Oklahoma State University Athletics
Previewing The 2008 Big 12 Wrestling Championship
February 26, 2008 | Cowboy Wrestling
The Basics
The Oklahoma State wrestling team (16-3-1 overall) pursues its 33rd conference title all-time and its ninth Big 12 crown when it hosts the 2008 Big 12 Championship in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Saturday, March 8. The wrestling begins at 11 a.m., with the semifinals set for noon, the consolation matches set for 4 p.m. and the championship matches slated for 7 p.m.
Ticket Information
Tickets are available for the Big 12 Championship through the OSU Ticket Office (877-ALL-4-OSU) or online (www.okstate.com). Each all-session pass will cost $20 for reserved seating or $15 for general admission.
On The Air
Rex Holt and Roger Moore team up to call the Cowboys' bouts on 93.7 KSPI FM radio. Their broadcast will be carried live worldwide via the internet on the official web site of OSU athletics, www.okstate.com.
FSN will be on hand to televise the championship matches on a tape-delay basis. Fans throughout Oklahoma and Texas can view the event on FSN Southwest at 1 p.m. central time on Friday, March 14 and at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 15.
Big 12 Wrestling Championship Schedule of Events
10 a.m. - Doors open to the public
11 a.m. - First round matches: maximum of 10 matches on two mats
Noon - Semifinal matches: 20 matches on two mats
Arena is cleared after semifinals
3 p.m. - Arena is re-opened for evening session
4 p.m. - Consolation matches: 10 matches on two mats, followed immediately by third-place matches: 10 matches on two mats and eligible challenge matches on one mat
7 p.m. - Championship matches: 10 matches on one mat
Big 12 Owns 38 NCAA Berths
A total of 38 berths into the NCAA Championship are at stake at the Big 12 Championship. The top three finishers in each weight class earn automatic berths into the NCAA Championship, with an additional eight wildcard wrestlers moving on to the NCAA field as well. The five conference coaches will meet following the championship matches to determine who the wildcard selections will be.
OSU's Conference Championship Pedigree
No matter how you look at it, Oklahoma State has dominated the postseason. The Cowboys have won eight of a possible 11 Big 12 titles since the league was formed in 1996-97 and OSU boasts a staggering 32 conference titles all-time. The Cowboys have won the team crown at four of the last five Big 12 Championships.
Oklahoma State wrestlers have combined to win 49 individual Big 12 titles, with wrestlers at the other four schools in the league combining to win 61. Cowboy wrestlers have combined to win 228 individual conference championships. Iowa State is second among Big 12 schools with 184.
Cowboys Year-by-Year At the Big 12 Championships
1997: First place, six individual champions
1998: First place, six individual champions
1999: Second place, three individual champions
2000: First place, four individual champions
2001: First place, four individual champions
2002: Second place, two individual champions
2003: First place, six individual champions
2004: First place, four individual champions
2005: First place, seven individual champions
2006: First place, four individual champions
2007: Third place, three individual champions
Morgan, Scott Are Big 12 Champs Multiple Times Over
Oklahoma State senior 141-pounder Nathan Morgan is a three-time Big 12 champion, with 133-pounder Coleman Scott owning a pair of Big 12 individual titles of his own.
Morgan won the 133-pound championship his freshman and sophomore seasons before rolling to the 141-pound crown as a junior. Scott was the conference champ at 125 pounds his freshman year before taking the top spot at 133 pounds as a junior.
Morgan Looks To Become Four-Time Big 12 Champ
Should Nathan Morgan win the Big 12 title at 141 pounds, he would become only the fifth Big 12 wrestler to accomplish the feat, joining Oklahoma's Michael Lightner (1998-2001), Iowa State's Cael Sanderson (1999-2002) Nebraska's Bryan Snyder (1999-2002) and Oklahoma State's Johnny Thompson (2001-04).
OSU's Leading Title Contenders
In addition to Morgan and Scott, who both enter the 2008 Big 12 Championships as the favorites in their respective weight classes, Oklahoma State has a trio of other wrestlers who are strong contenders to win individual championships as well.
165-pound senior Jake Dieffenbach is a top-five wrestler nationally and is 4-1 this year against the wrestlers he is slated to face in the Big 12 Championship. 174-pounder Brandon Mason, an All-American last year, is 3-1 against this year's Big 12 field, with heavyweight Jared Rosholt sporting a 4-1 record this year against wrestlers he will see at the conference tournament.
The Oklahoma State wrestling team (16-3-1 overall) pursues its 33rd conference title all-time and its ninth Big 12 crown when it hosts the 2008 Big 12 Championship in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Saturday, March 8. The wrestling begins at 11 a.m., with the semifinals set for noon, the consolation matches set for 4 p.m. and the championship matches slated for 7 p.m.
Ticket Information
Tickets are available for the Big 12 Championship through the OSU Ticket Office (877-ALL-4-OSU) or online (www.okstate.com). Each all-session pass will cost $20 for reserved seating or $15 for general admission.
On The Air
Rex Holt and Roger Moore team up to call the Cowboys' bouts on 93.7 KSPI FM radio. Their broadcast will be carried live worldwide via the internet on the official web site of OSU athletics, www.okstate.com.
FSN will be on hand to televise the championship matches on a tape-delay basis. Fans throughout Oklahoma and Texas can view the event on FSN Southwest at 1 p.m. central time on Friday, March 14 and at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 15.
Big 12 Wrestling Championship Schedule of Events
10 a.m. - Doors open to the public
11 a.m. - First round matches: maximum of 10 matches on two mats
Noon - Semifinal matches: 20 matches on two mats
Arena is cleared after semifinals
3 p.m. - Arena is re-opened for evening session
4 p.m. - Consolation matches: 10 matches on two mats, followed immediately by third-place matches: 10 matches on two mats and eligible challenge matches on one mat
7 p.m. - Championship matches: 10 matches on one mat
Big 12 Owns 38 NCAA Berths
A total of 38 berths into the NCAA Championship are at stake at the Big 12 Championship. The top three finishers in each weight class earn automatic berths into the NCAA Championship, with an additional eight wildcard wrestlers moving on to the NCAA field as well. The five conference coaches will meet following the championship matches to determine who the wildcard selections will be.
OSU's Conference Championship Pedigree
No matter how you look at it, Oklahoma State has dominated the postseason. The Cowboys have won eight of a possible 11 Big 12 titles since the league was formed in 1996-97 and OSU boasts a staggering 32 conference titles all-time. The Cowboys have won the team crown at four of the last five Big 12 Championships.
Oklahoma State wrestlers have combined to win 49 individual Big 12 titles, with wrestlers at the other four schools in the league combining to win 61. Cowboy wrestlers have combined to win 228 individual conference championships. Iowa State is second among Big 12 schools with 184.
Cowboys Year-by-Year At the Big 12 Championships
1997: First place, six individual champions
1998: First place, six individual champions
1999: Second place, three individual champions
2000: First place, four individual champions
2001: First place, four individual champions
2002: Second place, two individual champions
2003: First place, six individual champions
2004: First place, four individual champions
2005: First place, seven individual champions
2006: First place, four individual champions
2007: Third place, three individual champions
Morgan, Scott Are Big 12 Champs Multiple Times Over
Oklahoma State senior 141-pounder Nathan Morgan is a three-time Big 12 champion, with 133-pounder Coleman Scott owning a pair of Big 12 individual titles of his own.
Morgan won the 133-pound championship his freshman and sophomore seasons before rolling to the 141-pound crown as a junior. Scott was the conference champ at 125 pounds his freshman year before taking the top spot at 133 pounds as a junior.
Morgan Looks To Become Four-Time Big 12 Champ
Should Nathan Morgan win the Big 12 title at 141 pounds, he would become only the fifth Big 12 wrestler to accomplish the feat, joining Oklahoma's Michael Lightner (1998-2001), Iowa State's Cael Sanderson (1999-2002) Nebraska's Bryan Snyder (1999-2002) and Oklahoma State's Johnny Thompson (2001-04).
OSU's Leading Title Contenders
In addition to Morgan and Scott, who both enter the 2008 Big 12 Championships as the favorites in their respective weight classes, Oklahoma State has a trio of other wrestlers who are strong contenders to win individual championships as well.
165-pound senior Jake Dieffenbach is a top-five wrestler nationally and is 4-1 this year against the wrestlers he is slated to face in the Big 12 Championship. 174-pounder Brandon Mason, an All-American last year, is 3-1 against this year's Big 12 field, with heavyweight Jared Rosholt sporting a 4-1 record this year against wrestlers he will see at the conference tournament.
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