Sunday, March 7
Tulsa, Okla.
Session III (9 a.m. MT) Finals (4 p.m. MT)
Air Force Academy
vs
Big 12 Championships
Photo by: Brett Rojo/For The Big 12 Conference
Hendrickson Earns Auto NCAA Bid, Falcons Place Three at 2021 Big 12 Championships
3/7/2021 6:27:00 PM | Wrestling
The freshman heavyweight placed third at his weight class
TULSA, Okla. – The Air Force Academy wrestling team placed three wrestlers at their respective weight classes, while freshman heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson claimed an automatic bid into the 2021 NCAA Championships, on the final day of the 2021 Big 12 Wrestling Championships Saturday, March 7, at the BOK Center.
Hendrickson becomes the first freshman to qualify for nationals for AF since Josh Martinez in 2013. Martinez went on to become a four-time qualifier. The rookie, in his Big 12 debut, placed third at heavyweight, tying the highest finish for an AF wrestler in the Big 12 era.
Also placing at their weight class were senior Cody Surratt at 174, who took sixth, and sophomore Cody Phippen, who placed seventh at 125. Both became two-time placers after taking seventh and fifth, respectively, last season.
Hendrickson capped an impressive weekend, with two more wins on day two to win four in a row, all in the consolations. Beginning his day in the consolation semis, Hendrickson re-matched with #7 seeded Brandon Metz of NDSU. Just like in the dual, Hendrickson pinned Metz in the first period to clinch his auto bid and get to the consolation finals against #4 seeded Josh Heindselman of Oklahoma.
There, he knocked off the #18 nationally ranked Sooner by impressive 11-5 decision to clinch the bronze and carry a sterling 13-3 record into nationals.
Surratt also began his day in the consolation semis, but he dropped a tight 6-4 decision to #3 seeded Dustin Plott to fall into the fifth place match. He was majored there to conclude his final Big 12s with a sixth place finish. Meanwhile Phippen led off the day in the seventh place match against Jace Koelzer of UNC. Phippen got a big turn in the third period to roll to an 8-1 decision win and another podium finish.
As a team, AF finished with 32.5 points to finish in 11th overall.
The Falcons will now wait and see if any other wrestlers earn at-large selections into the NCAAs. Hendrickson, and any teammates who are also selected, will head to St. Louis for the national tournament, which is set to take place March 18-20.
FULL RESULTS (Rankings Big 12 Seed)
125 – #6 Cody Phippen (2-2) – Seventh Place
Quarters: L to #3 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Ok State) (SV-1 6-4)
Consi Rd. 1: W over McGwire Midkiff (NDSU) (Dec 4-0)
Consi Quarters: L to #7 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State) (Dec 9-6)
Seventh Place Match: W over Jace Koelzer (N. Colorado) (Dec 8-1)
133 - #4 Jared Van Vleet (0-2)
Quarters: L to #5 Mosha Schwartz (N. Colorado) (Dec 14-7)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #3 Zach Price (SDST) (Dec 8-5)
141 - #5 Lenny Petersen (0-2)
Prelim: L to Jeff Boyd (WVU) (Dec 5-4)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #6 Chris Sandoval (N. Colorado) (MD 12-4)
149 - #6 Dylan Martinez (0-2)
Quarters: L to #3 Mitch Moore (OU) (MD 11-3)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #5 Jarrett Degen (ISU) (Dec 6-2)
157 - #8 Parker Simington (1-2)
Prelim: W over Chris Gaxiola (Fresno State) (Dec 4-0)
Quarters: L to #1 David Carr (ISU) (Pin 0:46)
Consi Rd. 1: L to Cayd Lara (UNI) (MD 12-4)
165 – Vincent Dolce (0-2)
Prelim: L to #1 Travis Wittlake (Ok State) (Pin 2:10)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #7 Austin Yant (UNI) (SV-1 17-15)
174 - #5 Cody Surratt (2-3) – Sixth Place
Prelim: W over Scott Joll (WVU) (Dec 3-1)
Quarters: W over #4 Lance Runyon (UNI) (Inj. 5:12)
Semis: L to #1 Demetrius Romero (UVU) (MD 12-3)
Consi Semis: vs. L to #3 Dustin Plott (Ok State) (Dec 6-4)
Fifth Place Match: L to #8 Anthony Mantanona (OU) (MD 8-0)
184 – Jake Thompson (0-2)
Prelim: L to #5 Sam Colbray (ISU) (SV-1 3-1)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #6 Anthony Carman (WVU) (Pin 7:27)
197 - #8 Kayne Hutchison (1-2)
Prelim: W over Hunter Morse (UVU) (TF 16-1)
Quarters: L to #1 Tanner Sloan (SDST) (TF 17-0)
Consi Rd. 1: L to Jacob Seely (N. Colorado) (TF 17-1)
HWT - #6 Wyatt Hendrickson (4-1) – Third Place - Automatic NCAA Qualifier
Prelim: L to Dalton Robertson (N. Colorado) (MD 11-2)
Consi Rd. 1: W over #5 Austin Harris (Ok State) (MD 13-3)
Consi Quarters: W over Michael Wolfgram (WVU) (Dec 9-5)
Consi Semis: W over #7 Brandon Metz (NDSU) (Pin 1:48)
Third Place Match: W over #4 Josh Heindselman (OU) (Dec 11-5)
Hendrickson becomes the first freshman to qualify for nationals for AF since Josh Martinez in 2013. Martinez went on to become a four-time qualifier. The rookie, in his Big 12 debut, placed third at heavyweight, tying the highest finish for an AF wrestler in the Big 12 era.
Also placing at their weight class were senior Cody Surratt at 174, who took sixth, and sophomore Cody Phippen, who placed seventh at 125. Both became two-time placers after taking seventh and fifth, respectively, last season.
Hendrickson capped an impressive weekend, with two more wins on day two to win four in a row, all in the consolations. Beginning his day in the consolation semis, Hendrickson re-matched with #7 seeded Brandon Metz of NDSU. Just like in the dual, Hendrickson pinned Metz in the first period to clinch his auto bid and get to the consolation finals against #4 seeded Josh Heindselman of Oklahoma.
There, he knocked off the #18 nationally ranked Sooner by impressive 11-5 decision to clinch the bronze and carry a sterling 13-3 record into nationals.
Surratt also began his day in the consolation semis, but he dropped a tight 6-4 decision to #3 seeded Dustin Plott to fall into the fifth place match. He was majored there to conclude his final Big 12s with a sixth place finish. Meanwhile Phippen led off the day in the seventh place match against Jace Koelzer of UNC. Phippen got a big turn in the third period to roll to an 8-1 decision win and another podium finish.
As a team, AF finished with 32.5 points to finish in 11th overall.
The Falcons will now wait and see if any other wrestlers earn at-large selections into the NCAAs. Hendrickson, and any teammates who are also selected, will head to St. Louis for the national tournament, which is set to take place March 18-20.
FULL RESULTS (Rankings Big 12 Seed)
125 – #6 Cody Phippen (2-2) – Seventh Place
Quarters: L to #3 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Ok State) (SV-1 6-4)
Consi Rd. 1: W over McGwire Midkiff (NDSU) (Dec 4-0)
Consi Quarters: L to #7 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State) (Dec 9-6)
Seventh Place Match: W over Jace Koelzer (N. Colorado) (Dec 8-1)
133 - #4 Jared Van Vleet (0-2)
Quarters: L to #5 Mosha Schwartz (N. Colorado) (Dec 14-7)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #3 Zach Price (SDST) (Dec 8-5)
141 - #5 Lenny Petersen (0-2)
Prelim: L to Jeff Boyd (WVU) (Dec 5-4)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #6 Chris Sandoval (N. Colorado) (MD 12-4)
149 - #6 Dylan Martinez (0-2)
Quarters: L to #3 Mitch Moore (OU) (MD 11-3)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #5 Jarrett Degen (ISU) (Dec 6-2)
157 - #8 Parker Simington (1-2)
Prelim: W over Chris Gaxiola (Fresno State) (Dec 4-0)
Quarters: L to #1 David Carr (ISU) (Pin 0:46)
Consi Rd. 1: L to Cayd Lara (UNI) (MD 12-4)
165 – Vincent Dolce (0-2)
Prelim: L to #1 Travis Wittlake (Ok State) (Pin 2:10)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #7 Austin Yant (UNI) (SV-1 17-15)
174 - #5 Cody Surratt (2-3) – Sixth Place
Prelim: W over Scott Joll (WVU) (Dec 3-1)
Quarters: W over #4 Lance Runyon (UNI) (Inj. 5:12)
Semis: L to #1 Demetrius Romero (UVU) (MD 12-3)
Consi Semis: vs. L to #3 Dustin Plott (Ok State) (Dec 6-4)
Fifth Place Match: L to #8 Anthony Mantanona (OU) (MD 8-0)
184 – Jake Thompson (0-2)
Prelim: L to #5 Sam Colbray (ISU) (SV-1 3-1)
Consi Rd. 1: L to #6 Anthony Carman (WVU) (Pin 7:27)
197 - #8 Kayne Hutchison (1-2)
Prelim: W over Hunter Morse (UVU) (TF 16-1)
Quarters: L to #1 Tanner Sloan (SDST) (TF 17-0)
Consi Rd. 1: L to Jacob Seely (N. Colorado) (TF 17-1)
HWT - #6 Wyatt Hendrickson (4-1) – Third Place - Automatic NCAA Qualifier
Prelim: L to Dalton Robertson (N. Colorado) (MD 11-2)
Consi Rd. 1: W over #5 Austin Harris (Ok State) (MD 13-3)
Consi Quarters: W over Michael Wolfgram (WVU) (Dec 9-5)
Consi Semis: W over #7 Brandon Metz (NDSU) (Pin 1:48)
Third Place Match: W over #4 Josh Heindselman (OU) (Dec 11-5)
Players Mentioned
165
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
125/133
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
133
/ WrestlingWyatt Hendrickson Visit
Monday, April 07
Sam Barber Interview March 12, 2025
Wednesday, March 12
Sam Barber Interview March 5, 2025
Wednesday, March 05
Sam Barber Interview February 25, 2025
Tuesday, February 25
