Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State and Penn State: Traditional Power vs. New Power
February 14, 2015 | Cowboy Wrestling
Make no mistake, there's no denying the magnitude of this weekend's matchup between Oklahoma State and Penn State.
With the championship season looming, history and pride is on the line in Gallagher-Iba Arena. It may not be the NCAA Championships yet, but when collegiate sports' most storied program faces a new power, both teams will treat what happens on the mat as if a championship is on the line.
The Cowboys wrestling program has won 34 NCAA titles, which accounts for the most NCAA team championships by any team across all sports. Penn State ranks fifth all-time in NCAA wrestling with five total, winning four titles in four straight seasons.
Since 1928, Oklahoma State has seen 138 wrestlers crowned NCAA individual champions and 223 wrestlers total 440 All-American honors, also more than any other program in wrestling history.
Out of the 138 individual titles, coach John Smith has coached 28, tallying the most among active coaches. He also has coached 107 All-American Cowboys and 88 individual conference champions.
Twenty-two Nittany Lions have won 29 national titles, eight coming under coach Cael Sanderson.
Throughout the entirety of the program's history, Penn State has just five two-time national champs and one three-time winner.
All-American honors for Oklahoma State include 13 four-time honorees, 56 three-time, 64 two-timers and 92 one-time All-Americans.
Penn State has produced eight four-time All-Americans and 23 three-time honorees with the four-time recipients included out of its 189 All-American honors total.
The awards and honors go far beyond All-American and individual championships for the Cowboys. The program has 14 NCAA Outstanding Wrestlers to its name and 41 Olympians, while Penn State boasts four Olympians of their own.
At the Olympics, a Nittany Lion has taken the podium once, Katsutoshi Naito earning a bronze medal for Japan in 1924.
Oklahoma State has a rich history on the mat in the Olympics, producing 32 Olympians and totaling 41 appearances. Nine former Cowboys account for eleven gold medals. Oklahoma State wrestlers have also won three silver and two bronze medals.
Both programs have dominated their respective conferences. Penn State has won the Big Ten conference championship four times, including 34 total individual championships from 20 wrestlers.
Since the Big 12 tournament was instated in 1997, the Cowboys have taken the Big 12 team title on 12 occasions and awarded 76 individual champions.
Conference success comes long before the past 17 years. Overall, Oklahoma State has won 46 team and 255 individual championships.
Penn State wrestlers have reached the pinnacle of the conference numerous times. Six Nittany Lions have received the Big Ten Outstanding Wrestler award and six have won the conference's Big Ten Wrestler of the Year.
In the Big 8 and Big 12, respectively, Oklahoma State has 19 total outstanding wrestler recipients combined.
A total of 14 Cowboys have been named the NCAA Outstanding Wrestler of the Year, the most prestigious award for an individual wrestler in collegiate wrestling.
The performance on the mat transitions into the classroom. Off of the mat, both teams have found a great deal of success.
Oklahoma State has 53 All-Academic NWCA honors, while Penn State has 48 total.
These two wrestling powerhouses will clash as they meet up on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
