Dreams to Reality: Lockett Beats Two-Time All-American Hunter Garvin to Start His Long-Awaited OSU Career

OSU-STANFORD RECAP

STILLWATER — Dee Lockett had been waiting his whole life to run into Gallagher-Iba Arena in the orange singlet, and that dream turned to reality Friday night.

Lockett, a Stillwater High product, opened his Oklahoma State career against Stanford’s Hunter Garvin, a two-time All-American and the No. 4 guy in the country. OSU’s true freshman 165-pounder beat the redshirt junior 2-1 thanks to an impressive ride in the second period.

“I was so nervous,” Lockett said. “I don’t know, what if the hometown kid fails, ya know? But it all came together, and I know that I have the best coaches, the best partners in the world. I just gotta go out there and compete. It’s just wrestling at the end of the day, so when that whistle blew, I was all good to go.”

When Lockett hopped up on the elevated mat after his runout, he did a full spin, taking in the 7,618 in attendance.

“That was crazy. I can’t even explain it,” Lockett said. “I wrestled here in Gallagher-Iba Arena in the intermission — now I’m right after the intermission — when I was 7, 8 years old against Cael Hughes. That was like the best thing in the world. I’ve dreamed of this my whole life. Again, like I said, I just want to thank my dad because without him, none of this is possible. He pushed me every day.”

There was a particular sequence during Lockett’s second-period rideout that showed why Lockett was a blue-chip recruit.

With about 20 second left in the period, Lockett displayed his athleticism by lifting Garvin up in a high crotch in the near the center of the mat and trotting over to the edge. Then he showed great mat awareness by not running out of bounds before putting Garvin down (nearly on his back) and keeping a foot in the circle to run out the final seconds of the period.

That ride made it to where Garvin had to cut Lockett loose to start the third period, giving Lockett a 1-0 lead that was essentially a 2-0 lead with riding time. From there, the two-time All-American was unable to get a takedown.

Lockett hit a little dance and got his hand raised for the first of many times as a Cowboy.

No better introduction 🕺#GoPokes pic.twitter.com/YsteFkDcEv

— OSU Cowboy Wrestling (@CowboyWrestling) November 8, 2025

“Has there been a tougher first match of your career in wrestling?” OSU coach David Taylor said. “Just thinking about him being from Stillwater, him growing up here. Obviously Dee’s a guy that a lot of people know about, talk about, and being in your hometown and wrestling a two-time All-American.

“I remember when we scheduled Stanford, just going through in my mind like, ‘Oh, wow, this is gonna be a pretty tough match for Dee.’ But, I’m like, well what else would you want to do? Let’s go figure it out right now.”