2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships: OSU tied for 2nd in team race with 7 Cowboys in quarterfinals

Seven Oklahoma State wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals with wins during the second session Thursday at the 2016 NCAA Championships at Madison Square Garden.

Oklahoma State is tied for second place with defending champion Ohio State at 24 points. Penn State leads the team race with 27.5 points. Nebraska is fourth with 20 points, while Iowa, Missouri and Virginia Tech are in a three-way tied for fifth at 17.5 points.

The third session will begin at 10 a.m. (CT) Friday. All the action can be viewed live on ESPNU.

The Cowboys went a perfect 7-0 during the championship second round with three bonus-point wins by Alex Dieringer, Chandler Rogers and Austin Marsden. Dean Heil, Anthony Collica, Joe Smith and Nolan Boyd also advance.

At 125, returning All-American Eddie Klimara fell to No. 11 Ronnie Bresser of Oregon State in sudden victory and Gary Wayne Harding at 133, dropped a 12-4 major dec. to Jade Rauser of Utah Valley as both Cowboys were eliminated from the tournament. Preston Wiegel is the lone Cowboy to advance in the consolation round with a 18-1 technical fall over Anthony Abro of Eastern Michigan at 6 minutes, 31 seconds.

The two-time defending champion Dieringer picked up his second fall of the tournament at 3:26 over No. 16 seed Devon Gabbo of Harvard. The top-seeded Dieringer is now the second-winningest wrestler in OSU program history and his unbeaten streak is at 79 matches, dating back to last season.

Rogers, the ninth seed at 174, also scored his second bonus-point victory on the day with a fall over Casy Kent of Penn with one second left on the clock. Rogers poured it on early with a 12-2 lead after the first period. He added another takedown and a four-point nearfall before getting the fall.

At heavyweight, Marsden controlled William Miller of Edinboro for a 12-3 major decision.

Dean Heil was the first Cowboy to advance to the quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over No. 16 Randy Cruz of Lehigh at 141. The top-seeded Heil scored an early takedown for a 2-1 lead then got a reversal in the second for the decision.

Collica, the No. 11 seed at 149, knocked off 2014 national champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern, the sixth seed. Tsirtsis escaped to start the second then Collica scored a takedown before, but the Wildcat wrestler escaped again to tie it 2-2 after the second. Collica escaped with a minute remaining to seal a 3-2 win.

After needing sudden victory to win his first match, Smith cruised in his second match with a 6-2 decision over Bryce Steiert of Northern Iowa. Smith led 2-1 after the first and added an escape and takedown before securing riding time for the victory.

Boyd scored four takedowns, but gave up one in the third period to miss recording a major decision with a 10-3 win over Matt Miller of Navy at 184.

Team Standings

1. Penn State - 27.5

t-2. Oklahoma St. - 24.0

t-2. Ohio St. - 24.0

4. Nebraska - 20.0

t-5. Iowa - 17.5

t-5. Missouri - 17.5

t-5. Virginia Tech - 17.5

8. Michigan - 15.0

9. - NC State - 13.0

t-9. Oklahoma - 13.0

t-11. Illinois - 12.0

t-11. Iowa St. - 12.0

Second round results

141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) dec. No. 16 Randy Cruz (LEH), 4-1

149: No. 11 Anthony Collica (OSU) dec. No. 6 Jason Tsirtsis (NW), 3-2

157: No. 6 Joe Smith (OSU) dec. Bryce Steiert (UNI), 6-2

165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) fall No. 16 Devon Gobbo (HARV), 3:26

174: No. 9 Chandler Rogers (OSU) fall Casey Kent (PENN), 6:59

184: No. 8 Nolan Boyd (OSU) dec. No. 9 Matt Miller (NAVY), 10-3

285: No. 4 Austin Marsden (OSU) major dec. William Miller (EDIN), 12-3

Quarterfinals schedule

141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) vs. No. 8 Joey Ward (UNC)

149: No. 11 Anthony Collica (OSU) vs. No. 3 Lavion Mayes (MIZ)

157: No. 6 Joe Smith (OSU) vs. No. 3 Jason Nolf (PSU)

165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) vs. No. 9 Tanner Weatherman (ISU)

174: No. 9 Chandler Rogers (OSU) vs. No. 1 Bo Nickal (PSU)

184: No. 8 Nolan Boyd (OSU) vs. No. 1 Gabe Dean (COR)

285: No. 4 Austin Marsden (OSU) vs. No. 5 Adam Conn (MICH)

Consolation schedule

197: Preston Wiegel (OSU) vs. No. 13 Jake Smith (WVU)