PITTSBURGH -- Following a perfect 4-0 day at the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships, senior heavyweight Youssif Hemida clinched All-American status for the second time in his career. 

Hemida posted four dominant wins -- including two by way of fall -- to clinch his spot on the podium for the second consecutive year after he previously finished eighth at the 2018 NCAA Championships. The Mamaroneck, New York native will continue his tournament on Saturday, wrestling Minnesota's Gable Steveson for a spot in the third-place match. The loser will move into the fifth-place contest. 

Hemida opened his day with a pair of wins by fall, sticking Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State) and Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley). The senior stuck Gremmel in the second period before waiting until the third and final frame to pin Orndorff. The win over Orndorff pushed Hemida through to the Round of 12, with the winner of the round clinching All-American status and the loser ending their season. Hemida would meet Iowa's Sam Stoll, who Hemida previously topped by decision at the 2018 NCAA Championships. 

Meeting for the fifth time in their collegiate careers, Hemida struck first as he secured a single leg and patiently pulled Stoll back to the center of the mat to tally the first takedown of the bout. Stoll escaped before the first period buzzer, cutting Hemida's lead to one point after one. 

After choosing bottom in the second, Hemida escaped to extend his advantage back to two. With that being the only scoring in the second, the two-point advantage was Hemida's edge entering the final two minutes of action. 

Stoll escaped to begin the period, but Hemida was quickly able to secure another takedown to give himself a 5-2 advantage. Following another Stoll escape to make it 5-3 with one minute remaining, Hemida put the match on ice with his third takedown of the evening, clinching a 7-3 victory and another trip to the podium. 

To close out the night, Hemida met Central Michigan's Matt Stencel. Once again the Maryland heavyweight struck first, securing a takedown in the opening minutes of the bout. Stencel was never able to get within two points of Hemida throughout the contest, with Hemida once again putting the match away with a takedown in the final minute of the bout to close out a perfect, 4-for-4 day on the mat. 

The senior was dominant throughout the day, scoring first in all four matches he wrestled. He also did not allow a single takedown over the course of the day. 
Hemida became the eighth multi-time All-American in Maryland wrestling history. He joins current associate head coach Jimmy Sheptock, who was the last to accomplish the feat after his All-American finish in 2014. It is also the 29th time a Maryland wrestler has earned All-American plaudits.