Saturday, March 9
Tulsa, OK
All Day
Air Force Academy
vs
Big 12 Championships
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Wrestling Prepped for 2019 Big 12 Championships
3/6/2019 4:10:00 PM | Wrestling
Air Force's starters will fight for a spot on the podium, as well as an automatic bid into the NCAA Championships.
Big 12 Championships
Saturday-Sunday | March 9-10
Tulsa, Okla. | BOK Center
THIS WEEK: The Air Force Academy wrestling team sends its top 10 wrestlers to the 2019 Big 12 Championships, held Saturday and Sunday, March 9-10 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. The starters at each of the 10 weight classes will fight for a spot on the podium, as well as one of the coveted automatic bids into the NCAA Championships.
THE SCHEDULE: Action in Tulsa begins with prelim and quarterfinal matches starting at 10 a.m MT on Saturday, followed by the evening session of semifinals and consolations starting at 4 p.m. MT. On Sunday, consolations continue at 11 a.m. MT, while the finals will take place at 6 p.m. MT.
FOLLOWING THE ACTION: The Championships will streamed online through FloWrestling ($). Live results will also be available for free through FloArena. Fans can also follow along on Twitter, @AFAWrestling.
THE FIELD: The Big 12 Championships includes each of the 12 teams in the conference, which are full time Big 12 members No. 15 Iowa State, Oklahoma, No. 2 Oklahoma State and West Virginia, along with affiliate members, Fresno State, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, No. 14 Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley, and No. 11 Wyoming.
THE SEEDS: The Big 12 Conference announced the pre-seeding for all 10 weight classes Monday, March. 4, for the Big 12 Championships. Air Force has five of 10 starters within the top eight, while the other five did not receive a ranking, and were therefore being paired randomly for their first round matchup.
125: Sidney Flores - 8th
133: John Twomey - 7th
141: Garrett O'Shea - 7th
149: Alec Opsal - NR
157: Alex Mossing - 7th
165: Jacoby Ward - NR
174: Randy Meneweather - NR
184: Jake Thompson - NR
197: Anthony McLaughlin - NR
HWT: Kayne Hutchison - 8th
The pre-seeds were voted into their positions by the leagues 12 head coaches and are subject to change. Final seeds will be confirmed at Friday's pre-championship coaches meeting.
BIG 12 NCAA ALLOCATIONS: The Big 12 Conference received the second-most NCAA Allocations with 53 across the 10 weight classes. Here's how each weight stacks up:
125: 5 allocations
133: 5 allocations
141: 6 allocations
149: 7 allocations
157: 1 allocation
165: 6 allocations
174: 5 allocations
184: 5 allocations
197: 7 allocations
HWT: 6 allocations
LAST SEASON AT BIG 12s: Last season at the Big 12 Championships, the Falcons had two podium finishers with then-senior Dane Robbins taking fifth at 149 lbs. and senior Alex Mossing placing sixth at 157 lbs.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY: Since joining the league prior to the 2015-16 season, the Falcons have placed seven wrestlers within the top-six of their respective weight classes. Air Force had two in 2018, three in 2017, and two in 2016. Air Force's highest placer was Alex Mossing when he took fourth at 157 lbs. in 2017. Mossing is the only current Falcon wrestler to have placed at Big 12s, having done so twice (6th 2018, 4th 2017).
THREE FALCONS IN COACHES PANEL: The third of four NCAA Coaches Panel rankings were released, and there were three Air Force grapplers within the top-33 of their respective weight classes. Freshman Sidney Flores is 26th at 125 lbs, senior Alex Mossing is 28th at 157 lbs., and senior Anthony McLaughlin is 30th at 197 lbs. All three have been ranked within the top-33 in the prior two Coaches rankings as well.
REGULAR SEASON IN REVIEW: Air Force finished the regular season with a 7-6 dual mark and a 3-5 conference dual record. This marks the fifth straight season Air Force has finished .500 or better in duals. The Falcons also defeated two teams that were at one point ranked in the top-25 (Fresno State & Utah Valley), while five of the six dual defeats came against opponents ranked in the top-25.
NEXT UP: The Falcon wrestlers who qualify for the 2019 NCAA Championships will head to Pittsburgh, Pa. to compete alongside the nations best, March 21-23.
Saturday-Sunday | March 9-10
Tulsa, Okla. | BOK Center
THIS WEEK: The Air Force Academy wrestling team sends its top 10 wrestlers to the 2019 Big 12 Championships, held Saturday and Sunday, March 9-10 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. The starters at each of the 10 weight classes will fight for a spot on the podium, as well as one of the coveted automatic bids into the NCAA Championships.
THE SCHEDULE: Action in Tulsa begins with prelim and quarterfinal matches starting at 10 a.m MT on Saturday, followed by the evening session of semifinals and consolations starting at 4 p.m. MT. On Sunday, consolations continue at 11 a.m. MT, while the finals will take place at 6 p.m. MT.
FOLLOWING THE ACTION: The Championships will streamed online through FloWrestling ($). Live results will also be available for free through FloArena. Fans can also follow along on Twitter, @AFAWrestling.
THE FIELD: The Big 12 Championships includes each of the 12 teams in the conference, which are full time Big 12 members No. 15 Iowa State, Oklahoma, No. 2 Oklahoma State and West Virginia, along with affiliate members, Fresno State, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, No. 14 Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley, and No. 11 Wyoming.
THE SEEDS: The Big 12 Conference announced the pre-seeding for all 10 weight classes Monday, March. 4, for the Big 12 Championships. Air Force has five of 10 starters within the top eight, while the other five did not receive a ranking, and were therefore being paired randomly for their first round matchup.
125: Sidney Flores - 8th
133: John Twomey - 7th
141: Garrett O'Shea - 7th
149: Alec Opsal - NR
157: Alex Mossing - 7th
165: Jacoby Ward - NR
174: Randy Meneweather - NR
184: Jake Thompson - NR
197: Anthony McLaughlin - NR
HWT: Kayne Hutchison - 8th
The pre-seeds were voted into their positions by the leagues 12 head coaches and are subject to change. Final seeds will be confirmed at Friday's pre-championship coaches meeting.
BIG 12 NCAA ALLOCATIONS: The Big 12 Conference received the second-most NCAA Allocations with 53 across the 10 weight classes. Here's how each weight stacks up:
125: 5 allocations
133: 5 allocations
141: 6 allocations
149: 7 allocations
157: 1 allocation
165: 6 allocations
174: 5 allocations
184: 5 allocations
197: 7 allocations
HWT: 6 allocations
LAST SEASON AT BIG 12s: Last season at the Big 12 Championships, the Falcons had two podium finishers with then-senior Dane Robbins taking fifth at 149 lbs. and senior Alex Mossing placing sixth at 157 lbs.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY: Since joining the league prior to the 2015-16 season, the Falcons have placed seven wrestlers within the top-six of their respective weight classes. Air Force had two in 2018, three in 2017, and two in 2016. Air Force's highest placer was Alex Mossing when he took fourth at 157 lbs. in 2017. Mossing is the only current Falcon wrestler to have placed at Big 12s, having done so twice (6th 2018, 4th 2017).
THREE FALCONS IN COACHES PANEL: The third of four NCAA Coaches Panel rankings were released, and there were three Air Force grapplers within the top-33 of their respective weight classes. Freshman Sidney Flores is 26th at 125 lbs, senior Alex Mossing is 28th at 157 lbs., and senior Anthony McLaughlin is 30th at 197 lbs. All three have been ranked within the top-33 in the prior two Coaches rankings as well.
REGULAR SEASON IN REVIEW: Air Force finished the regular season with a 7-6 dual mark and a 3-5 conference dual record. This marks the fifth straight season Air Force has finished .500 or better in duals. The Falcons also defeated two teams that were at one point ranked in the top-25 (Fresno State & Utah Valley), while five of the six dual defeats came against opponents ranked in the top-25.
NEXT UP: The Falcon wrestlers who qualify for the 2019 NCAA Championships will head to Pittsburgh, Pa. to compete alongside the nations best, March 21-23.
Players Mentioned
125
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
157/165
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