Oklahoma State clinches second-straight Big 12 Conference title

TULSA — For the second-straight year, Oklahoma State is golden. 

The Cowboys clinched their second-straight conference title at the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships on Saturday at the BOK Center. OSU finished with 176 team points, falling only a half-point shy of the event record, which OSU set in 2017. With their 23-point advantage leading into the final session, they had mathematically clinched the Big 12 title by the end of the opening bout.

OSU sent eight wrestlers to the finals round — its most since 2017 — and left with four champions. At 149, Casey Swiderski started things off with a 5-3 decision against Northern Iowa’s Caleb Rathjen. OSU dropped its ensuing four titles bouts at 157 with freshman Landon Robideau, 165 with freshman Dee Lockett, 174 with Alex Facundo and heavyweight with Konner Doucet. But 125-pounder Troy Spratley got the Cowboys back in the winning column, and the Cowboys dominated from there. Freshmen Jax Forrest (133) and Sergio Vega (141) finalized three straight title wins for OSU, as it left Tulsa with glory. 

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Redshirt-freshmen 197-pounder Cody Merrill and 184-pounder Zack Ryder were the lone Cowboys to not appear in the finals round. Merrill went 2-0 in consolations on Saturday, claiming third at 197. Ryder medically forfeited his final match on Friday night after dislocating his shoulder four times, according to OSU coach David Taylor.  

Additionally, Forrest was named the event's "Most Outstanding Wrestler." He went 4-0 on the weekend and clinched each of his wins in bonus-point fashion — three via tech fall — en route to his first individual conference title.

Overall, OSU wrestlers compiled a 32-7 tournament record. Each of its 10 starters clinched automatic bids to the NCAA Wrestling Championships, which takes place two weeks in Cleveland.

Final Team Standings

1. Oklahoma State – 176.0
2. Iowa State - 144.0
3. Arizona State - 94.0
4. Missouri - 84.5
5. West Virginia - 77.5
6. South Dakota State - 76.5
7. Oklahoma - 73.0
8. Wyoming - 67.5
9. North Dakota State - 54.5
10. Northern Iowa - 51.0
11. Air Force - 31.5
12. Utah Valley - 31.5
13. California Baptist - 21.5
14. Northern Colorado - 15.0

Finals Round Results

125: No. 1 Troy Spratley (OSU) dec. No. 2 Stevo Poulin (ISU), 5-2

133: No. 1 Jax Forrest (OSU) MD No. 2 Kyler Larkin (ASU), 15-2

141: No. 1 Sergio Vega (OSU) dec. No. 2 Anthony Echemendia (ISU), 2-1, TB-1

149: No. 1 Casey Swiderski (OSU) dec. No. 6 Caleb Rathjen (UNI), 5-3

157: No. 1 Kaleb Larkin (ASU) dec. No. 2 Landon Robideau (OSU), 4-3

165: No. 3 Nicco Ruiz (ASU) dec. No. 1 LaDarion Lockett (OSU), 2-1, TB-1

174: No. 3 Cam Steed (MIZZ) dec. No. 1 Alex Facundo (OSU), 10-6

HWT: No. 1 Yonger Bastida (ISU) dec. No. 2 Konner Doucet (OSU), 4-1

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