Oklahoma State University Athletics
All Ten Cowboy Starters Earn Seeds for NCAA Championships
March 08, 2017 | Cowboy Wrestling
Brackets
STILLWATER – The NCAA released brackets for next week's NCAA Championships on Wednesday afternoon, and all 10 starters for the second-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team will compete as national seeds at the event.
Nine Cowboys earned top-eight seeds, including defending 141-pound champion Dean Heil, who was awarded the top seed in his bracket.
Coming off his first career Big 12 title at 125 pounds, Nick Piccininni will compete as the No. 8 seed at the NCAA Championships. Piccininni, who racked up a 22-6 record against DI opponents this season, will face Elijah Oliver of Indiana in the first round.
Redshirt freshman Kaid Brock is seeded third at 133 after a runner-up finish at the Big 12 Championships behind the No. 2 national seed Seth Gross of South Dakota State. Brock (25-2) will match up with Scott Delvecchio of Rutgers in the first round.
With an unblemished 27-0 mark this season, Dean Heil will go for his second-straight NCAA title as the top seed at 141 pounds. Heil will open up his week in St. Louis against Brock Zacherl in the round of 32.
At 149 pounds, 2016 All-American Anthony Collica will enter this year's NCAA Championships seeded second overall. Looking to build off his fourth career Big 12 Championship last weekend, Collica (20-2) will match up with Wyoming's Cole Mendenhall in the event's first round.
Joe Smith, also a 2016 All-American, will be the No. 5 seed at 157 pounds. With an 11-4 overall record thus far into the season and earning his second Big 12 championship last weekend, Smith will face Bucknell's Victor Lopez in the round of 32.
Making his second career appearance at the NCAA Championships, Chandler Rogers will compete as the No. 9 seed at 165 pounds. Rogers, who boasts a 20-6 record this season, will take on Andrew Fogarty of North Dakota State in his first match next week.
Looking for the second All-American honor of his career, senior Kyle Crutchmer sits as No. 7 at 174 pounds. After winning his second Big 12 title last weekend, Crutchmer (18-5) will look to stay hot next week as he faces either Matt Reed of Oklahoma or Jake Residori of SIU-Edwardsville in the first round of action.
2016 All-American Nolan Boyd will look to make noise at 184 pounds, as he is seeded No. 4. Coming off winning his third Big 12 crown, Boyd (21-4) will open his week at the national tournament against Hunter Ritter of Wisconsin.
Redshirt freshman Preston Weigel will make his second career appearance at the NCAA Championships next week, earning the No. 6 seed. Last week at the Big 12 Championships, Weigel successfully defended his 2016 conference title to boost his resume, adding to an 18-5 record on the season. The Cowboy will face Iowa State's Marcus Harrington in the first round.
Senior heavyweight Austin Schafer is set to compete at the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career, competing as the sixth national seed. Owning a 22-1 record on the year and coming off his first Big 12 title, Schafer will look to wrap an impressive season with a strong showing at the national tournament. He will match up with Campbell's Jere Heino in the round of 32.
Action at the NCAA Championships is set for March 16-18 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. Tickets are available here.
STILLWATER – The NCAA released brackets for next week's NCAA Championships on Wednesday afternoon, and all 10 starters for the second-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team will compete as national seeds at the event.
Nine Cowboys earned top-eight seeds, including defending 141-pound champion Dean Heil, who was awarded the top seed in his bracket.
Coming off his first career Big 12 title at 125 pounds, Nick Piccininni will compete as the No. 8 seed at the NCAA Championships. Piccininni, who racked up a 22-6 record against DI opponents this season, will face Elijah Oliver of Indiana in the first round.
Redshirt freshman Kaid Brock is seeded third at 133 after a runner-up finish at the Big 12 Championships behind the No. 2 national seed Seth Gross of South Dakota State. Brock (25-2) will match up with Scott Delvecchio of Rutgers in the first round.
With an unblemished 27-0 mark this season, Dean Heil will go for his second-straight NCAA title as the top seed at 141 pounds. Heil will open up his week in St. Louis against Brock Zacherl in the round of 32.
At 149 pounds, 2016 All-American Anthony Collica will enter this year's NCAA Championships seeded second overall. Looking to build off his fourth career Big 12 Championship last weekend, Collica (20-2) will match up with Wyoming's Cole Mendenhall in the event's first round.
Joe Smith, also a 2016 All-American, will be the No. 5 seed at 157 pounds. With an 11-4 overall record thus far into the season and earning his second Big 12 championship last weekend, Smith will face Bucknell's Victor Lopez in the round of 32.
Making his second career appearance at the NCAA Championships, Chandler Rogers will compete as the No. 9 seed at 165 pounds. Rogers, who boasts a 20-6 record this season, will take on Andrew Fogarty of North Dakota State in his first match next week.
Looking for the second All-American honor of his career, senior Kyle Crutchmer sits as No. 7 at 174 pounds. After winning his second Big 12 title last weekend, Crutchmer (18-5) will look to stay hot next week as he faces either Matt Reed of Oklahoma or Jake Residori of SIU-Edwardsville in the first round of action.
2016 All-American Nolan Boyd will look to make noise at 184 pounds, as he is seeded No. 4. Coming off winning his third Big 12 crown, Boyd (21-4) will open his week at the national tournament against Hunter Ritter of Wisconsin.
Redshirt freshman Preston Weigel will make his second career appearance at the NCAA Championships next week, earning the No. 6 seed. Last week at the Big 12 Championships, Weigel successfully defended his 2016 conference title to boost his resume, adding to an 18-5 record on the season. The Cowboy will face Iowa State's Marcus Harrington in the first round.
Senior heavyweight Austin Schafer is set to compete at the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career, competing as the sixth national seed. Owning a 22-1 record on the year and coming off his first Big 12 title, Schafer will look to wrap an impressive season with a strong showing at the national tournament. He will match up with Campbell's Jere Heino in the round of 32.
Action at the NCAA Championships is set for March 16-18 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. Tickets are available here.
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