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Oklahoma State wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson saluted President Donald Trump after he completed his stunning upset at the NCAA championship on Saturday night.
Hendrickson, a former Air Force wrestler and current second lieutenant, shared the patriotic moment with the commander in chief — who sat mat-side — when he defeated Minnesota’s Gable Steveson 5-3 to clinch the Heavyweight title.
He rendered the salute as the packed crowd inside Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center chanted “USA, USA.”
Draped with an American flag, Hendrickson shook hands and shared a quick hug with the 47th president.
“He said he was very proud of me,” the 24-year-old said in his post-match interview with ESPN.
“He came here to support his troops, I put on a show for him, I wanted that national title,” the 24-year-old added.
The commander in chief arrived to a raucous crowd as he entered the arena.
He was accompanied by DOGE chief Elon Musk and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
“Commander in chief right there baby. I was really excited to have him here,” Hendrickson said at his post-match press conference.
Hendrickson has competed under the nickname “Captain America” after his successful four years at the Air Force Academy, where he was named an All-American.
Unable to use his fifth year of eligibility at Air Force, he requested permission from the service academy to transfer for his “COVID year” and later joined Oklahoma State’s wrestling program.
His final collegiate match pitted him against Steveson, a two-time national champion and the 2020 Olympic gold medalist in the men’s freestyle 125kg class.
The Indiana native was in control of the match – leading 3-2 with 25 seconds left – when Hendrickson changed the course of the bout.
The Cowboy got control of Steveson’s right leg and hopped on top of him, pushing the two towards the edge of the mat.
Hendrickson was awarded a 3-point takedown and remained atop Steveson for the final seconds.
Hendrickson, who is an active-duty second lieutenant in the Air Force, isn’t forced to head straight into military service just yet.
The Air Force’s permission allowed Hendrickson to remain in Stillwater, OK after graduation and train with Cowboy RTC to compete for a spot in the 2028 Olympics, according to Oklahoma State athletics blog Pistols Firing.
When he retires from wrestling, Hendrickson will begin his five-year mandatory commitment to the Air Force.
“I’m gonna make a career out of the military regardless,” Hendrickson said. “This is just part of the journey for me.”
