2024 NCAA Wrestling Conference Weekend Coverage

Iowa State Leads After Big Semifinal Round At Big 12 Championships

Iowa State Leads After Big Semifinal Round At Big 12 Championships

Get caught up on the team race, finals matchups and what went down on Day 1 of the Big 12 Wrestling Championships.

Mar 10, 2024 by Rowdy Baribeau
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Iowa State and Oklahoma State arrived this week in Tulsa as the co-favorites in a Big 12 team title race that looked like a dead heat on paper. 

After the tournament’s first day, the Cyclones and Cowboys are still out in front of the pack. 

Iowa State grabbed the lead in Saturday night’s semifinal round by going 5-2 as the Cyclones accumulated 129.5 points to take a 10-point lead over second-place Oklahoma State into Sunday’s consolation round. 

Oklahoma State has four finalists and six others in the consolation semifinals. The Cowboys notched three key head-to-head wins Saturday night against the Cyclones — Troy Spratley’s 2-1 overtime win against Kysen Terukina in the semifinals at 125, Jordan Williams’ 8-7 semifinal victory against Casey Swiderski at 149 and Luke Surber’s consolation victory at 197 against Julien Broderson. 

The two teams will tangle in the 133-pound championship bout, where Oklahoma State’s Daton Fix, in his pursuit of a fifth Big 12 title, will take on Iowa State’s Evan Frost. 

Missouri — in pursuit of its 13th straight conference title and third straight Big 12 crown — is third with 96 points, followed by South Dakota State with 92.5. 

The Tigers have a pair of finalists — returning Big 12 champion Rocky Elam at 197 and two-time NCAA champ Keegan O’Toole, who will clash at 165 with four-time Big 12 champion David Carr of Iowa State in one of the marquee bouts on the championship card. 

Additionally, top-ranked Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa squares off with #2 Dustin Plott of Oklahoma State at 184 and second-ranked heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson of Air Force takes on unbeaten and third-ranked Yonger Bastida of Iowa State. 

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Team Standings

Iowa State 129.5 

Oklahoma State 119.5 

Missouri 96 

South Dakota State 92.5 

Northern Iowa 85 

West Virginia  73 

Wyoming 55.5 

Oklahoma 53.5 

Air Force 38.5 

North Dakota State 28 

Northern Colorado 26 

Utah Valley 20 

California Baptist 16 

Finals

125: #6 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State) vs. #16 Jore Volk (Wyoming)

133: #3 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) vs. #9 Evan Frost (Iowa State)

141: #10 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa) vs. #7 Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State)

149: #21 Jordan Williams (Oklahoma State) vs. #7 Ty Watters (West Virginia)

157: #10 Cody Chittum (Iowa State) vs. #9 Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa)

165: #1 Keegan O’Toole (Missouri) vs. #2 David Carr (Iowa State)

174 Gaven Sax (North Dakota State) vs. #4 Cade DeVos (South Dakota State)

184: #1 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) vs. #2 Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State)

197: #9 Rocky Elam (Missouri) vs. #4 Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State)

285: #3 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) vs. #2 Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force)