2023 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

2023 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
March 16-18, BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

2023 NCAA CHAMIONSHIP QUALIFIERS
125: (33) Tucker Owens (Fr., 24-12)

133: (23) Cody Phippen (Sr., 18-6)

149: (31) Dylan Martinez (Sr., 19-11)

174: (16) Sam Wolf (Jr., 13-2)

285: (2) Wyatt Hendrickson (Jr., 26-1)

(#) Tournament Seed

FALCONS IMPACT THE RECORD BOOK AT BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
-Air Force tallied a program best 64.5 team points for an eighth-place finish; 57.5 of which were collected in the first day, surpassing total tournament efforts from all previous seasons.

-Seven Falcons made their way to the Big 12 podium, the most by any AF team to date—more than doubling the place-winners of any previous single season.

-Wyatt Hendrickson outscored the Big 12's top heavyweights, 36-6, in three matches. Hendrickson posted a major decision over No. 13 AJ Nevills (SDSU), a technical fall over No. 20 Konner Doucet (OK St.) and a convincing decision over No. 8 Sam Schuyler (ISU) in the finals.

-Tucker Owens earned an automatic qualification to the NCAA Tournament, the first time a freshman 125-pounder has accomplished the feat since 2013.

-Sam Wolf battled to a sixth-place finish and his first official NCAA Tournament berth. Last season, Wolf was an alternate for the 174 division.

HENDRICKSON EYEING MOST DOMINANT
Wyatt Hendrickson has 14 pins this season and has delivered bonus points in all dual meets. With three majors and three technical falls included on his total tally, Hendrickson is .919 in bonus point wins this season. He has delivered the Falcons 67 points in dual action.

CHASING NATIONAL CHAMPION
Air Force has had one NCAA National Champion in program history in Don Henderson. A three-time MIWA champion, Henderson won the title at 145 pounds in 1967.

EYES ON ALL-AMERICA
The Air Force wrestling program boasts a proud history, with eight different wrestlers earning All-America accolades a combined 11 times.

Terry Issacson became the Falcons' first All-American, finishing second at 167 pounds in 1962. He backed up that performance with a fourth-place finish in 1963 and a sixth-place finish in 1964, becoming Air Force's first and only three-time All-American.

Twins Ken and Kirt Donaldson were next to garner All-America honors in 1971. Ken became the next runner-up, finishing second at 126 pounds, while Kirt took fifth place at 118 pounds that season. Four years later, Bob Orwig became the next All-American, finishing fifth at 190 pounds.

It was almost 30 years before another Air Force wrestler would earn All-America honors, but the Falcons came on strong in 2002. Three Air Force wrestlers finished as All-Americans that year. Scott Frohardt (149) and Kevin Hoy (HWT) took eighth place, while and Terry Parham (174) finished seventh.

Hoy had an even more impressive finish in 2003, placing second. He became just the third national runner-up in Air Force history, and just the second wrestler to earn All-America accolades in more than one season.

LAST TIME AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Fifth-seeded Wyatt Hendrickson went 2-2 on the event, falling just shy of All-America status.

(5) Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) over (28) Michael McAleavey (Citadel), pin (2:04)
(12) Christian Lance over (5) Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force), 5-4 decision
(5) Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) over (22) AJ Nevills (South Dakota State), 13-1 major decision
(13) Tanner Orndorff (tOSU) over (5) Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force), 9-5 decision

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Wyatt Hendrickson

Dylan Martinez

Tucker Owens

Cody Phippen

Sam Wolf

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