Fix Makes History as OSU’s First Five-Time All-American, Qualifies for Fourth NCAA Final

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Along the walls of Oklahoma State’s locker room there are name plates.

The plates represent All-Americans. They’re done in different colors depending on how many times that wrestler has earned All-America status. But soon there will be a new name plate in a new color — one that will be unique from the others unless there is another event that allows athletes an extra year of eligibility. It’ll be that way because Daton Fix on Friday became the first five-time All-American in Oklahoma State’s illustrious wrestling history.

“It’s an honor,” Fix said. “I came to Oklahoma State to make history, and that’s history. I’m just grateful — grateful for Oklahoma State. I love being a Cowboy. I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else.”

Fix’s two Friday matches looked fairly cut and dry on paper, but they were anything but.

He started the day with Iowa State’s Evan Frost. The two had met twice previously this season. The first time, Fix beat Frost via an 11-3 major decision. The two then met in the Big 12 final, where Fix won 8-5, giving up a late takedown because he was pushing for bonus points.

But the pair went into tiebreakers Friday after a bout that saw Fix get in on a leg a handful of times, but Frost fended Fix off each time. Fix escaped just three seconds into the tiebreaker, forcing Frost to start the second in neutral position because he wasn’t going to be able to get up as quickly. Fix fended off Frost and advanced to the semis.

But that was nothing compared to Fix’s semi.

Fix faced Michigan’s Dylan Ragusin in the semis. The two met in a dual last season, where Fix pinned Ragusin in 2:25.

Well, Friday’s match was a series of challenge bricks and reviews. The match also went into tiebreakers. One almost needed a PhD in wrestling to understand how the match played out, but in the end, a locked hands call on Ragusin in the final tiebreaker period ended up being the difference.

Fix went 2-0 on the day without scoring a takedown, beating Frost 2-1 and Ragusin 3-2.

Going 4-0 thus far at this year’s NCAA Wrestling Championships, Fix has qualified for his fourth NCAA final at 133 pounds. He is 0-3 in those matches to this point, and his fourth bite at the apple comes against Cornell’s Vito Arujau, who beat Fix in the semifinals last season.

To add to the chips being stacked against Fix in Saturday’s final, Arujau won gold at the World Championships in September in Serbia.

“Defending world champion, I’m looking forward to it,” Fix said. “Obviously it didn’t go my way last time, and I’ve been thinking about it for a whole year now. I wanted to get that match back, and what better stage to do it on than the one on Saturday night?”