Saturday, March 9
Tulsa, OK
Air Force Academy
vs
Big 12 Championships
Photo by: Marcus Rodriguez
Falcon Wrestling Punches Three Tickets to NCAA Championships
3/10/2024 11:49:00 PM | Wrestling
TULSA – At the conclusion of the 2024 Big 12 wrestling championships, three Falcons earned podium finishes and NCAA qualifications, highlighted by a championship runner-up finish by senior heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson. Hendrickson is the only Falcon to date to place top-three in the Big 12 for four years.
QUICK HITS
-Giano Petrucelli battled his way to a fifth-place finish in the 165 division, marking his first-ever Big 12 podium. He bested Jack Thomsen by major decision (14-2) to win the podium spot. Petrucelli went 4-2 in the tournament and has 22 wins heading into nationals.
-Sam Wolf finished third in the 187 division, earning his second Big 12 podium, second career NCAA qualification, and his highest Big 12 finish to date.
-Wolf went 4-1 in the tournament, three of his wins came against higher-ranked and higher-seeded opponents; (5) Will Feldkamp (ISU), and twice over (3) Bennett Berge (SDSU). Wolf has 18 wins heading into nationals, five of them over higher ranked opponents.
-Wyatt Hendrickson finished second place, becoming the first Falcon all-time to earn four Big 12 podiums (3rd, 1st, 1st, 2nd).
-Air Force tallied 45 team points to finish ninth in the field, outscoring Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, Utah Valley, and California Baptist. The 45 points marks the second-best team score since joining the Big 12 in 2016.
THE DETAILS
165: (5) Giano Petrucelli
Petrucelli entered day two with a 3-1 record from day one. He met with three-seed Peyton Hall of WVU. Hall, a 2022 NCAA All-American and three-time national qualifier, posted a technical fall over the Falcon, sending him to the fifth-place bout.
In the fifth-place bout, Petrucelli met with UNI's Jack Thomasen. Petrucelli put on a clinic, scoring a decisive major decision win (14-2) while conceding no offensive points to the Panther. Petrucelli won three Big 12 tournament matches by major decision.
174: (6) Sam Wolf
Wolf entered day two action with a 2-1 record from day one. He met with fifth-seeded Will Feldkamp of Iowa State in his first match. Feldkamp, a 2023 All-American, scored the first and last takedown; however, Wolf's takedown and nearfall handywork in between yielded an impressive 17-11 decision for the Falcon.
Wolf moved on to the third-place bout where he met with SDSU's Bennett Berge— the same Jackrabbit he bested in the quarterfinals, 4-1. Berge, nationally ranked three spots ahead of Wolf, was only able to muster escape points while Wolf tallied an escape and the match-winning takedown soon after.
285: (1) Wyatt Hendrickson
Hendrickson entered day two with a 2-0 record by way of fall and major decision. He met with second-seeded and third nationally ranked Younger Bastida of Iowa State—both wrestlers undefeated headed into the championship bout.
The heavyweight duo took the first period to find a rhythm and look for potential openings, ending the first three minutes scoreless. Hendrickson took the down position to start the second period, mounting a speedy escape. Hendrickson snatched a single leg on Bastida but the hold went awry and Bastida put Hendrickson to his back for a takedown and an additional three nearfall points. Wyatt added another escape point before the expiration of the second period. By the final whistle, Wyatt scored a takedown and was awarded a stall point, but it wasn't enough to chase the Cyclone down after a third period takedown. The match ended at 10-7 in favor of Bastida.
Hendrickson became the first Falcon all-time to earn a Big 12 podium four times. He is the fifth all-time Falcon to become a four-time NCAA qualifier.
The 2024 National Wrestling Championships take place in the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, March 21-23. Giano Petrucelli will make his first appearance, Sam Wolf will be making his second, and Wyatt Hendrickson will compete for a title for the fourth time in his Air Force career.
QUICK HITS
-Giano Petrucelli battled his way to a fifth-place finish in the 165 division, marking his first-ever Big 12 podium. He bested Jack Thomsen by major decision (14-2) to win the podium spot. Petrucelli went 4-2 in the tournament and has 22 wins heading into nationals.
-Sam Wolf finished third in the 187 division, earning his second Big 12 podium, second career NCAA qualification, and his highest Big 12 finish to date.
-Wolf went 4-1 in the tournament, three of his wins came against higher-ranked and higher-seeded opponents; (5) Will Feldkamp (ISU), and twice over (3) Bennett Berge (SDSU). Wolf has 18 wins heading into nationals, five of them over higher ranked opponents.
-Wyatt Hendrickson finished second place, becoming the first Falcon all-time to earn four Big 12 podiums (3rd, 1st, 1st, 2nd).
-Air Force tallied 45 team points to finish ninth in the field, outscoring Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, Utah Valley, and California Baptist. The 45 points marks the second-best team score since joining the Big 12 in 2016.
THE DETAILS
165: (5) Giano Petrucelli
Petrucelli entered day two with a 3-1 record from day one. He met with three-seed Peyton Hall of WVU. Hall, a 2022 NCAA All-American and three-time national qualifier, posted a technical fall over the Falcon, sending him to the fifth-place bout.
In the fifth-place bout, Petrucelli met with UNI's Jack Thomasen. Petrucelli put on a clinic, scoring a decisive major decision win (14-2) while conceding no offensive points to the Panther. Petrucelli won three Big 12 tournament matches by major decision.
174: (6) Sam Wolf
Wolf entered day two action with a 2-1 record from day one. He met with fifth-seeded Will Feldkamp of Iowa State in his first match. Feldkamp, a 2023 All-American, scored the first and last takedown; however, Wolf's takedown and nearfall handywork in between yielded an impressive 17-11 decision for the Falcon.
Wolf moved on to the third-place bout where he met with SDSU's Bennett Berge— the same Jackrabbit he bested in the quarterfinals, 4-1. Berge, nationally ranked three spots ahead of Wolf, was only able to muster escape points while Wolf tallied an escape and the match-winning takedown soon after.
285: (1) Wyatt Hendrickson
Hendrickson entered day two with a 2-0 record by way of fall and major decision. He met with second-seeded and third nationally ranked Younger Bastida of Iowa State—both wrestlers undefeated headed into the championship bout.
The heavyweight duo took the first period to find a rhythm and look for potential openings, ending the first three minutes scoreless. Hendrickson took the down position to start the second period, mounting a speedy escape. Hendrickson snatched a single leg on Bastida but the hold went awry and Bastida put Hendrickson to his back for a takedown and an additional three nearfall points. Wyatt added another escape point before the expiration of the second period. By the final whistle, Wyatt scored a takedown and was awarded a stall point, but it wasn't enough to chase the Cyclone down after a third period takedown. The match ended at 10-7 in favor of Bastida.
Hendrickson became the first Falcon all-time to earn a Big 12 podium four times. He is the fifth all-time Falcon to become a four-time NCAA qualifier.
The 2024 National Wrestling Championships take place in the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, March 21-23. Giano Petrucelli will make his first appearance, Sam Wolf will be making his second, and Wyatt Hendrickson will compete for a title for the fourth time in his Air Force career.
Players Mentioned
Sam Barber Interview - November 18th, 2025
Tuesday, November 18
Wyatt Hendrickson Visit
Monday, April 07
Sam Barber Interview March 12, 2025
Wednesday, March 12
Sam Barber Interview March 5, 2025
Wednesday, March 05
