NCAA Wrestling Brackets Revealed, Eight Cowboys Seeded

March 09, 2016 | Cowboy Wrestling

NCAA Wrestling Brackets

STILLWATER – The No. 2 Oklahoma State wrestling team will bring eight seeded wrestlers to the NCAA Championships at Madison Square Garden next week, including No. 1 seeds Alex Dieringer and Dean Heil.

Going for his third national title, Dieringer sits atop the 165-pound bracket. The undefeated Dieringer (28-0) will open his tournament against Gardner-Webb's Austin Trott.

Also taking a No. 1 seed into the tourney is sophomore Dean Heil, who finished fourth at the 2015 NCAA Championships. He opens the tournament, battling Javier Gasca III of Michigan State at 141 pounds.

Coming in as the No. 4 seed at the heavyweight bracket, Austin Marsden will wrestle Riley Shaw from Cleveland State. Marsden, who is 27-1, earned All-America honors in 2014.

At 125 pounds, 2015 All-American Eddie Klimara will enter his final NCAA tournament as a No. 6 seed and will face another returning All-American in Conor Youtsey of Michigan. The two faced off at last year's NCAA tournament with Youtsey taking a 3-2 win.

Also earning the No. 6 seed is true freshman and Big 12 champ Joe Smith, son of head coach John Smith. Joe will take on Jake Ryan, the son of Ohio State's head coach, Tom, in the first round at 157 pounds.

Nolan Boyd heads into his third NCAA tournament as the No. 8 seed at 184 pounds. He is slated to take on Alex Utley of North Carolina. Boyd has defeated Utley twice this season.

Stepping into the lineup late for the Cowboys and finishing second at the Big 12 tournament is automatic qualifier Chandler Rogers, who is seeded ninth. Rogers will take on Bucknell's Rustin Barrick in the first round at 174 pounds.

Fresh off his third Big 12 title, 149-pounder Anthony Collica will go head-to-head with Oregon State's Joey Delgado as the Cowboy is seeded No. 11.

Unseeded Gary Wayne Harding will go up against No. 15 Josh Alber of Northern Iowa in his opening bout.

Preston Weigel is coming off a breakout performance at the Big 12 tournament, where he was crowned conference champ at 197 pounds. He draws No. 3 Brett Pfarr in a tough first-round match.

The Cowboys are one of only three teams to qualify all 10 wrestlers. Also bringing full squads are Rutgers and Nebraska.

The event will run from March 17-19 at MSG in New York City. Fans can keep up with action on ESPN or by following @CowboyWrestling on Twitter.

NCAA Championships First Round Schedule
125: No. 6 Eddie Klimara (OSU) vs. Conor Youtsey (MICH)
133: Gary Wayne Harding (OSU) vs. No. 15 Josh Alber (UNI)
141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) vs. Javier Gasca (MSU)
149: No. 11 Anthony Collica (OSU) vs. Joey Delgado (ORST)
157: No. 6 Joe Smith (OSU) vs. Jake Ryan (OHST)
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) vs. Austin Trott (GW)
174: No. 9 Chandler Rogers (OSU) vs. Rustin Barrick (BUCK)
184: No. 8 Nolan Boyd (OSU) vs. Alex Utley (UNC)
197: Preston Weigel (OSU) vs. No. 3 Brett Pfarr (MINN)
285: No. 4 Austin Marsden (OSU) vs. Riley Shaw (CSU)