Jake Varner’s burden of expectations was lifted on Saturday night and replaced with happiness.

Varner, Iowa State’s 197-pound standout wrestler, beat Nebraska’s Craig Brester 2-1 at the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis to win the NCAA title that has eluded him.

Two weeks prior at the Big 12 Tournament, Brester beat Varner in the finals, allowing Nebraska to tie Iowa State for the conference title. Varner reached the finals as a freshman and a sophomore, but lost both times.

“You kind of think when you lose that people are going to be disappointed in you,” said Varner, welling up, but holding back his emotions. “You can’t let those things get you down; everyone still loves you. Everyone is still proud of you, so you pick yourself up … it’s just fun to look at what’s going to come in the future and what I can prepare for and accomplish.”

Varner (31-2) controlled the national title match, not allowing Brester near his legs.

The skilled, strong Cornhusker was able to prevent Varner from scoring a takedown, and a quick escape by Varner was the only point scored until the third period.

Brester started in the down position, and Varner kept him there for one minute and 25 seconds — riding him, breaking down his attempts to stand up or pushing him off of the edge.

By then, Varner had built up a riding time advantage of one minute and 19 seconds. One minute of riding time is worth a point.

Brester desperately attempted to score, but when the final whistle blew, Varner had control of Brester on the edge of the mat and hurled him off it.

Varner raised his arms and screamed in primal celebration.

“I’ve been waiting the past two years,” he said of the national title victory. “Coming up short, it makes you want it more. Especially taking second two years in a row, it just makes you want to get back out there. It just makes you want to train harder.”

Varner said he got frustrated against Brester in the Big 12 finals, but stayed relaxed throughout the day and into the match on Saturday night.

His head coach and main training partner, Cael Sanderson, was disappointed with the team’s performance in the tournament, saying he needs to become a better coach and that the team needs to improve its competitive attitude.

But Varner’s victory had the team smiling again after a largely disappointing tournament.

“I was really feeling it. I really wanted him to get it done, just because of the kind of guy he is, and how hard he works and because he’s so good, you know,” Sanderson said. “And being close those two times — it was awesome. I’m so happy for him.”

Iowa State placed third as team, finishing 11.5 points behind champion Iowa and third behind Ohio State. Only the Cyclones earned All-American honors — three less than in 2008.

Nick Gallick (133) placed third after losing in the quarterfinals, while Jon Reader (165) and David Zabriskie (HWT) lost in the championship semifinals and placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Each of the wrestlers’ losses on the winner’s side of the bracket were to the eventual NCAA Champions.

Saturday night, talking over the roar of the Hawkeye crowd as they received the team trophy, Sanderson said that he needs to “reevaluate what he’s doing” as a coach and that what Varner experienced is rare.

“Not very many people leave the tournaments without regrets or something not going right for ’em,” Sanderson said. “And when you get that chance, you’ve really got to enjoy it.”

Iowa faltered heavily in the tournament, not winning an individual championship, although having six individuals seeded fifth or better.

Iowa State had only two wrestlers seeded in the top-five, but were in the thick of the team race going into the Friday evening, semifinal round.

Had Reader and Zabriskie won one-point matches in the semifinals, the Cyclones would have been guaranteed another 9.5 team points, with the possibility to win four more points with each individual championship.

Iowa State’s two returning All-Americans — Nick Fanthorpe (133) and Cyler Sanderson (157) — did not place in the tournament.