Wrestling preview: No. 4 Oklahoma State hosts Army

The fourth-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team rides its eight-dual win streak into Friday's matchup against Army on Friday at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Last time out

The Cowboys (10-2, 6-0 in Big 12) swept two duals last weekend with a 26-11 Bedlman win over No. 7 Oklahoma and a 32-12 win over No. 15 Cornell. Nolan Boyd provided the highlight of the weekend with an upset of top-ranked Gabe Dean of Cornell at 184.

Army (3-5, 2-2 in EIWA) returns to dual action after winning the All-Academy Championships. Logan Everett (141), Andrew Mendel (165), Brian Harvey (174) and Bryce Barnes (197) each earned individual championships.

In the rankings

Oklahoma State enters the weekend No. 4 in the USA Today/NWCA/Division I Coaches Poll and No. 2 in Intermat rankings. Once again, the Cowboys are the top Big 12 team in both polls. Eight Cowboy wrestlers rank among the top 20 in the nation at their respective weight classes. Two-time national champion Alex Dieringer (165) and returning All-American Dean Heil (141) hold No. 1 rankings. Four other Cowboys are ranked in the top-8: Eddie Klimara (125), Joe Smith (157), Kyle Crutchmer (174) and Austin Marsden (285).

Army brings in one ranked wrestler with No. 18 Brian Harvey at 174. Everett, Russell Parsons Jr. (157), and Barnes have also been ranked this season. Parsons Jr. leads the Black Knights in wins (22) and bonus point wins (11).

100-win club draws near

Kilmara and Marsden continue to close in on the 100-win club. Kilmara holds 98 wins, while Marsden is at 97. A weekend sweep will put Kilmara in the club, while Marsden will have to wait until next weekend.

Welcome back

The Black Knights are coached by former OSU wrestler Kevin Ward, who was a two-time national qualifier and a member of the 2003-06 national championship teams at OSU. Ward also served as a graduate assistant during the 2006-07 season before getting his first coaching job at NCAA Division II Ouachita Baptist.

Ranked vs. ranked

Kyle Crutchmer could return after suffering a leg injury against Oklahoma. Crutchmer loss on an unsportsmanlike conduct point to unranked Matt Reed at 174. He fell one spot in the polls and is slated to wrestle No. 18 Harvey. Chandler Rogers wrestled against Cornell in Crutchmer's absence. Rogers fell by 13-2 major decision to No. 6 Brian Realbuto, who was the national runner-up at 157 last season.

PROJECTED LINEUP

125: No. 6 Eddie Klimara (OSU) vs. Jacob Fontanez

133: Gary Wayne Harding (OSU) vs. Austin Harry

141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) vs. Logan Everett

149: No. 13 Anthony Collica (OSU) vs. Mark Marchetti

157: No. 8 Joe Smith (OSU) vs. Russell Parsons Jr.

165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) vs. Andrew Mendel

174: No. 6 Kyle Crutchmer (OSU) vs. No. 18 Brian Harvey

184: No. 14 Nolan Boyd (OSU) vs. Samson Imonode

197: Preston Weigel (OSU) vs. Bryce Barnes

285: No. 5 Austin Marsden (OSU) vs. Trevor Smith

*Intermat rankings

HOW TO WATCH

What: No. 4 OSU vs. Army

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena

Stats: trackwrestling.com

Stream: flowrestling.org

Listen: 93.7 KSPI-FM or okstate.com