Five Thoughts on Oklahoma State’s Second Day at the NCAA Championships

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Three Cowboys will wrestle for a national title on Saturday night, and three others will finish on the podium. It’s been an awesome few days for Oklahoma State wrestling.

Troy Spratley, Dean Hamiti and Wyatt Hendrickson all made it to the finals and will look to be the Cowboys’ first national champion since AJ Ferrari in 2021. Dustin Plott, Caleb Fish and Cameron Amine also became All-Americans and will wrestle Saturday morning.

The Cowboys sit third in the team standings with 91 points. Penn State leads at 135.5, and Nebraska is second with 101.5. The Cornhuskers also have three in the finals (how team scoring works).

Here are five thoughts on Day 2.

1. Dean Freaking Hamiti

Dean Hamiti and Levi Haines was one of the most hyped semifinal possibilities, and it was phenomenal.

Hamiti beat Penn State’s Haines 4-2 thanks to a slick ankle pick in the first period. The match was great, as both guys threatened to score throughout but both matched awesome offense with awesome defense.

174 Semifinal | No. 3 Dean Hamiti (Oklahoma State) defeats No. 2 Levi Haines (Penn State), 4-2. pic.twitter.com/APELQf53YH

— Saturday Night Lights (@WrestlingSNL) March 22, 2025

Hamiti will get a rematch with Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole in the final. O’Toole beat Hamiti with a takedown in sudden-victory in the Big 12 final.

If Hamiti wins Saturday night, he will have gone through a national champion in the semifinal and a two-time national champion in the final. It would be legendary, and it’s made all the more cool with how smooth he wrestles.

2. A Match Worthy of a Heavyweight Title

Wyatt Hendrickson vs. Gable Steveson — two ridiculously athletic big dudes will do battle for a national title. What a site to behold.

Hendrickson beat Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet (the 2024 national champ) 8-2 in the semis. The match avenged a 2023 NCAA tournament loss Hendrickson suffered to the Nittany Lion. Hendrickson scored takedowns in the first and third periods. It didn’t ever really feel like he was in much danger.

Second Lieutenant 🫡

(2) Wyatt Hendrickson of @CowboyWrestling takes down defending national champion (3) Greg Kerkvliet, advancing to the heavyweight finals. #NCAAWrestling x 🎥 ESPN2/ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/HUwYI0XYpQ

— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling) March 22, 2025

Steveson will be the heavy favorite in the heavyweight final. He’s an Olympic champion. To get to the final, Steveson pinned his first opponent; disqualified his second opponent because his opponent got too many stall calls; teched his quarterfinal opponent; and majored his semifinal opponent.

3. Spratley Gets a Rematch with Robinson

Troy Spratley started the night off hot for the Cowboys, winning a close match against Eddie Ventresca in the semifinals.

It went to tiebreakers, where Ventresca almost instantly escaped from under Spratley, but now needing a takedown, Spratley was quick to get one. He took some stalling calls in the next frame, but won the match 6-4.

So the one they call Spark Plug will now wrestle NC State’s Vincent Robinson for a national title on Saturday night. The two wrestled in a dual in January, where Robinson won 7-3.

Spratley’s semi might’ve been a tight one, but he has looked as good as he has all season this weekend. It should make for a fun final.

4. Carter Starocci Is Quite Good

Dustin Plott had a shot at disrupting history on Friday night, but four-time national champ Carter Starocci would not be denied.

Starocci beat Plott 9-3. The Penn State wrestler is looking to become the sport’s first five-time champion. His defense is tremendous, as any time Plott tried to get in on a leg, Starocci would stuff it.

The 184-pound weight class is stacked. On the other side of the bracket Parker Keckeisen beat 3 seed Max McEnelly 4-1 after a wild scramble in sudden-victory. It’s a shame Plott won’t get a national title for as good as he is, but there is such a high level of competition at the weight.

Plott still has a chance at third. He gets 6 seed Chris Foca (Cornell) in the consolation semis and would likely see McEnelly in a third-place bout. McEnelly took Starocci to sudden-victory in the Big Ten finals.

5. What a Night for the Pokes

The Cowboys have six All-Americans for the first time since 2021 and three OSU wrestlers are wrestling for a national championship on Saturday night. The Cowboys are coming.

OSU could still get second (Nebraska is having a heck of a tournament), but even if it doesn’t, it’s been a year where the Cowboys are nationally competitive. It’s been an great first year for OSU with David Taylor, but just how great will it be?

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