March 4, 2006

NCAA Qualifiers (PDF) | Results (PDF)

AMES, Iowa. - Oklahoma State won its eighth Big 12 Championship at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The Cowboys earned 80 points, followed by Oklahoma with 52.5 points, Nebraska with 52, Iowa State with 47.5 and Missouri with 42.

Nate Gallick (149) of Iowa State was named as the Outstanding Wrestler of the meet by a vote of the Big 12 coaches.

OSU won four out of 10 individual titles, while Iowa State had three. Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri walked away with one individual title each.

At 125 pounds, defending Big 12 Champion Coleman Scott of Oklahoma State scored the first point with an escape in the second period, but Sam Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) tied the match with an escape in the beginning of the third and earned his second Big 12 title by decision, 2-1.

OSU's Nathan Morgan, earned his second consecutive conference title at 133 pounds and defeated Tyler McCormick of Missouri by decision, 5-1. Morgan led 4-0 at the end of the second period. McCormick escaped in the third, but Morgan gained a point with 1:17 in riding time to clinch the title.

At 141 pounds, the defending conference champion Nate Gallick (Iowa State) and the defending NCAA Champion Teyon Ware of Oklahoma faced off. Ware earned the first point with an escape in the second period and Gallick return with and escape in the third. With the match tied at one the bout went into overtime. Both wrestlers earned escape points, but and Gallick won his second consecutive Big 12 title with an escape and takedown to win by decision, 5-3.

Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State) defeated OU's Matt Storniolo by decision, 12-8. Esposito led 9-7 at the end of the second period and earned two back points and riding time to win his third consecutive conference title.

At 157 pounds, ISU's Trent Paulson won his first Big 12 title by defeating defending Big 12 Champion Kevin Ward (Oklahoma State) by decision, 2-0. After a scoreless second period, Paulson led by one with 1:59 in riding time and gained a 2-0 led with an escape in the third.

Defending Big 12 and NCAA Champion Johny Henricks of Oklahoma State and Matt Pell (Missouri) went into overtime tied at one, but Hendricks escaped to earn his second consecutive conference title by decision, 2-1.

Missouri's Ben Askren won his second Big 12 Championship at 174 pounds and defeated Jacob Klein of Nebraska by a major decision, 17-6.

At 184 pounds, Kurt Backes (Iowa State) earned points against Raymond Jordan of Missouri in the first period with a take down and 1:26 in riding time. Jordan tied the match 2-2 at the end of the second, but Backes held on and defeated Jordan by a 3-2 decision.

Defending Big 12 Champion B.J. Padden (Nebraska) defeated Oklahoma State's defending NCAA Champion Jake Rosholt by decision 3-0. After a scoreless first and second period, Padden led with 1:58 in riding time and added an escape and a takedown in the third to clinch the title.

In the last match of the day, defending Big 12 and NCAA Champion at heavyweight Steve Mocco (Oklahoma State) defeated OU's Jake Hager by a 4-1 decision in the heavyweight.

Big 12 teams advance 38 men to the 2006 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla., on March 16-18 at the Ford Center. There were 30 automatic qualifiers, eight wild card selections, and two alternates.

Finals
125: Sam Hazewinkel (OU) dec. Coleman Scott (OSU), 2-1
133: Nathan Morgan (OSU) dec. Tyler McCormick (MU), 5-1
141: Nate Gallick (ISU) dec. Teyon Ware (OU), 5-3 (OT)
149: Zack Esposito (OSU) dec. Matt Storniolo (OU), 12-8
157: Trent Paulson (ISU) dec. Kevin Ward (OSU), 2-0
165: Johny Hendricks (OSU) dec. Matt Pell (MU), 2-1
174: Ben Askren (MU) maj. dec. Jacob Klein (NU), 17-6
184: Kurt Backes (ISU) dec. Raymond Jordan (MU), 3-2
197: B.J. Padden (NU) dec. Jake Rosholt (OSU), 3-0
HWT: Steve Mocco (OSU) dec. Jake Hager (OU), 4-1

Team Scores
Oklahoma State 80.0
Oklahoma 52.5
Nebraska 52.0
Iowa State 47.5
Missouri 42.0

2006 Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler: Nate Gallick, ISU

Attendance: 2278

Big 12 NCAA Selections
('06 conference champions listed first - 30 automatic, eight wildcard, two alternates)
125-Sam Hazewinkel, OU; Coleman Scott, OSU; Paul Donahoe, NU; Austin DeVoe, MU
133-Nathan Morgan OSU; Tyler McCormick, MU; Patrick Aleksanyan, NU; Jesse Sundell, ISU
141-Nate Gallick, ISU; Teyon Ware, OU; Dominick Moyer, NU
149-Zack Esposito, OSU; Matt Storniolo, OU; Robert Sanders, NU
157-Trent Paulson, ISU; Kevin Ward, OSU; Will Rowe, OU; Michael Chandler, MU
165-Johny Hendricks, OSU; Matt Pell, MU; Travis Paulson, ISU; Marc Harwood, NU
174-Ben Askren, MU; Jacob Klein, NU; Wes Roberts, OU; Brandon Mason, OSU
184-Kurt Backes, ISU; Vince Jordan, NU; Rusty Blackmon, OSU; Vince Jones, NU; Justin Dyer, OU
197-B.J. Padden, NU; Jake Rosholt, OSU; Joel Flaggert, OU; Jeff Foust, MU
HWT-Steve Mocco, OSU; Jake Hager OU; Jon May, NU

First Alternate- Jarrod King, OU Second
Alternate- Chris Oliver, NU