March 5, 2005

Results

OMAHA, Neb.---Oklahoma State stormed to a 39-point lead in the early rounds and rolled to its seventh Big 12 Conference wrestling championship in the nine years of this conference's competition.

Coach John Smith's Cowboys, the two-time defending NCAA champions, added a seventh piece of hardware to the trophy case after winning Big 12 wrestling crowns in 1997-98-2000-2001-03-04-05. Oklahoma nabbed the other two team titles in 1998 and 2002. OSU finished with 95.5 markers.

Iowa State was second with 49 points while Nebraska was third with 47.5, Oklahoma fourth at 45, and Missouri fifth with 35 points. Only four tallies separated Iowa State (32) and then-fourth place (tied) Missouri and Nebraska with 28 each at the midday break in the ninth annual championship meet.

OSU rolled into the finals with eight qualifiers while the other four squads had three wrestlers apiece in the Saturday night finale. The Cowboys won seven of the 10 individual championships while Iowa State too two and Nebraska nailed down the other individual title.

One of the biggest upsets of the night occurred at 125 pounds where Coleman Scott of Oklahoma State edged Oklahoma's Matt Hazewinkel. Hazewinkel was 35-0 prior to the 4-3 defeat to Scott n the smallest weight class. That development also paved the way for Scott to win Outstanding Wrestler honors for the meet n a vote of Big 12 coaches.

Nathan Morgan of the Cowboys later downed Nebraska's Dominick Moyer n a 13-6 major decision to give coach John Smith's entry the second of the seven individual crowns.

OSU's Nate Gallick raised his 2004-05 record to 25-0 with a 3-1 victory over Teyon Ware of Oklahoma at 141. The Cyclones also received a triumph from Kurt Backes who had the only pin n the championship round. There were just three pins among the 60 bouts in the one-day title meet.

Nebraska's B.J. Padden captured the 197-pound class with a 6-2 decision over top-seeded Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State. t was just Rosholt's third loss in 31 decisions at 197.

OSU clinched the championship with five weight class bouts remaining and won in similar fashion to its last two Big 12 wins before topping the 2003 and 2004 NCAA Division I fields.

Another surprise win for the Cowboys came at 157 where fourth-seeded Kevin Ward upended third-seeded Brad Celieski after the Nos. 1-2 seeds Trent Paulson of SU and B.J. Wright of Nebraska were upset. Travis Paulson joined twin brother Trent Paulson in the NCAA Championships' advancing group. Longtime rivals Chris Pendleton defending NCAA champion at 174 pounds defeated Missouri's Ben Askren for the sixth time n seven dual matches. That duo was ranked 1-2 nationally n the 174-pound weight class.

Big 12 teams advance 36 matmen to the 2005 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Mo., on March 17-19 at the Savvis Center in the Platinum Anniversary 75th NCAA Championships. There were 30 automatic qualifiers, six wild card selections, and alternates.


2005 Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler: Coleman Scott, Fr., Oklahoma State (125)

Attendance: 3,569

2005 Big 12 NCAA Selections
('05 conference champions listed first - 30 automatc, six wildcard, two alternates)
125-Coleman Scott, OSU; Sam Hazewinkel, OU Matt Keller, NU; Grant Nakamura, SU
133-Nathan Morgan OSU; Dominick Moyer, NU; Jesse Sundell, ISU
141-Nate Gallick, ISU; Teyon Ware, OU; Daniel Frishkorn, OSU; Matt Murray NU
149-Zac Esposito, OSU; Travis Storniolo, OU; Cody Greene, MU; Travis Shufelt, NU
157-Kevin Ward, OSU; Brad Celieski, MU; Trent Paulson, ISU
165-Johny Hendricks, OSU; Tyron Woodley, MU; Jacob Klein, NU; Travis Paulson, ISU
174-Chris Pendleton, OSU; Ben Askren, MU; EK Waldhaus, OU; Nick Passalano, ISU
184-Kurt Backes, ISU; Travis Pascoe, NU; Justin Dyer, OU; Matt Pell, MU
197-B.J. Padden, NU; Jake Rosholt, OSU; Joel Flaggert, OU
HWT-Steve Mocco, OSU; Scott Coleman, ISU; Jake Hager OU

First Alternate-B.J. Wright NU (157)
Second Alternate-Jeff Foust MU (197)