Iowa State back on top in Big 12 wrestling

TULSA, Okla. — When Kevin Dresser came to Iowa State before the 2017-18 season, he had one goal in mind.

He wanted to build on the Cyclones’ rich wrestling past and bring the program back to Big 12 and national prominence.

Phase one is complete.

Iowa State clinched its first Big 12 wrestling title since 2009 late Sunday night inside the BOK Center, crowning two champions and finishing the two-day tournament with 152.5 team points, the fourth-most in a league history and the most by an ISU team in the Big 12 era.

“That’s my charge,” Dresser told FloWrestling after Iowa State’s 17th conference championship, snapping Missouri’s two-year winning streak in the meet. “That’s what I came here to do.”

Oklahoma State finished second in the 13-team meet with 141.5 points. South Dakota State (122), Missouri (115.5) and Northern Iowa, also with two champions, rounded out the top five.

“It was a great night, a great two-day effort for us,” Dresser said.

But, he noted, it’s not over. The NCAA Championships start March 21 in Kansas City.

“We gotta get back on it,” said Dresser, named Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second time in his seven seasons. “We talk about being hungry all the time.”

ISU’s Anthony Echemendia won his first Big 12 title with a 4-2 decision over UNI’s Cael Happel at 141 pounds. Yonger Bastida was victorious in one of the most anticipate matches of the season, beating Air Force’s Wyatt Henrickson, 10-7, at heavyweight.

Bonus points were key for Iowa State throughout the tournament. The Cyclones registered six falls, six tech falls and seven major decisions for 28 extra points.

Three other Cyclones lost in the finals — Evan Frost at 133, Cody Chittum at 157 and David Carr at 165.

UNI’s Ryder Downey toppled Chittum, 5-3, and Missouri’s No. 1 Keegan O’Toole got the best of No. 2 Carr once again, 8-2.

UNI’s other champion was Parker Keckeisen at 184. Ranked first in the nation all season, Keckeisen captured his fourth consecutive NCAA berth on Saturday and became the first UNI wrestler to win four Big 12 titles.

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