Cowboys Host Bucknell in Season Opener

The Basics
The Oklahoma State wrestling team is set to host Bucknell in its first dual of the season at Gallagher-Iba Arena on Friday night. Under John Smith, the Cowboys boast an impressive 29-2-1 record in season openers and have lost just once since 1996. Oklahoma State has also won 23 straight home openers.

On the Air
OSU's dual with Bucknell will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. The match can also be heard on the radio with Rex Holt going on air on Hot 93.7 KSPI-FM beginning at 6:30 p.m.. Live stats can be found on StatBroadcast.com.

The Series - Bucknell
Oklahoma State and Bucknell have met just seven times over the years, with OSU having never lost to the Bison. The programs have now wrestled in three consecutive seasons, including the Cowboys' unique season-opening double header last season. Last November, Oklahoma State began its season in Pennsylvania with a morning matchup against Lehigh before traveling to Lewisburg for a nightcap with the Bison, which OSU won 30-6. The Cowboys took eight of 10 bouts in the dual, highlighted by Dustin Plott's second career technical fall. All seven matchups between the Cowboys and Bison have come since 2010. In the first matchup on November 28, 2010, OSU took the dual in dominant fashion, 39-3. Although the Cowboys have controlled the series thus far, Bucknell provides a much needed early-season test and are led by an experienced coach in Dan Wirnsberger, who enters his 22nd season as an NCAA head coach. No. 2 Daton Fix will likely once again face No. 16 Kurt Phipps, who gave Fix one of his toughest matches of the 2022 season in a tight 4-1 decision. Nick Delp won one of two bouts for Bucknell in last year's matchup and also returns for the Bison at 157 pounds.

About the Cowboys
Oklahoma State enters the 2023-24 season ranked No. 11 in the NWCA Coaches Poll ahead of its season opener against the Bison on Friday. The Cowboys return a pair of All-Americans and also added two more former All-Americans through the transfer portal. Daton Fix is a four-time All-American while Dustin Plott has earned the honor in back-to-back seasons. Northern Illinois transfer Izzak Olejnik finished eighth at NCAAs just last season at 165 pounds and Sammy Alvarez was named a NWCA Second Team All-American in 2020 following the cancellation of the NCAA Championships. Alvarez will not be eligible to compete until the spring semester, however, due to his transfer in January. The OSU lineup has seen some movement from a season ago with weight changes from past starters, opening opportunities for a number of newcomers and unproven talent. Minnesota transfers Troy Spratley and Tagen Jamison will look to provide support around Fix in the lower weights to open the season. Spratley enters the season as Intermat's 24th-ranked wrestler at 125 pounds and went 8-2 in limited action last season for the Golden Gophers. Jordan Williams looks to secure the 149-pound starting role after compiling an 8-7 record while redshirting a season ago. He enters the season at No. 26 in Intermat's preseason polls, while a pair of returners battle for the spot at 157 pounds. Veterans Daniel Manibog and Jalin Harper both bring experience to the weight, but have combined for just 10 career dual starts. Dustin Plott's weight change allows room for standout freshman Brayden Thompson to step into the 174-pound role. Thompson was the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler in last year's class and has extensive experience in high-level freestyle competitions. Luke Surber and Konner Doucet round out the Cowboy lineup for the second year in a row and look to improve upon their NCAA qualifying campaigns in 2023.

Cowboys in the Polls
Despite the new look lineup, Oklahoma State's roster still features 11 wrestlers currently ranked in various polls and a dozen total have been ranked at any point throughout the preseason. Four Cowboys hold spots inside the top-10, including 133-pounder Daton Fix, who is the consensus No. 2 wrestler in the nation and the highest ranked wrestler in the lineup. Fix surpassed 100 wins during the 2023 NCAA Championships and has a chance to become OSU's first five-time All-American in addition to his title hunt. Dustin Plott is ranked 4th at 184 pounds across the board, as is 165-pounder Izzak Olejnik at No. 6. Luke Surber cracked the top-10 in multiple polls, while heavyweight Konner Doucet is ranked as high as No. 13 by WIN Magazine. Troy Spratley is included in multiple polls and was WIN Magazine's 18th-ranked 125-pounder. At 141 pounds, Tagen Jamison and Sammy Alvarez are both included in various polls, each hovering around 20th in the nation. Jordan Williams (26) and Daniel Manibog (22) are both included in Intermat's poll this week.

An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Move the Cowboys to 1-0 on the season
• Move the all-time series record with Bucknell to 8-0
• Move OSU's winning streak in home openers to 24
• Make John Smith 30-2-1 in season openers as a head coach

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sammy Alvarez

Konner Doucet

Daton Fix

Jalin Harper

Tagen Jamison

Daniel Manibog

Izzak Olejnik

Dustin Plott

Troy Spratley

Luke Surber

Brayden Thompson

Jordan Williams

Oklahoma State University Athletics