Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
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Cowboys Host No. 5 NC State for Top-Five Tilt
January 10, 2025 | Cowboy Wrestling
The Basics
The No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling team (7-0 overall; 4-0 Big 12) hosts its first top-five matchup of the David Taylor era as No. 5 NC State heads to Stillwater on Sunday, January 12. In their last action, the Cowboys won nine of 10 matches and scored bonus points seven times to cruise past Air Force, 43-6, setting the stage for this weekend's meeting of undefeated squads.
On the Air
Sunday's dual is scheduled for a 2 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
Oklahoma State and NC State have only met nine times over the years, with OSU holding an 8-1 advantage in those matchups. Despite the limited history, the Cowboy-Wolfpack series has produced several memorable results, including last season's meeting in Raleigh on January 5. The Cowboys entered that dual as underdogs compared to NC State's No. 4 ranking but won seven of 10 matches to steal the 22-12 victory. Another significant moment came in 2018 when the two teams faced each other in Naples, Italy, marking the first NCAA wrestling dual ever held overseas. Oklahoma State squeaked out a 19-16 win in that top-five matchup as well. Former Cowboy wrestler and current Wolfpack head coach Pat Popolizio is 1-7 in eight tries against his alma mater between stops at Binghamton and NC State. His win in 2015 was the only defeat John Smith ever suffered against one of his former 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 skyrocketed ever since, especially after OSU's impressive 7-0 start to the dual season and dominant performance at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Most recently, Oklahoma State put on a show in its 43-6 win over Air Force, claiming nine of 10 matches and earning bonus points seven times. That performance also extended Oklahoma State's streak of scoring 30+ team points to seven straight duals, which is tied for the program's second-longest stretch to ever begin a season. At the CKLV Invitational in December, the Cowboys ran through the field and took first with 192 points, just shy of the record total set by OSU in 1983 (198.25). Ranked third as a team by the NWCA Coaches Poll, the OSU lineup features seven wrestlers ranked in the top eight 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 wins in 10 of his first 11 matches, including a 19-6 major decision over OU's DJ Parker to become the 46th wrestler in program history with 100 career victories. Newcomers Dean Hamiti Jr. and Wyatt Hendrickson have both made an immediate impact in their first year as Cowboys, holding undefeated records and ranking third in the country at their respective weights. Currently, Oklahoma State's highest-ranked wrestler is 125-pounder Troy Spratley, who resides at No. 2 in the weight and is off to a tremendous start with three top-five wins as part of his 12-1 record. Up to No. 4 at 141 pounds is Tagen Jamison, who beat two top-10 opponents throughout the month of December. Altogether, half of Oklahoma State's starting lineup was ranked in the top five by InterMat on Tuesday.
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 with three All-America finishes under his belt, while Luke Surber's strong 13-1 start has pushed him up to No. 7 at 197 pounds. Reece Witcraft has scored bonus points in all four dual starts to help stabilize the 133-pound spot, a similar story to 157-pounder Caleb Fish, who stepped into the starting role at the CKLV Invitational and leads the team with 136 career matches of experience.
An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Make OSU 8-0 overall; 5-0 against ranked opponents; 5-0 at home
• Improve OSU's record against NC State to 9-1 and 4-1 in Stillwater
• Give David Taylor his first win over a top-five opponent as a head coach
• Mark OSU's fourth win over a top-five opponent since the start of 2024
• Make OSU 17-1 in its past 18 duals against ranked opponents
• Give OSU wins in 18 of its last 19 duals at Gallagher-Iba Arena
• Improve OSU's record to 38-4 in its past 42 duals overall
• Extend OSU's win streak against current ACC members to 12 and make it 15-1 in its last 16 such duals
Players Mentioned
