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
Wyatt 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
