The four-time Ohio high school champion was named to Amateur Wrestling News' 2021 All-Rookie Team this week after a season in which he earned the starting spot over highly-touted recruit Anthony Echemendia, and won three bouts at the NCAA tournament in March.
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) April 30, 2021
Dylan DEmilios steady performance throughout the season and appearance at the NCAA tournament lamented DEmilio as the clear winner of the Chris Ford Freshman of the Year Award. pic.twitter.com/PoHHobuqHt
D'Emilio wrestled in a weight class dominated by upperclassman: six of the eight All Americans this season were seniors, and no freshmen made the podium. AWN noted that the young Buckeye did something that no other rookie in the weight class was able to do at the tournament: win.
"At the NCAAs, he was the No. 30 seed, and lost his opening bout," the AWN editors explained. "He started again all the way back from the consolation pigtail round, and won three bouts before falling to fellow-Ohioan Dom Demas/Oklahoma. D’Emilio ended the season 10-8. No other rookie at this weight won a single bout at the NCAAs."
Highly regarded by teammates and coaches alike, D'Emilio was also named the Chris Ford Freshman of the Year at the team's annual awards program last month.