After defeating at two-time national champion and knocking off the wrestler who beat him in this year's regional, Kemmerer claimed his second NCAA Division II title at 133 pounds Saturday at the University of Houston.
"This one is better," said Kemmerer, KU's only national champion in wrestling who also was awarded the Outstanding Wrestler Award. "This was a little vindication. The first time I won the title, there were two national champions in the bracket, but I missed them on my way to the title."
He also avenged his Atlantic Regional loss to Pitt-Johnstown's Shane Valko by winning 2-1 in the NCAA final Saturday night.
Coach Robert Fisher said he was confident that Kemmerer could overcome the loss, especially after what he saw in the championship quarterfinals Friday night.
"His quarterfinal matchup against Cody Garcia was the greatest match of my coaching career," Fisher said.
Garcia, a two-time national champion at 125 pounds from Nebraska-Omaha, fell 4-2 to Kemmerer. Both wrestlers were tied heading into the final period, but a takedown by Kemmerer was the difference.
All four of Kemmerer's bouts at the national championships were close decisions, but that's just the way he wrestles.
"They were all close," said Fisher, who is in his ninth year at KU. "Joe doesn't get himself in bad positions."
Kemmerer opened the championships with a 3-0 decision over Mesa State College's Rhett Breed in the first round Friday morning. Kemmerer scored all three points in the third period, using an escape and a takedown to secure the win.
On Saturday morning, Kemmerer won 1-0 in the second tiebreaker over Western State College Marques Bravo, recording an escape to advance to the championship final.
In the championship final, Kemmerer and Valko each recorded an escape in the second period. In the first tiebreaker, Kemmerer picked up another escape, and in the second tiebreaker, he rode out Valko to win the title.
"You know, it was just as sweet the second time," Fisher said. "We were a little more relaxed. Joe trained so hard these last two weeks to get himself into the position to win the title."
Kemmerer set out at the beginning of the season with the goal of duplicating his 2006-07 national title, and after a few injuries throughout the season, he admitted that it was not looking so good.
"I had some doubts with my injuries," he said, "but you just got to keep working. I never second guessed myself. I stayed focused on the goal the whole time."
Now, Kemmerer will graduate from KU as one of the best wrestlers to have competed in the maroon and gold.
The senior wrestler closes out his two-year career at KU with a 60-4 record, two national titles, one regional title and one Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title. He is tied for 10th on KU's all-time wins list. Overall, Kemmerer, who transferred from Division I UNC-Greensboro, has a record of 91-11.
"It's been a great time," Kemmerer said. "The coaches are great, my teammates have been awesome and it's been an amazing experience."
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