Oklahoma State University Athletics
Four Cowboy Wrestlers Punch Ticket to NCAA Finals
March 21, 2014 | Cowboy Wrestling
March 21, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma State wrestling squad went four-for-four in the NCAA semifinals, with Josh Kindig (149), Alex Dieringer (157), Tyler Caldwell (165) and Chris Perry (174) earning the chance to wrestle for NCAA individual titles.
OSU put itself in a position to compete for the team championship as it enters the final day in third place, trailing Penn State and Minnesota.
"It all depends on tomorrow," coach John Smith said. "I don't know how much wrestling is left here. I don't know how many additional points we need, but we gave ourselves an opportunity. On paper it didn't look like it was too close. It looked like there were too many horses in front of us. We kind of scratched and fought. Obviously, not without disappointment - we lost a couple of guys we thought could do something, because of a lack of effort, but somebody picked up where they left off. That's what you've got to have as a team to have an opportunity to win it."
Also still alive in the tournament is redshirt sophomore and heavyweight Austin Marsden, who will wrestle for seventh on Saturday morning. Marsden secured his first All-America honor when he defeated JT Felix, 5-3, bringing Oklahoma State's All-American total to five.
Carrying a No. 11 seed all the way to the finals, Kindig became the first finalist for the Pokes, taking out No. 15 Mitchell Minotti of Lehigh with a 7-4 decision. Kindig, who is a first-time All-American, will face No. 5 Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern in the 149-pound finals.
"It's a great feeling to be where I'm at. Going in, it's a tough weight class so seeds really don't matter," Kindig said. "Coach has been telling us that everybody came to our city. It's our time to own the mat. I came in like I was the best and that's the way I wrestled. I just went out and wrestled and wasn't thinking about seeds or anything."
Sophomore and No. 3 seed Dieringer will face No. 9 Dylan Ness of Minnesota in Saturday's 157-pound finals. Dieringer earned the chance after he defeated No. 7 Brian Realbuto of Cornell in the semis, 7-4. Last year, Dieringer finished third in his first NCAA Championships appearance.
"I knew it was going to be a hard-fought match. He's a good competitor," Dieringer said. "I just wanted to do what Coach always tells me to and stay smart with my attacks. If I do that it's hard to stop me. It was a close match, but I had a lot of takedowns close to the edge. I think that's what kept me in the match. He did do something to his knee. I heard it. He's a good competitor and I respect him for keep fighting back. It was a fun match."
Senior and four-time All-American Caldwell earned a shot at the 165-pound national title when he defeated No. 3 Nick Sulzer of Virginia for the second time this season. The Wichita, Kan., native will see Penn State's David Taylor in the finals. Caldwell is making his second trip to the finals, with the first coming in 2011, while Taylor is a four-time finalist and 2012 national champ.
"You expect a guy like David Taylor to be in the finals, just getting his pass," Caldwell said. "He's been in there three times now and he's a national champ, so you expect that. Also, crazier things have happened, so you never know in this tournament. I just kind of focus on who's ahead of me, one match at a time."
Top-seed and defending national champion Perry will make his second-straight NCAA finals appearance on Saturday night in Chesapeake Energy Arena, taking on in-state rival and 2010 165-pound national champion Andrew Howe of Oklahoma at 174 pounds.
"This is what I wanted. I didn't want anybody else," Perry said. "I know this is the guy people think is better than me. Hands down, people believe that this guy is way better than me and they think I stole one in Norman and I want to go out tomorrow and prove that I can beat him twice, but I'm going to have to come out with better wrestling than that, for sure."
Tournament action will continue Saturday morning at 10 a.m. CT in Chesapeake Energy Arena. The finals can be watched on ESPN, beginning at 7 p.m.
Team Standings
1. Penn State - 91 points
2. Minnesota - 90.5 points
3. Oklahoma State - 87.5 points
4. Iowa - 67 points
5. Ohio State - 52 points
Oklahoma State Results
Pigtail Round
197: Mario Gonzalez (ILL) dec. Blake Rosholt (OSU), 10-3
Championship First Round
125: No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU) dec. Dominic Parisi (APPST), 6-4
133: No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. James Gulibon (PSU), 4-0
141: No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU) dec. Avery Gardner (UVU), 10-6
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. Ian Paddock (OHST), 9-4
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) TF Austin Sommer (DREX), 18-1, 5:00
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) fall Curtis Cook (UVU), 3:36
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) MD Scott Liegel (WISC), 8-0
184: No. 7 Kevin Steinhaus (MINN) dec. Nolan Boyd (OSU), 5-0
285: No.11 Austin Marsden (OSU) MD Collin Jensen (NEB), 10-2
Championship Second Round
125: No. 3 Nico Megaludis (PSU) dec. No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU), 6-0
133: No. 13 Cody Brewer (OU) fall No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU), 2:45
141: No. 2 Logan Stieber (OHST) TF Anthony Collica (OSU), 16-1
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. No. 6 Jake Sueflohn (NEB), 7-5
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) fall No. 14 Joey LaVallee (MIZZOU), 1:38
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) dec. No. 15 Danny Zilverberg (MINN), 9-2
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) MD Tony Dallago (ILL), 11-3
285: No. 11Austin Marsden (OSU) dec. No. 6 Michael McMullan (NW), 3-2
Championship quarterfinals
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. No. 14 Scott Sakaguchi (ORST), 7-5
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) dec. No. 6 Nestor Taffur (BU), 18-11
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) MD No. 7 Pierce Harger (NW), 14-2
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 9 Elliot Riddick (LEH), 4-0
285: No. 3 Adam Chalfant (IND) dec. No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU), 3-2
Championship Semifinals
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) vs. No. 15 Mitchell Minotti (LEH), 5-2
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) vs. No. 7 Brian Realbuto (CORN), 7-4
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) vs. No. 3 Nick Sulzer (UVA), 5-0
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) vs. No. 4 Mike Evans (IOWA), 3-2 TB1
Pigtail Consolation Round
197: Zach Nye (UVA) dec. Blake Rosholt (OSU), 7-3
Consolation First Round
184: Kurtis Julson (NDSU) dec. Nolan Boyd (OSU), 8-4
Consolation Second Round
125: No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU) dec. No. 13 Evan Silver (STAN), 4-1
133: No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. Shelton Mack (PITT), 3-0
141: No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU) MD Gabe Moreno (ISU), 8-0
Consolation Third Round
125: No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU) fall No. 11 Robert Deutsch (RID), 3:35
133: No. 12 Joe Roth (CMU) dec. No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU), 5-4 TB1
141: No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU) dec. No. 7 Zach Horan (CMU), 5-4
Consolation Fourth Round
125: No. 8 Cory Clark (IOWA) dec. No. 14 Eddie Klimara (OSU), 7-6 TB1
141: No. 12 Richard Durso (F&M) MD No. 15 Anthony Collica (OSU), 13-2
285: No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU) dec. No. 8 JT Felix (BSU), 5-3 SV1
Consolation Fifth Round
285: No. 7 Mike McClure (MSU) dec. No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU), 3-2
Championship Finals Schedule
149: No. 11 Josh Kindig (OSU) vs. No. 5 Jason Tsirtis (NW)
157: No. 3 Alex Dieringer (OSU) vs. No. 9 Dylan Ness (MINN)
165: No. 2 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) vs. No. 1 David Taylor (PSU)
174: No. 1 Chris Perry (OSU) vs. No. 2 Andrew Howe (OU)
Seventh Place Schedule
285: No. 11 Austin Marsden (OSU) vs. No. 10 Jeremy Johnson (OHIO)
