Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Virginia Tech
Cowboys Return Home for Top-10 Matchup Against Virginia Tech
December 18, 2024 | Cowboy Wrestling
The Basics
The No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling team (5-0 overall; 4-0 Big 12) returns home to face No. 7 Virginia Tech on Thursday, December 19, in its first action at Gallagher-Iba Arena since late November. Fresh off their 20th consecutive Bedlam triumph last Friday, the Cowboys will be looking for their first win over a top 10 opponent under head coach David Taylor and to improve their overall record to 6-0 this season.
On the Air
Thursday's dual is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT start and will be available for streaming on ESPN+ with J. Carl Guymon and Hardell Moore on the call. Rex Holt also returns as the voice of Cowboy wrestling to provide live radio coverage, which will be carried on Hot 93.7 KSPI-FM. Live stats and results can be found on okstate.statbroadcast.com, as well as trackwrestling.com.
The Series
Despite the Oklahoma State wrestling program's existence of more than 100 years, Thursday's contest will mark just its second ever meeting with Virginia Tech. The only previous matchup came on January 8, 2011, at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, where the Hokies claimed the final bout to upset the second-ranked Cowboys, 18-16. There is some familiarity between the two current lineups, however, as Thursday's dual could potentially see up to four rematches from the past, including two from the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational earlier this month. Last season, the Cowboys won two of their three matches against Hokie wrestlers.
About the Cowboys
The 2024 offseason sparked a new era for Oklahoma State as longtime head coach John Smith announced his retirement and wrestling legend David Taylor was hired as the eighth head coach in program history. Excitement for Taylor's first year has only skyrocketed ever since, especially after OSU's impressive 5-0 start to the dual season and dominant championship at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in early December. Just last Friday, Oklahoma State topped in-state rival Oklahoma, 35-3, for the 20th time in a row, which tied the series record set between 1969-78. That performance also continued Oklahoma State's streak of scoring 30+ team points in every dual this season, its first time doing so through the first five meets since 1996-97. In addition, the 35-point outing increased OSU's season total to 174, the second highest amount in its opening five duals over the past 27 years. Meanwhile, the Cowboys put together a complete effort as they ran through the CKLV Invitational and took first with 192 points, just short of the record total set by OSU in 1983 (198.25). Oklahoma State also became the first team since 1999 to place its entire lineup on the podium, as well as the first since that same 1983 squad to have nine wrestlers finish in the top four. Still ranked third as a team by the NWCA, the OSU lineup currently features seven wrestlers ranked in the top 10 and a top 20 representative at every weight class, giving it all the pieces necessary to contend for a team trophy this upcoming March.
National finalist Dustin Plott is back at 184 pounds to lead perhaps the deepest lineup throughout his time in Stillwater. The three-time All-American has opened his season with wins in eight of his first nine matches, including a 19-6 major decision over OU's DJ Parker on Friday to become the 46th wrestler in program history to reach 100 career victories. He also needs just two more technical falls to crack the program's career top 10 list, currently sitting at 16 total.
Newcomers Dean Hamiti Jr. and Wyatt Hendrickson have both made an immediate impact in their first and only year as Cowboys. Both wrestlers are 10-0 on the season, tied for the team lead with an 80% bonus rate and ranked third in the country at their respective weights. Also ranked third is returning 125-pounder Troy Spratley, who is off to a tremendous start to the year with a 10-1 record and a pair of wins over the weight's second-ranked competitor. Up to No. 4 at 141 pounds is Tagen Jamison, who has beaten a top 10 opponent in two of his last three matches as part of his 11-1 record. Altogether, half of Oklahoma State's starting lineup is currently ranked in the top five.
The rest of the Cowboy lineup is balanced out by several proven veterans who have each qualified for the national tournament multiple times. Cameron Amine enters the weekend ranked sixth at 165 pounds following his third major decision of the season, while Luke Surber's strong 11-1 start has pushed into the No. 10 spot at 197 pounds. Reece Witcraft and Caleb Fish seemed to have stabilized 133 and 157 pounds for the Cowboys, as Witcraft finished fourth at CKLV and Fish leads the team with 134 career matches of experience.
An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Make OSU 6-0 overall; 4-0 against ranked opponents; 3-0 at home
• Give OSU its first ever win against Virginia Tech and even the series at 1-1
• Give David Taylor his first win over a top 10 opponent as a head coach
• Mark OSU's first top 10 win of the season and the sixth in its last eight tries
• Make OSU 16-1 in its past 17 duals against ranked opponents
• Give OSU wins in 16 of its last 17 duals inside Gallagher-Iba Arena
• Improve OSU's record to 36-4 in its past 40 duals overall
• Extend OSU's win streak against current ACC members to 11 and make it 14-1 in its last 15 such duals
Players Mentioned
