2023 Big 12 Championships

Missouri wins team title; Iowa State’s Carr pins O’Toole in battle of NCAA champs

From Missouri

TULSA, Okla. – The University of Missouri wrestling team won its 12th-consecutive conference championship by claiming the 2023 Big 12 wrestling title Sunday, March 5, at the BOK Center. The Tigers, which sandwiched three Big 12 titles around nine Mid-American Conference championships (before rejoining the Big 12 in 2022,  racked up 148 team points on their way to victory and were powered by an individual conference championship victory by sophomore Rocky Elam at 197 pounds and six total conference finalists.

All 10 wrestlers finished on the podium and will continue their seasons at the NCAA Championships based on their placements at conference championship weekend, denoting Mizzou as one of just three programs in the country to have its entire lineup automatically qualify.

The Tigers held off Oklahoma State and Iowa State, who finished second and third, respectively, on their path to claiming the team title. Mizzou started off strong in the first two sessions Saturday, holding the advantage at the conclusion of the opening sessions.

From Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State wrestlers Daton Fix and Dustin Plott won individual conference titles Sunday night as the Cowboys wrapped up the 2023 Big 12 Wrestling Championships at second place in the team standings.
OSU’s two individual championships tied for most in the tournament, and the Cowboys’ 134 team points trailed only Missouri’s final tally of 148.

Top-seeded Fix wrestled No. 3 seed Zach Redding of Iowa State for the crown at 133-pounds. Fix jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the opening period and then rode out Redding the second period to build a riding time advantage of more than three minutes. In the final period, Fix used an escape and another pair of takedowns to finish out a 10-2 major decision.

It marked his fourth bonus point win of the tournament in as many bouts, improved his overall record to 26-0 and made him the 10th wrestler in Oklahoma State history to win four conference titles. His 24.5 total team points scored at the 2023 Big 12 Championships led all wrestlers in the tournament.

With the addition of the individual titles, Oklahoma State now has 120 Big 12 champions and 295 conference champions in its wrestling history. After their performance this weekend, the Cowboys clinched nine automatic berths to the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships, including every weight except 165 pounds.

From Iowa State

Paniro Johnson and David Carr both secured individual Big 12 titles for Iowa State Sunday night inside the BOK Center. Johnson, who entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed, earned his first conference title at 149 pounds while Carr won the fourth of his career and his first at 165 pounds.

Carr is the second Iowa State wrestler, and first since 2002, to win four Big 12 titles. He becomes the 11^th wrestler in conference history to win four titles in the Big 12 era (1997-pres.).

In a highly anticipated rematch from last month, Carr pinned defending Big 12 and National Champion Keegan O’Toole in sudden victory (7:38). It is the 14^th title match in Big 12 history to be decided by fall.

Carr was named the 2023 Big 12 Championship’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, becoming the sixth Cyclone to ever receive the honor.

Big 12 Championships

March 4-5 • Tulsa, Okla.

Team Standings

Individual Placement Matches

(includes pre-NCAA automatic qualifiers per weight)

125 pounds (6)

1st — Stevo Poulin (N. Colorado) dec. Noah Surtin (Missouri), 11-4

3rd — Reece Witcraft (OK State) dec. Joey Prata (Oklahoma), 3-1 sv

5th — Jore Volk (Wyoming) dec. Tucker Owens (Air Force), 6-2

7th — Kase Mauger (Utah Valley) pinned Corey Cabanban (Iowa St.), 4:46

133 pounds (5)

1st — Daton Fix (OK State) major dec. Zach Redding (Iowa St.), 10-2

3rd — Wyatt Henson (Oklahoma) dec. Kyle Biscoglia (N. Iowa), 9-3

5th — McGwire Midkiff (N. Dakota State) won by forfeit over Connor Brown (Missouri)

7th — Cody Phippen (Air Force) pinned Garrett Ricks (Wyoming), 3:47

141 pounds (7)

1st — Andrew Alirez (N. Colorado) dec. Allan Hart (Missouri), 8-4

3rd — Clay Carlson (S. Dakota State) dec. Casey Swiderski (Iowa St.), 4-3 tb

5th — Carter Young (OK State) won by medical forfeit over Mosha Schwartz (Oklahoma)

7th — Jordan Titus (W. Virginia) dec. Job Greenwood (Wyoming), 3-1

149 pounds (7)

1st — Paniro Johnson (Iowa St.) dec. Brock Mauller (Missouri), 10-4

3rd — Mitch Moore (Oklahoma) dec. Kellyn March (N. Dakota State), 5-0

5th — Colin Realbuto (N. Iowa) dec. Victor Voinovich (OK State), 3-2

7th — Isaiah Delgado (Utah Valley) won by forfeit over Chase Zollmann (Wyoming)

157 pounds (7)

1st — Jared Franek (N. Dakota State) dec. Kaden Gfeller (OK State), 5-3

3rd — Jacob Wright (Wyoming) dec. Jason Kraisser (Iowa St.), 7-6

5th — Cael Swensen (S. Dakota State) dec. Jared Hill (Oklahoma), 5-2

7th  — Jarrett Jacques (Missouri) dec. Vinny Zerban (N. Colorado), 3-2

165 pounds (8)

1^st — David Carr (Iowa State) pinned Keegan O’Toole (Missouri), 7:38 sv

3rd — Michael Caliendo III (N. Dakota State) pinned Cole Moody (Wyoming), 3:31

5th — Austin Yant (N. Iowa) won by medical forfeit over Peyton Hall (W. Virginia)

7th — Gerrit Nijenhuis (Oklahoma) dec. Tanner Cook (S. Dakota State), 8-3

174 pounds (6)

1st — Dustin Plott (OK State) dec. Peyton Mocco (Missouri), 5-3

3rd — Cade DeVos (S. Dakota State) won by medical forfeit over Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley)

5th — Tate Picklo (Oklahoma) won by medical forfeit over Sam Wolf (Air Force)

7th — Scott Joll (W. Virginia) dec. Julien Broderson (Iowa St.), 7-4

184 pounds (4)

1st — Parker Keckeisen (N. Iowa) dec. Marcus Coleman (Iowa St.), 6-2

3rd — Travis Wittlake (OK State) dec. Colton Hawks (Missouri), 8-3

5th — Deanthony Parker Jr (N. Dakota State) dec. Noah Blake (Air Force), 5-3

7th — Cade King (S. Dakota State) won by forfeit over Keegan Moore (Oklahoma)

197 pounds (6)

1st — Rocky Elam (Missouri) dec. Tanner Sloan (S. Dakota State), 2-1 tb

3rd — Luke Surber (OK State) dec. Owen Pentz (N. Dakota State), 8-2

5th — Evan Bockman (Utah Valley) dec. Yonger Bastida (Iowa St.), 3-2

7th — Austin Cooley (W. Virginia) dec. Calvin Sund (Air Force),  8-2

Heavyweight (8)

1st — Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) dec. Sam Schuyler (Iowa St.), 8-2

3rd — Zach Elam (Missouri) dec. Tyrell Gordon (N. Iowa), 10-4

5th — Konner Doucet (OK State) won by medical forfeit over AJ Nevills (S. Dakota State)

7th — Josh Heindselman (Oklahoma) dec. Michael Wolfgram (W. Virginia), 6-4