Former Cornell University wrestling star and Lansing-native Kyle Dake spoke at the Lansing Town Hall, in conjunction with the Lansing Community Library on Saturday, March 10, to speak to the public about his successes, travels, and share his stories throughout his wrestling career.
Dake, most famous for being the first and only NCAA wrestler to win four national championships in four different weight classes (141, 149, 157 and 165), no other wrestler had previously won NCAA titles in more than two weight classes. With his four national championships with the Big Red, he also became the third wrestler in history to win four Division I national titles – Ohio State’s Logan Stieber went on to join the prestigious club shortly after Dake’s collegiate career. Dake won the 2013 Dan Hodge Trophy – the wrestling equivalent of the Heisman in college football – and was named Sports Illustrated’s collegiate male athlete of the year.
The Lansing product also brought home two New York State wrestling titles with the Bobcats and was a finalist in three other finals, accolades that eventually brought Dake to Cornell under the coaching of Rob Koll…