2023 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

March 22, 2024

Beau Bartlett

T-Mobile Center

Semifinals Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Beau Bartlett in the 141 Championship. Beau, if you could give us some comments?

BEAU BARTLETT: That was a lot of fun. I know that's a cliche, but, man, I don't think I've ever gotten a turn in a college folk-style match. I'm not really -- I haven't shown to be good on top, but I got a turn today. So things I've been working on, all year, whole life, they're clicking.

Q. Beau, you talked about your offense. A lot of your matches this year were very close, either one point, couple points here or there. This weekend two falls, you're turning your old teammate. What is clicking for you? How did you feel out there?

BEAU BARTLETT: This support system, teammates, parents, coaches, all kinds of people behind the scenes, they've really helped me. I think technically there are some things I got to look to improve on. If you want to win more matches you've got to score more points. Got to get out from the bottom, you've got to turn guys. I think I have had these skills for such a long time and I've been refining them and getting better there, but mentally letting go of the outcome. That's easy to say when you're winning to say, let go of the outcome. Just love the sport. It's awesome to be there. See the fans, see the crowds, see all you guys taking time out of your day because you want to be part of this. It's awesome. I'm not taking that for granted and just loving that. That's what I've been telling myself before every match. Win or lose, forget about it. I just want to go compete and love this.

Q. Beau, you split with Mendez this year, what did you learn from each of those matches and how will you approach it tomorrow night?

BEAU BARTLETT: I think in our first match when I won, I didn't walk away with much to learn from. He did. You want to learn as much as you can from every win and loss, but the fact of the matter is if you lose you have more things to learn than if you win. He beat me last time. I've been focused.

Q. You used the words "letting go" even when you win, but letting go when you loose. How do you learn to let things go?

BEAU BARTLETT: A lot of high-level athletes have been touching more on mental health recently. I think that's very important. It's hard out here and if I were to make my entire life just about wrestling and how my wrestling success is, which is what I've done most of my life, it sets you up for failure. You can only win so many matches. You're going to win, you're going to lose, but really it's about enjoying it, being present. No matter what, Olympic Trials is in a month, NCAA doesn't matter. NCAA is awesome, I'm going to do my best, but I'm already qualified. Everyone in the Olympic Trials is already an NCAA champ. This is going into a larger and larger pond. This is part of the process and I'm going to give my full effort, but I know it doesn't stop here. No matter what happens tomorrow, I go right into training for the Olympic Trials and the next thing.

Q. Beau, that match happened probably a million times in the room. What was the mentality going into it knowing you're wrestling somebody who you've trained with for so many years?

BEAU BARTLETT: I think just be at peace with it, really be at peace. Go out there, just wrestle. Really just wrestle. Game plan shouldn't change. Do what I gotta do. I'm sure he comes out to do what he's gotta do. Everyone you are wrestling, if you start catering to other people, you start overthinking it too much. I'm a real big overthinker. Giving away a little secret, practically everything I do is on an alarm, in a notes app. How many calories, how much I'm sleeping. It's not OCD, but maybe, I don't know. So just letting go of that, just wrestle, don't overthink it. We all got in this sport because we love it. You guys are here because you love it. The more you start thinking about what you're going to do, you let the thoughts come and go. There is a difference.

Q. Beau, you are always smiling, but in a moment like that you say it's just part of the process, but to punch your ticket to the National Championship, is that smile a little bigger after that?

BEAU BARTLETT: I'm happy I performed well. I'm happy I was firing some shots. I got a turn -- that's the highlight of my day! Highlight of my day was getting a turn in a folk-style match. I'm more of a freestyle guy. They're not letting me lock hands for a gut wrench. So figuring that out, that's pretty fun.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much.