Winton Woods grad, Mount St. Joseph wrestler Cornell Beachem wins wrestling national title
As the final seconds ticked away in the 174-pound final of the NCAA Division III wrestling championship, Mount St. Joseph's Cornell Beachem Jr. back-flipped on the way to grabbing his daughter. Beachem took her to the center of the mat, raising her in the air as a national champion.
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Beachem entered the national tournament as the top wrestler in the weight class, with an undefeated record to his name. Beachem met Johnson & Wales University's Michael Ross, the tournament's No. 3 seed, in the national finals.
Beachem led Ross just 1-0 after the second period, but jumped out quickly in the third period, taking a 5-0 lead before winning the match 5-1.
Beachem opened the tournament with a pin in just 50 seconds then took a 6-3 decision to reach the national semifinals. Against No. 5 Solomon Nielsen of Augsburg University, Beachem fought to a 10-8 decision to reach the finals.
The victory made Beachem the first national champion in Mount St. Joseph's history. Teammate Antonio McCloud also reached the national tournament.
McCloud won his first match, but then dropped two decisions to be eliminated from the 184-pound bracket.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: MSJ's Cornell Beachem wins Division III national championship
