As a five-time state champion and a three-time All-American at Cornell, you'd think wrestling came natural to Troy Nickerson... Well, think again.

"My first match was against a girl and she pinned me pretty fast."
He's gotten a little better since he was five.
Troy literally held on for a 2-1 double overtime win to capture the 125-pound national title, finally reaching the top after second and third place finishes as a freshman and sophomore.
"It felt like sometimes there was a little cement wall that was hard getting over but through persistence, working hard and just staying confident, it finally just came through for me."
And it couldn't have come at a better time for Troy and his family.
Troy's father was recently diagnosed with cancer for a second time.
But Troy's biggest fan was able to be in St. Louis and watch Troy make history.
"It's definitely a difficult process for our entire family. It's something I've had to push through. Something that it's even given me a little extra motivation."
Motivation he called on during his grueling championship bout.
Troy missed all of last season with a torn labrum and biceps in his left arm, then twice dislocated the same shoulder in the final.
"My dad, especially, he's been a huge support system for me over the years. They've been really influential in my career, so I felt like I owed it to my family to win that championship."
17 years after being pinned by a girl, Troy has realized his life-long dream.
In Ithaca, Justin Horowitz, Action Sports.