Mossing Takes Third, McLaughlin Qualifies for Nationals, on Final Day of Big 12 Championships

TULSA, Okla. – The Air Force Academy wrestling team finished the 2019 Big 12 Championships on a high note, as the senior co-captain duo of Alex Mossing and Anthony McLaughlin concluded the weekend with a pair of momentous accomplishments. Mossing placed third at 157 lbs., the highest placer for the Falcons in the Big 12 era, while McLaughlin earned an automatic NCAA Championships bid at 197 lbs. after taking seventh place at the weight.

Mossing finds his way onto the Big 12 podium for the third consecutive season, after taking fourth in 2017, and sixth in 2018. It is the eighth time a Falcon wrestler has placed within the top six since joining the Big 12 prior to the 2015-16 season.

Meanwhile, McLaughlin will be the 92nd Falcon wrestler to compete in the NCAA Championships. It will be his first time at the national tournament, in his final season as a collegiate wrestler.

The day began with the consolation semifinals, with Mossing repping the Blue and Silver in that round. He drew Luke Weber of NDSU, who came in as the five seed. The match was scoreless after one, but an escape and takedown gave Mossing the 3-1 lead after two. In the third, Mossing picked up the pace, getting a takedown and near fall points to secure a 10-2 major decision win, and a spot in the consolation finals.

In the consi finals, Mossing re-matched with Wyatt Sheets of Oklahoma State, who he faced in the dual earlier this season. Mossing was a man on a mission, getting two takedowns in the first period, much to the dismay of the large contingent of OSU fans in the crown. Sporting a 4-3 lead in the final period, Mossing got a third takedown, and was able to hang on for the thrilling 7-4 decision win, and the bronze finish. Mossing finishes the regular season with his first career 20-win season, piling up a team best 24 on the season.

For McLaughlin, he only had one match on the afternoon, but it was one of the biggest ones of his career. Re-matching with Jacob Seeley of Northern Colorado, who McLaughlin defeated in the dual just two weeks ago, the veteran got to work. He notched takedowns in the first and second, and racked up over 1:30 of riding time to take the 4-2 lead into the third. In the third, McLaughlin got his escape, and locked up the RT point to get the 6-2 decision win, and clinching his spot in the NCAAs.

There was one other Falcon in action this afternoon, junior Garrett O'Shea at 141 lbs. He wrestled for seventh place, and for a chance to challenge for a true sixth place match and an NCAA bid. He matched up with sixth seeded Sam Turner of Wyoming, and put up an excellent fight. A stall point and escape from Turner made it 2-0 into the third. Despite taking a majority of the shots, and picking up a stall point of his own, O'Shea dropped the match, 2-1, ending his tournament run.

Up next, McLaughlin, and any other at-large qualifiers, will descend upon Pittsburgh, Pa. for the NCAA Championships, March 21-23.

FULL RESULTS (Rankings Big 12 Seed)

125 – #8 Sidney Flores (0-2)
Prelim: Mitch Brown (Utah Valley) over #8 Sidney Flores (Dec 4-2)
Consi Rd. One: #7 Christian Moody (Oklahoma) over #8 Sidney Flores (Dec 11-5)

133 – #7 John Twomey (0-2)
Prelim: Jack Skudlarczyk (Northern Iowa) over #7 John Twomey (Dec 10-3)
Consi Rd. One: #8 Gary Joint (Fresno State) over #7 John Twomey (Dec 6-4)

141 – #7 Garrett O'Shea (1-3)
Prelim: Sawyer Degen (NDSU) over #7 Garrett O'Shea (Air Force) (Dec 6-2)
Consi Rd. One: #7 Garrett O'Shea over #8 Chris DeLoza (Fresno State) (Dec 4-2)
Consi Rd. Two: Caleb Rea (West Virginia) over #7 Garrett O'Shea (Dec 10-7)
7th Place Match: #6 Sam Turner (Wyoming) over #7 Garrett O'SHea (Dec 2-1)

149 – Alec Opsal (0-2)
Prelim: #1 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State) over Alec Opsal (MD 14-2)
Consi Rd. One: #2 Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa) over Alec Opsal (MD 12-2)

157 – #7 Alex Mossing (5-1 – Third Place)
Prelim: #7 Alex Mossing over Jordan Robison (Northern Colorado) (MD 13-3)
Quarters: #2 Jacob Wright (Fresno State) over #7 Alex Mossing (Dec 5-2)
Consi Rd. One: #7 Alex Mossing over Grant LaMont (Utah Valley) (TF 21-6)
Consi Rd. Two: #7 Alex Mossing over #6 Dewey Krueger (Wyoming) (Dec 10-4)
Consi Semis: #7 Alex Mossing over #5 Luke Weber (NDSU) (MD 10-2)
Consi Finals: #4 #7 Alex Mossing over Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State) (Dec 7-4)

165 – Jacoby Ward (1-2)
Prelim: #6 Isaiah Hokit (Fresno State) over Jacoby Ward (Dec 5-3)
Consi Rd. One: Jacoby Ward over #4 Nick Kiussis (West Virginia) (Dec 6-5)
Consi Rd. Two: Logan Schumacher (Iowa State) over Jacoby Ward (Dec 10-4)

174 – Randy Meneweather (0-2)
Prelim: #6 Lorenzo De La Riva (NDSU) over Randy Meneweather (Dec 12-7)
Consi Rd. One: #4 Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) over Randy Meneweather (Dec 11-8)

184 – Jake Thompson (0-2)
Prelim: #1 Sam Colbray (Iowa State) over Jake Thompson (Dec 7-1)
Consi Rd. One: #7 Zach Carlson (SDSU) over Jake Thompson (TF 17-0)

197 – Anthony McLaughlin (2-2 – Seventh Place – NCAA Qualifier)
Prelim: #2 Willie Miklus (Iowa State) over Anthony McLaughlin (Dec 7-3)
Consi Rd. One: Anthony McLaughlin over #8 Cale Davidson (Wyoming) (TB-2 4-3)
Consi Rd. Two: #4 Tanner Orndorff (Utah Valley) over Anthony McLaughlin (Dec 3-2)
7th Place Match: Anthony McLaughlin over #7 Jacob Seeley (Northern Colorado) (Dec 6-2)

HWT – #8 Kayne Hutchison (0-2)
Quarters: #1 Derek White (Oklahoma State) over #8 Kayne Hutchison (MD 12-3)
Consi Rd. One: Blake Wolters (SDSU) over Kayne Hutchison (Dec 11-4)

Mossing Takes Third, McLaughlin Qualifies for Nationals, on Final Day of Big 12 Championships

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Players Mentioned

Sidney Flores

Kayne Hutchison

Anthony McLaughlin

Randy Meneweather

Alex Mossing

Garrett O'Shea

Alec Opsal

Jake Thompson

John Twomey

Jacoby Ward

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