capped off his historic career by winning the Dan Hodge Trophy, wrestling's equivalent of the Heisman.
HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT: First and only wrestler to win NCAA titles at 141, 149, 157, AND 165 pounds
• Dan Hodge Trophy Winner • 4x NCAA Champion • 2x Most Outstanding Wrestler • 4x Academic All-American
Academic Excellence
More Than Just an Athlete
While dominating on the wrestling mat, Kyle excelled in the classroom, earning his Bachelor's Degree in Accountingfrom Cornell's prestigious Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.
He was named Academic All-American all four years, proving that elite athletic performance and academic success are not mutually exclusive. Kyle managed the demanding schedule of:
- •Rigorous Ivy League coursework
- •Multiple daily wrestling practices
- •Strength and conditioning training
- •Competition and travel schedules
- •Weight management and nutrition
After graduation, Kyle returned to Cornell to earn his Master's Degree in Sports Psychology (2022), furthering his education while continuing to compete at the international level.
Academic Honors
Dyson School, Cornell University (2013)
Honored all four years (2010-2013)
Cornell University (2022)
Multiple semesters
Kyle's Place in Cornell Wrestling History
Cornell University has a rich wrestling tradition dating back to 1907. The Big Red program has produced numerous All-Americans and national champions, but Kyle Dake stands alone as the program's most decorated wrestler.
Cornell Wrestling Records Held by Kyle Dake
- •Most NCAA Championships: 4 (only Cornell wrestler with multiple titles)
- •Highest Win Percentage: 97.2% (137-4)
- •Most Career Wins: 137
- •Only Hodge Trophy Winner: 2013
- •Most Academic All-American Honors: 4
Kyle's success helped elevate the entire Cornell wrestling program, inspiring future Big Red wrestlers and cementing Cornell's reputation as an Ivy League powerhouse in college wrestling.
Experience Kyle's Cornell Journey
Four For Four takes you inside Kyle's senior season at Cornell as he pursued the unprecedented goal of winning a fourth NCAA title at a fourth weight class.
See exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from Friedman Wrestling Center, interviews with Coach Rob Koll, and mat-side views of the dramatic NCAA Finals.
WATCH NOW - $9.99Stream on any device • Rent or Buy