PHILADELPHIA – With 71 student-athletes and 13 programs competing at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, the Big 12 Conference earned two individual national championships, had 19 wrestlers named All-American and received national coach of the year honors. Oklahoma State had a pair of national champions in Dean Hamiti Jr. in the 174-pound division and heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson while Northern Iowa head coach Doug Schwab was named the NWCA Wrestling Coach of the Year on Saturday. The pair of individual NCAA titles gives the Conference a third consecutive season with national champions in multiple weight classes.
The national championship match at 174 pounds was an all-Big 12 showdown between Hamiti Jr. and Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole in a rematch of the Big 12 championship final. Hamiti Jr. avenged the loss to O’Toole in Tulsa two weeks ago, beginning with an escape in the second period to take a 1-0 lead into the third period. After an early escape from O’Toole to tie the match at 1-1, the Cowboys’ All-American looked to have scored a decisive 4-1 victory but a takedown was overturned by instant replay in the third period. Hamiti Jr. wasted no time securing a winning takedown moments later to score the 4-1 sudden victory decision.
The second Cowboy national title came in the final match of the night in the heavyweight finale between Hendrickson and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson from Minnesota. Steveson, the heavily-favored top seed, previously defeated Hendrickson at the 2021 NCAA Championships. The Gophers’ heavyweight scored a takedown in the first period and took a 3-1 lead into the second. Hendrickson tallied an early escape before Steveson answered with his own. Down 4-2 going into the third period, Hendrickson scrambled out of an attack and scored the championship-winning takedown with 20 seconds remaining to claim the first national title of his career.
Oklahoma State also posted a runner-up finish in the 125-pound division as Troy Spratley dropped a hard-fought 2-1 overtime battle against NC State’s Vincent Robinson.
Six of the Big 12’s 18 All-American honors were earned by Cowboy wrestlers. The top performances throughout the lineup helped OSU finish third in the team standings with 102.5 points, besting their 10
th-place finish from a year ago. Penn State won its fifth consecutive title with 177 points.
Big 12 Teams in Final Standings at NCAA Championships
3
rd Oklahoma State – 102.5 points
9
th Northern Iowa – 45.5 points
14
th Missouri – 32 points
18
th Arizona State – 21 points
18
th West Virginia – 21 points
22
nd Wyoming – 19.5 points
23
rd South Dakota State – 19 points
27
th Iowa State – 18 points
29
th Northern Colorado – 17.5 points
35
th Utah Valley – 12.5 points
37
th North Dakota State – 11.5 points
38
th Oklahoma – 10.5 points
48
th Cal Baptist – 3 points
Big 12 Conference All-Americans (19)
Arizona State: Cohlton Schultz, RS-Senior, Heavyweight
Iowa State: Evan Frost, Sophomore, 133 pounds
Missouri: Keegan O’Toole, Senior, 174 pounds
Missouri: Cam Steed, RS-Sophomore, 165 pounds
North Dakota State: Gavin Drexler, Sophomore, 149 pounds
Northern Colorado: Stevo Poulin, RS-Junior, 125 pounds
Northern Colorado: Vincent Zerban, RS-Junior, 157 pounds
Northern Iowa: Cael Happel, RS-Senior, 141 pounds
Northern Iowa: Parker Keckeisen, RS-Senior, 184 pounds
Oklahoma State: Troy Spratley, RS-Sophomore, 125 pounds
Oklahoma State: Caleb Fish, Senior, 157 pounds
Oklahoma State: Cameron Amine, RS-Senior, 165 pounds
Oklahoma State: Dean Hamiti Jr., Senior, 174 pounds
Oklahoma State: Dustin Plott, Senior, 184 pounds
Oklahoma State: Wyatt Hendrickson, Senior, Heavyweight
South Dakota State: Cade DeVos, RS-Senior, 174 pounds
Utah Valley: Terrell Barraclough, RS-Senior, 165 pounds
West Virginia: Peyton Hall, RS-Senior, 165 pounds
Wyoming: Joey Novack, Sophomore, 197 pounds