Freshman Ohio State wrestler Sammy Sasso was named InterMat’s Freshman of the Year Thursday. Sasso came to Columbus with big expectations heaped on his shoulders as one of the most sought after recruits in the country, and he didn’t disappoint.
He finished the year with a 24-3 record, including an exhilarating win over the No. 1 nationally-ranked wrestler in the 149 lb. weight class, Pat Lugo. That result came during a dual-meet against Iowa back on March 8. That win propelled him to the No. 1 ranking in the weight class himself before Lugo got a little revenge during the Big Ten Championships. Sasso finished the Big Ten dual-meet season an undefeated 9-0.
He had qualified for the NCAA Tournament, but that of course was canceled because of the measures to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Get some, Sammy! https://t.co/sKwDPsAGlF
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) March 26, 2020
The voting was pretty close. Sasso received four out of ten first-place votes to edge out Shane Griffith of Stanford who notched three first-place votes.
Sasso, known for his scrambling ability and defense, routinely frustrated opponents this year with his ability to worm and work his way out of trouble. He outlasted his opponents by taking advantage of his scoring opportunities, all while limiting the opposition’s scoring chances.
Congrats to Sasso. Being only a freshman, he should be worth the price of admission the next three years.
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