LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Needing to finish in the top seven at his weight class to qualify for the Olympic Trials, Kyle Dake did that and more. At a new weight, Dake battled his way to the 2015 U.S. Senior Freestyle National championship by defeating rival David Taylor in the finals, 11-4. 

Entering the tournament as the No. 7 seed, Dake nearly won by tech fall in the first 30 seconds against Taylor with an opening takedown before rolling him three times to expose Taylor's back for two points each to gain an 8-0 lead, but Taylor reversed to cut the lead to 8-2. Taylor looked to be getting back into the match after earning a takedown to make it 8-4, but Dake reversed him and rolled him again to make it 11-4 at the end of one. Dake defended throughout the second period with no points being scored. He moved to 7-0 all-time against Taylor in collegiate and international competition.

Dake, who was underseeded largely due to his recent move to the 86kg from 74kg, topped Titan Mercury Wrestling Club teammate Tyrel Todd by fall 1:53 into his first match after building up a 8-0 lead thanks to two takedowns and four points for back exposure. He got Todd into a cradle for the fall with more than a minute left in the first.

In the quarterfinals, Dake controlled the match against Titan teammate Keith Gavin, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, en route to a 6-2 win by decision. Dake earned the first takedown after a scramble, then used a quick go-behind and a throw to extend the lead to 6-0. Gavin scored with a takedown in the final 20vseconds of the second period, but couldn't do anything else against the four-time NCAA champion.

Dake won a nailbiter in the semifinals against No. 3 seed Jon Reader, earning the first two takedowns of the match to build a 4-0 lead on his way to a 6-4 triumph to reach the finals. The Lansing, N.Y. native earned a takedown with just over a minute left in the first and then another early in the second after a scramble. A final takedown in the third was enough, with Reader earning a takedown and two pushouts to rally.

As a collegiate wrestler for the Big Red, Dake became the third athlete to claim four national titles, and the first to do so in four different weight classes as well as the first to win four national titles without taking a redshirt season. The 2013 Hodge Award winner as the national Wrestler of the Year was a three-time EIWA Wrestler of the Year. The Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA tournament in 2013, Dake was the third Cornell wrestler to capture the award and the first since Dave Auble in 1960. He wrapped up his amazing career with a 137-4 record, including winning his final 79 collegiate matches. He has since put together an outstanding post-collegiate career while eyeing the 2016 Olympic games.

Finals:
57kg: Dan Dennis vs. Sam Hazewinkle
65kg: Jimmy Kennedy vs.  Logan Stieber
74kg: Andrew Howe vs. Chris Perry
86kg: David Taylor vs. Kyle Dake
97kg: Scott Schiller dec. Wynn Michalak
125kg: Dom Bradley vs. Tyrel Fortune

Semifinals:
57kg: Dan Dennis dec. Coleman Scott, 3-2
57kg: Sam Hazewinkle tf. Joe Colon, 10-0

65kg: Jimmy Kennedy dec. Reece Humphrey, 9-0
65kg: Logan Stieber dec. Aaron Pico, 13-5

74kg: Andrew Howe dec. Adam Hall, 3-1
74kg: Chris Perry dec. Kevin LeValley, 4-0

86kg: David Taylor tf. Richard Perry, 11-0
86kg: Kyle Dake dec. Jon Reader, 6-4

97kg: Scott Schiller dec. Micah Burak, 4-3
97kg: Wynn Michalak dec. Kyven Gadson, 1-0

125kg: Dom Bradley dec. Eric Thompson, 9-1 
125kg: Tyrel Fortune dec. Tony Nelson, 2-1

Quarterfinals:
57kg: Dan Dennis tf. Alan Waters, 10-0
57kg: Coleman Scott tf. Andrew Hochstrasser, 10-0
57kg: Sam Hazewinkle dec. Ali Naser, 9-6
57kg: Joe Colon fall. Nathan Tomasello, 5:22

65kg: Jimmy Kennedy dec. Jason Chamberlain, 5-0
65kg: Reece Humphrey dec. Frank Molinaro, 7-2
65kg: Aaron Pico dec. Kellen Russell, 10-3
65kg: Logan Stieber tf. BJ Futrell, 10-0

74kg: Andrew Howe tf. Mike Moreno, 11-0
74kg: Adam Hall dec. Vlad Dombrovsky, 8-4
74kg: Chris Perry tf. Anthony Valencia, 10-0
74kg: Kevin LeValley dec. Nick Marable, 4-1

86kg: David Taylor tf. Ed Ruth, 13-0
86kg: Richard Perry dec. Clayton Foster, 4-3
86kg: Jon Reader tf. Robert Hamlin, 1-0
86kg: Kyle Dake dec. Keith Gavin, 6-2

97kg: Scott Schiller fall. JT Felix, 4:48
97kg: Micah Burak dec. Deron Winn, 5-2
97kg: Wynn Michalak tf. Enock Francois, 10-0
97kg: Kyven Gadson dec. Cayle Byers, 6-1

125kg: Dom Bradley tf. Justin Grant, 10-0
125kg: Eric Thompson fall. Conor Medbery, 2:22
125kg: Tyrel Fortune fall. Bobby Telford
125kg: Tony Nelson dec. Matt Meuleners, 2-1