Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Sends Five to NCAA Wrestling Semifinals
March 20, 2026 | Cowboy Wrestling
Cowboys set school record for freshmen All-Americans
Photos
CLEVELAND – The Oklahoma State wrestling team advanced five wrestlers to the semifinals of the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships Friday and sits in third place with 64.5 team points.
It marks the first time since 2013 OSU has had five semifinalists, and OSU, Penn State and Nebraska are the only teams with at least five this year.
OSU's semifinalists, who have secured All-America honors, include Troy Spratley at 125 pounds, Jax Forrest at 133 pounds, Sergio Vega at 141 pounds, Landon Robideau at 157 pounds and Cody Merrill at 197 pounds. All but Spratley are freshmen, surpassing the Oklahoma State record for freshman All-Americans that was set at three in 1989, and one more who could be added Friday night. Vega, Robideau and Forrest's honors also set a school record for true freshman All-Americans, and the last time Cowboys had two was in 1977.
"We've got to be ready to scrap tonight," coach David Taylor said. "It's a complete team effort. We've got to be ready to go tonight. We've still got a long way to go in this tournament, and we've got to keep it going."
Forrest, who was still in high school for the first half of this season, continued his tear through the bracket with an 18-3 technical fall over No. 8 Markel Baker of Northern Illinois in just 2:38.
All three of Forrest's matches at the tournament have ended in the first period, and his combined time of 6:41 on the mat is the shortest of all wrestlers in the championship bracket. He also has the two quickest technical falls of the event and is now on an eight-match streak of collecting bonus points. He's recorded a technical fall or fall in 14 of his 17 bouts this season.
The other Cowboy semifinalists won by decision, as Spratley upset fourth-seeded Sheldon Seymour of Lehigh, 8-2; Vega knocked off Iowa's No. 7 Nasir Bailey, 4-1; Robideau upset Arizona State's No. 4 Kaleb Larkin, 9-6, in sudden victory to avenge a rematch of this year's Big 12 championship match; and Merril cruised past No. 15 Remy Cotton of Rutgers, 8-3.
Cowboy 149-pounder Casey Swiderski nearly provided one of the biggest upsets of tournament as he took Penn State's undefeated and No. 1-seeded Shayne Van Ness to the brink of a tiebreaker but surrendered a takedown with one second remaining in sudden victory to move into the consolation bracket with a 5-2 defeat. It was the first time this season that an opponent has taken Van Ness to sudden victory.
OSU heavyweight Konner Doucet also wrestled an undefeated opponent in N.C. State's No. 2 Isaac Trumble, dropping a 4-0 decision in a bout that marked Trumble's first non-bonus point win since February 6.
Three more Cowboys wrestled in the consolation brackets, as LaDarion Lockett (165 pounds), Alex Facundo (174 pounds) and Zack Ryder (184 pounds) each won in the consolation second round.
Ryder, who won with a major decision, then earned an upset, sudden victory win over No. 14 Jaden Bullock of Virginia Tech in the consolation third round to join Swiderski and Doucet in Friday night's round of 12. They each need just one more win to secure All-America honors.
Lockett and Facundo fell in decisions in their second matches of the early session, bowing out of the tournament but each still contributing to the team score.
Oklahoma State is one of four teams with at least eight wrestlers remaining in the tournament, joined by Iowa with nine, Penn State with eight and Nebraska with eight.
The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships continue through March 21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, with the fourth session scheduled to begin Friday at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships
March 20, 2026 | Rocket Arena | Cleveland, Ohio
Attendance: 17,067
Session 3 (Friday Morning)
Team Standings After Session 3 (Top 10)
1. Penn State - 105.5
2. Nebraska - 66.0
3. Oklahoma State - 64.5
4. Iowa - 50.5
5. Ohio State - 44.0
6. Michigan - 41.0
7. Iowa State - 30.5
8. Stanford - 29.0
9. Virginia Tech - 28.0
10. Wyoming - 24.5
Quarterfinals
125: No. 5 Troy Spratley (OSU) dec. No. 4 Sheldon Seymour (LEH), 8-2
133: No. 1 Jax Forrest (OSU) TF No. 8 Markel Baker (NIU), 18-3, 2:38
141: No. 2 Sergio Vega (OSU) dec. No. 7 Nasir Bailey (IOWA), 4-1
149: No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) dec. No. 8 Casey Swiderski (OSU), 5-2, SV-1
157: No. 5 Landon Robideau (OSU) dec. No. 4 Kaleb Larkin (ASU), 9-6, SV-1
197: No. 7 Cody Merrill (OSU) dec. No. 15 Remy Cotton (RUT), 8-3
HWT: No. 2 Isaac Trumble (NCST) dec. No. 7 Konner Doucet (OSU), 4-0
Consolation Second Round
165: No. 5 LaDarion Lockett (OSU) dec. No. 6 LJ Araujo (NEB), 8-3, TB-1
174: No. 8 Alex Facundo (OSU) dec. No. 23 Luca Augustine (PITT), 4-3
184: No. 22 Zack Ryder (OSU) MD No. 28 Abraham Wojcikiewicz (STAN), 10-2
Consolation Third Round
165: No. 13 Andrew Sparks (MINN) dec. No. 5 LaDarion Lockett (OSU), 10-3
174: No. 18 Colin Kelly (ILL) dec. No. 8 Alex Facundo (OSU), 2-2, TB-1
184: No. 22 Zack Ryder (OSU) dec. No. 14 Jaden Bullock (VT), 4-1, SV-1
Semifinal Bouts (Friday Night)
125: No. 5 Troy Spratley (OSU) vs. No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (PSU)
133: No. 1 Jax Forrest (OSU) vs. No. 4 Aaron Seidel (VT)
141: No. 2 Sergio Vega (OSU) vs. No. 3 Brock Hardy (NEB)
157: No. 5 Landon Robideau (OSU) vs. No. 1 PJ Duke (PSU)
197: No. 7 Cody Merrill (OSU) vs. No. 3 Stephen Little (UALR)
Consolation Fourth Round Bouts (Friday Night)
149: No. 8 Casey Swiderski (OSU) vs. No. 21 Gabe Willochell (WYO)
184: No. 22 Zack Ryder (OSU) vs. No. 8 Silas Allred (NEB)
HWT: No. 7 Konner Doucet (OSU) vs. No. 20 Dayton Pitzer (PITT)
CLEVELAND – The Oklahoma State wrestling team advanced five wrestlers to the semifinals of the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships Friday and sits in third place with 64.5 team points.
It marks the first time since 2013 OSU has had five semifinalists, and OSU, Penn State and Nebraska are the only teams with at least five this year.
OSU's semifinalists, who have secured All-America honors, include Troy Spratley at 125 pounds, Jax Forrest at 133 pounds, Sergio Vega at 141 pounds, Landon Robideau at 157 pounds and Cody Merrill at 197 pounds. All but Spratley are freshmen, surpassing the Oklahoma State record for freshman All-Americans that was set at three in 1989, and one more who could be added Friday night. Vega, Robideau and Forrest's honors also set a school record for true freshman All-Americans, and the last time Cowboys had two was in 1977.
"We've got to be ready to scrap tonight," coach David Taylor said. "It's a complete team effort. We've got to be ready to go tonight. We've still got a long way to go in this tournament, and we've got to keep it going."
Forrest, who was still in high school for the first half of this season, continued his tear through the bracket with an 18-3 technical fall over No. 8 Markel Baker of Northern Illinois in just 2:38.
All three of Forrest's matches at the tournament have ended in the first period, and his combined time of 6:41 on the mat is the shortest of all wrestlers in the championship bracket. He also has the two quickest technical falls of the event and is now on an eight-match streak of collecting bonus points. He's recorded a technical fall or fall in 14 of his 17 bouts this season.
The other Cowboy semifinalists won by decision, as Spratley upset fourth-seeded Sheldon Seymour of Lehigh, 8-2; Vega knocked off Iowa's No. 7 Nasir Bailey, 4-1; Robideau upset Arizona State's No. 4 Kaleb Larkin, 9-6, in sudden victory to avenge a rematch of this year's Big 12 championship match; and Merril cruised past No. 15 Remy Cotton of Rutgers, 8-3.
Cowboy 149-pounder Casey Swiderski nearly provided one of the biggest upsets of tournament as he took Penn State's undefeated and No. 1-seeded Shayne Van Ness to the brink of a tiebreaker but surrendered a takedown with one second remaining in sudden victory to move into the consolation bracket with a 5-2 defeat. It was the first time this season that an opponent has taken Van Ness to sudden victory.
OSU heavyweight Konner Doucet also wrestled an undefeated opponent in N.C. State's No. 2 Isaac Trumble, dropping a 4-0 decision in a bout that marked Trumble's first non-bonus point win since February 6.
Three more Cowboys wrestled in the consolation brackets, as LaDarion Lockett (165 pounds), Alex Facundo (174 pounds) and Zack Ryder (184 pounds) each won in the consolation second round.
Ryder, who won with a major decision, then earned an upset, sudden victory win over No. 14 Jaden Bullock of Virginia Tech in the consolation third round to join Swiderski and Doucet in Friday night's round of 12. They each need just one more win to secure All-America honors.
Lockett and Facundo fell in decisions in their second matches of the early session, bowing out of the tournament but each still contributing to the team score.
Oklahoma State is one of four teams with at least eight wrestlers remaining in the tournament, joined by Iowa with nine, Penn State with eight and Nebraska with eight.
The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships continue through March 21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, with the fourth session scheduled to begin Friday at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships
March 20, 2026 | Rocket Arena | Cleveland, Ohio
Attendance: 17,067
Session 3 (Friday Morning)
Team Standings After Session 3 (Top 10)
1. Penn State - 105.5
2. Nebraska - 66.0
3. Oklahoma State - 64.5
4. Iowa - 50.5
5. Ohio State - 44.0
6. Michigan - 41.0
7. Iowa State - 30.5
8. Stanford - 29.0
9. Virginia Tech - 28.0
10. Wyoming - 24.5
Quarterfinals
125: No. 5 Troy Spratley (OSU) dec. No. 4 Sheldon Seymour (LEH), 8-2
133: No. 1 Jax Forrest (OSU) TF No. 8 Markel Baker (NIU), 18-3, 2:38
141: No. 2 Sergio Vega (OSU) dec. No. 7 Nasir Bailey (IOWA), 4-1
149: No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) dec. No. 8 Casey Swiderski (OSU), 5-2, SV-1
157: No. 5 Landon Robideau (OSU) dec. No. 4 Kaleb Larkin (ASU), 9-6, SV-1
197: No. 7 Cody Merrill (OSU) dec. No. 15 Remy Cotton (RUT), 8-3
HWT: No. 2 Isaac Trumble (NCST) dec. No. 7 Konner Doucet (OSU), 4-0
Consolation Second Round
165: No. 5 LaDarion Lockett (OSU) dec. No. 6 LJ Araujo (NEB), 8-3, TB-1
174: No. 8 Alex Facundo (OSU) dec. No. 23 Luca Augustine (PITT), 4-3
184: No. 22 Zack Ryder (OSU) MD No. 28 Abraham Wojcikiewicz (STAN), 10-2
Consolation Third Round
165: No. 13 Andrew Sparks (MINN) dec. No. 5 LaDarion Lockett (OSU), 10-3
174: No. 18 Colin Kelly (ILL) dec. No. 8 Alex Facundo (OSU), 2-2, TB-1
184: No. 22 Zack Ryder (OSU) dec. No. 14 Jaden Bullock (VT), 4-1, SV-1
Semifinal Bouts (Friday Night)
125: No. 5 Troy Spratley (OSU) vs. No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (PSU)
133: No. 1 Jax Forrest (OSU) vs. No. 4 Aaron Seidel (VT)
141: No. 2 Sergio Vega (OSU) vs. No. 3 Brock Hardy (NEB)
157: No. 5 Landon Robideau (OSU) vs. No. 1 PJ Duke (PSU)
197: No. 7 Cody Merrill (OSU) vs. No. 3 Stephen Little (UALR)
Consolation Fourth Round Bouts (Friday Night)
149: No. 8 Casey Swiderski (OSU) vs. No. 21 Gabe Willochell (WYO)
184: No. 22 Zack Ryder (OSU) vs. No. 8 Silas Allred (NEB)
HWT: No. 7 Konner Doucet (OSU) vs. No. 20 Dayton Pitzer (PITT)
Players Mentioned
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