Why was Oklahoma State wrestler Daton Fix a villain to fans at NCAA Championships?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One of the most likable faces of Oklahoma State wrestling became a hated man in T-Mobile Center last weekend.

It was an odd turn for Daton Fix, who seemed to do nothing to deserve such treatment at the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

It started during his quarterfinal match against Iowa State’s Evan Frost, when Cyclone fans unleashed their dislike on Fix. Iowa fans joined in, too. In later rounds, Michigan and Cornell fans let their boos be heard, and plenty of unattached spectators entered the fray, pitting Fix as their villain.

It peaked during his loss to Cornell’s Vito Arujau in the 133-pound championship match. Fix was on the receiving end of a pair of headbutts that left him bleeding, yet when the match was halted for blood time, fans disapproved.

“People didn’t believe that I was actually bleeding, if you would’ve heard ‘em,” Fix said after his match Saturday night with roughly eight stitches holding together the large gash over his swollen and bruised right eye. “I’m just praying for them. It’s not a fun life when you’re living with a bunch of hate in your heart.”

Fix finished his career as OSU’s first and only five-time All-American, and as the NCAA’s first four-time national runner-up.

Why did he become the fixation of wrestling fans’ ire in KC? Maybe it’s his age or maybe it’s his wrestling style, but no obvious answer existed.

“I don’t know, they don’t like that I’m old,” said Fix, who is a seventh-year senior thanks to a traditional redshirt year, an Olympic redshirt and an additional year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “But the guy I was wrestling graduated (high school) the same year.

“They think I’m stalling, but in the quarterfinals, I was on the guy’s leg 10 times. In the semifinals, I was in on the guy with more shots than he was in on me.”

After an emotional loss, Fix maintained perspective on the fans’ opinion of him.

“I’m a person, just like everybody else,” Fix said. “Some people need to realize that athletes, they’re people, too. We put a lot on the line every time we step out there. It takes a lot to step out there, a lot of vulnerability. It’s just me out there and there’s thousands of people in the stands.

“It is what it is. I’m just grateful that I’m here and I get to wrestle. The sun’s gonna come up tomorrow, and I’m just gonna thank God for it and get back to work.”

On the wrestling side of things, replacing Fix will be perhaps the biggest offseason challenge OSU coach John Smith faces. The Cowboys also lose 165-pound All-American Izzak Olejnik, but return a strong core of wrestlers who got valuable experience in their first NCAA Championships.

From OSU's resurgence to OU's rebuild to Central Oklahoma's repeat, it was a good season for college wrestling in the state. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:

Cowboys show promise for future

This season seemed to breathe new life into the Cowboy program. While the 10th-place finish at NCAAs wasn’t as high as they might’ve been capable of, it was a significant jump from last year, and this team proved it could compete with just about anybody in a dual setting.

With five first-year starters in the lineup and three veterans expected to return, the program appears to still be on the upswing. The recruiting classes of the last couple years have built depth that could help to fill some voids and push returning starters.

Dustin Plott has already said he plans to return for his super-senior year, and fellow senior Luke Surber could do the same after a season that was derailed by multiple injuries.

The young starters showed reason for excitement and some backups are itching for their opportunity to get in the lineup.

“Guys are gonna get better. The future looks bright,” Smith said. “We had half our team hadn’t been here before. I think the experience of being in it will make a difference. The quality of guys we got coming in, I think, is gonna give us a real opportunity.

“Oklahoma State wrestling is in a good place right now. We’re a little disappointed that we didn’t squeeze in a little higher than we did. Needed a couple wins and didn’t get ‘em, but that’s fine. These guys want to get better and that’s the good thing.”

Sooners grow in Kish’s first year

Though the Sooners dipped out of the team rankings late in the dual season, their postseason performance was solid, including a couple of unexpected berths in the NCAAs.

Stephen Buchanan came back from a year off and outperformed his No. 8 seeding at 197 to take third place, and 11th-seeded Josh Heindselman came up one win short of a top-eight finish at heavyweight.

Sure, the Sooners would have preferred to send more than five wrestlers to the national tournament. But the season was more about laying the foundation of what first-year coach Roger Kish wants his program to become. Much of that involved re-establishing the program with the fanbase, and that seemed to get off to a good start.

“I’ve been really grateful for our team and our administration and the community,” Kish said. “We’ve had a significant amount of buy-in from everybody and the level of support we’ve had has been incredible. Really proud of where we’re at today, with the idea that we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re not at all satisfied with having one All-American and a couple guys competing (at NCAAs).”

Bronchos go back-to-back

For the 17th time in its history, Central Oklahoma won a wrestling national championship.

The top-ranked Bronchos scored 110 points at the NCAA Division II Championships and sealed the title before the finals matches even began. Lander finished second with 86.5 points.

UCO had two individual champions as well, with Gabe Johnson at 157 pounds and Shawn Streck at heavyweight. And five other Bronchos finished sixth or better.

“We've preached consistency in everything we do and it showed up this weekend,” coach Todd Steidley said. “Every day we strive to get better and improve and I feel like we’ve done that.

“Our fans have been incredible, our guys have been incredible and our administration did an amazing job setting everything up. I'm really, really proud of our program and proud of our team and our community and our fans.”