Completed Event: Wrestling versus NCAA Championship on March 20, 2025 , , NTS
/
Final
Wrestling
vs NCAA Championship
Saturday, March 21
St. Louis, Mo.
11 a.m.
Duke University
at
NCAA Tournament Finals
Dudziak Earns NCAA Runner-Up Honors
3/22/2009 2:00:00 AM | Wrestling
ST. LOUIS?After marching his way to the national title match, Duke University junior Konrad Dudziak lost a heart-breaking 3-2 triple overtime decision to second-seeded Mark Ellis of Missouri in the NCAA Wrestling Championship this evening at the Scottrade Center. The fifth-seeded Dudziak is the first Duke wrestler to advance to the finals and the first individual to earn All-America honors in Blue Devil history.
Dudziak and Ellis battled to a 0-0 draw after the opening three minutes. The pair fought hard and tried to make a move, but neither was able to get on the scoreboard.
Coming into the second period, Ellis chose bottom to start. Dudziak appeared as if he was ready to put Ellis on his back before a blood timeout was called. Dudziak built up 41 seconds of riding time up to that point, as one minute of riding time in the end equals a point.
Ellis came back after the blood timeout and earned a point for an escape and the 1-0 lead after five minutes of wrestling.
Sporting 1:05 in riding time, Dudziak looked to get out of Ellis' grasp early in the third. Dudziak chose bottom to start the third session and Ellis was able to erase the important six seconds from the Blue Devil heavyweight's riding time.
The Bayonne, N.J. native earned the escape midway through the third period to tie the score at one apiece. The final minute of the match was filled with heart-stopping action as Dudziak got in low on Ellis. A scramble ensued but no points were awarded to Dudziak as time expired and the pair headed to sudden victory overtime.
In the first overtime session, Ellis got an early shot, but Dudziak defended well and tried to come around to get the takedown as the clock runs out.
After a one-minute sudden victory session, Ellis and Dudziak headed into two 30-second overtime periods. Both wrestlers were warned for stalling before another scramble. Looking like Dudziak could have earned a point, time expired with the match still tied 1-1.
The third overtime period was a thrilling one as it appeared Dudziak might have Ellis. The Missouri Tiger wrestler held on and fought back with a reversal for the 3-1 lead with 10 seconds left. Dudziak earned an escape, but it was not enough as Ellis captured the 2009 NCAA heavyweight title.
Dudziak's path to the heavyweight championship match included wins over top-ranked David Zabriskie of Iowa State in the semifinals and No. 3 Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals.
The Duke redshirt junior closes out his season with a 31-3 record. His 31 victories are tied for eighth all-time in Duke single-season history. He is now 61-16 for his career for a .792 win percentage, which is fifth all-time among Duke wrestlers.
The Blue Devils finished 35th overall with 17 points. Iowa took home the title for the second consecutive season with 96.5 points.
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Players Mentioned
PLAYER
/ WrestlingConnor Barket Post ACC Championship
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Duke Athletics: A Tour of Campus
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Welcome to Duke
Saturday, October 19
