Oklahoma State wrestling: 7 Cowboys win Big 12 individual championships

The Oklahoma State wrestling team and Alex Dieringer go hand in hand.

Dieringer and the No. 2 Cowboys each won a fourth consecutive Big 12 Conference title at the Big 12 Championship on Sunday at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

He wasn't alone though as six of his teammates were also crowned champions to help set a new tournament point record at 160. The previous record was set by OSU in 2013 with 118.5 points. The Cowboys also won by the largest margin of victory in Big 12 history, 61 points ahead of second-place Oklahoma. OSU also held that previous mark at 46.5 in 2005.

Iowa State took third with 87 points, while South Dakota State (77), Wyoming (71.5) and West Virginia (65.5) placed fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. North Dakota State (62.5) was seventh and Utah Valley ended (60.5) in eighth. Air Force and Northern Colorado rounded out the 10-team field with 39.5 and 30.5 points, respectively.

Oklahoma's Cody Brewer was voted the Most Outstanding Performer by the Big 12 coaches. Brewer, the defending national champion at 133 pounds, recorded a major decision and technical fall en route to a conference title.

The Cowboys also qualified all 10 wrestlers for the NCAA Championships, which will take place March 17-19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. OSU will go for its NCAA-leading 35th national title in the Big Apple. The Big 12 sends 36 wrestlers to the championships, while others will have a chance for an at-large bid.

It is the second straight year the Cowboys have won seven individual titles. Dean Heil (141), Anthony Collica (149), Joe Smith (157), Nolan Boyd (184), Preston Wiegel (197) and Austin Marsden (285) were all crowned champions. Eddie Klimara (125) and Chandler Rogers (174) took second place, while Gary Wayne Harding (133) finished fourth.

Heil claimed the first of four straight titles for OSU with a 5-3 win over Seth Gross of South Dakota State. It is the sophomore's second straight title. Collica kept things rolling with the only bonus-point victory in the championship round with an 11-3 major decision over Davion Jeffries of OU. Collica won all three matches during the weekend with two falls Saturday.

At 157, Smith grabbed an early lead less than 30 seconds in with a takedown and added one in the second and third periods for an 8-4 win over top-seeded Cody Pack of SDSU. Smith is the 21st freshman in program history to win a Big 12 title.

Dieringer defeated Tanner Weatherman of Iowa State, 4-2, to become the seventh Cowboy to win four individual Big 12 conference titles. The only other Cowboys to have accomplished the feat are Steve Barrett (1974-77), LeeRoy Smith (1977-80), Pat Smith (1990-92, 94), Johnny Thompson (2001-04), Jordan Oliver (2010-13), and Chris Perry (2011-14).

The win also improves Dieringer's win streak to 77 matches, dating back to last season. Dieringer is 28-0 this season with 24 bonus-point victories. He surpassed Mike Sheets' with his first win this weekend to become the third-all time in consecutive wins.

Boyd and fifth-seed Weigel showed "ride 'em Cowboys" isn't just a saying. The Cowboy duo each won their conference title on a riding time point.

Boyd took an early lead and secured riding time in the second period, but top-seed Hayden Zillmer of North Dakota State scored two third-period takedowns to tie it 7-7. After a wild scramble, an official review confirmed no points would be given to ZIllmer and Boyd won his second straight conference title.

Weigel, the Cinderella story of the tournament, trailed No. 2-seeded Nate Rotert of SDSU in the second period after the Jackrabbit wrestler escaped. Weigel matched Rotert to start the third and added a takedown and held on for riding time for his first conference crown.

Marsden won his third conference title with a dominant 6-3 decision over Tanner Harms of Wyoming.

At 125, Kilmara came up short of his third conference title in a 5-4 tiebreaker to Ryan Milhoff of OU, and Rogers fell to Lelund Weatherspoon by 8-5 decision at 174.

Harding rebounded after losing in the semifinals Saturday night with a fall at 7 minutes, 22 seconds against Keegan Moore of West Virginia in the consolation semifinals. Fourth-seeded Jade Rasuer of Utah Valley got the best of Harding in the third-place bout with a fall at 1:15.

Finals Results

125: No. 1 Ryan Millhof (OU) def. No. 2 Eddie Klimara (OSU), 5-4 dec. tie breaker

133: No. 1 Cody Brewer (OU) def. Earl Hall (ISU), 12-7 dec.

141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) def. No. 3 Seth Gross (SDSU), 5-3 dec.

149: No. 1 Anthony Collica (OSU) def. No. 3 Davion Jeffries (OU), 11-3 major dec.

157: No. 2 Joe Smith (OSU) def. No. 1 Cody Pack (SDSU), 8-4 dec.

165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) def. No. 2 Tanner Weatherman (ISU), 4-2 dec.

174: No. 3 Lelund Weatherspoon (ISU) def. No. 1 Chandler Rogers (OSU), 8-5 dec.

184: No. 2 Nolan Boyd (OSU) def. No. 1 Hayden Zillmer (NDSU), 8-7 dec.

197: No. 5 Preston Weigel (OSU) def. No. 2 Nate Rotert (SDSU), 4-3 dec.

285: No. 1 Austin Marsden (OSU) def. No. 3 Tanner Harms (WYO), 6-3 dec.

Team Standings

1. Oklahoma State - 161

2. Oklahoma – 72

3. Iowa State - 70.5

4. South Dakota State - 77

5. Wyoming – 71.5

6. West Virginia – 65.5

7. North Dakota State - 62..5

8. Utah Valley - 60.5

9. Air Force - 39.5

10. Northern Colorado - 30.5