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Jumping from one season to the next comes with its line up changes and depth chart shuffles. With seniors graduating and recruits/transfers coming in and out, among other changes, teams will be looking to improve their roster. In a series of articles, I will be breaking down individual wrestlers within each weight class and where they stand inside the Big 12 Conference.
165lbs Conference Overview:
The 165lbs weight class will be returning five of its top eight Big 12 placer’s from the 2021-22 season. Three of the returning starters have made it onto the podium at the NCAA Championships while two others have only qualified. With eight of the twelve returning for the upcoming season: Oklahoma, Air Force, Northern Colorado, and North Dakota State will be looking at new faces to fill their lineups for the upcoming season.
The 165lb weight class runs through Columbia Missouri. Keegan O’Toole is the returning conference champ and NCAA champ at 165lbs. The next capable opponents behind him come from Oklahoma State and West Virginia. The rest of the class will be battling out for the final spots on their way to the Big 12 podium and an NCAA bid.
Anticipated Big 12 Matchup:
Keegan O’Toole (MIZ) vs. Travis Wittlake (OKST)
- O’Toole and Wittlake have matched up twice during their time in the Big 12. Each match between the two has been decided by a 3-2 decision and a 4-3 decision with O’Toole coming out ahead both times.
165lbs Sleeper:
Michael Caliendo (NDSU)
- Caliendo will be entering his first year as a starter for the Bison and will have an opportunity to make some noise with some lineup shuffling in the 165lbs weight class. He enters the new season after spending his redshirt year going 14-2 wrestling unattached. Caliendo has wins over current Big 12 medalist Austin Yant (UNI) and Tanner Cook (SDSU)
Returning 2021-22 Starters:
Keegan O’Toole (So.) - Missouri - NCAA Championship Seed: 2 - Record: 25-0
Finished the season with a 11-0 conference record and a first place conference finish in the 21-22 season. O’Toole has now won 18 straight conference matchups and has yet to lose to within the Big 12. He is a two time All-American taking home third in 2021. Keegan ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 5-0 and winning the first national title of his collegiate career defeating No. 5 Shane Griffith (Stanford) by decision (6-5).
Peyton Hall (So.) - West Virginia - NCAA Championship Seed: 9 - Record: 28-6
Finished the season with a 10-3 conference record and a second place conference finish in the 21-22 season. Hall is a two time NCAA qualifier and will be coming off his first All-American finish (8th). He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 3-3 getting defeated by decision (3-2) to No. 7 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) in the seventh place match.
Austin Yant (Sr.) - UNI - NCAA Championship Seed: 15 - Record: 19-8
Finished the season with a 13-3 conference record and a third place conference finish in the 21-22 season. Yant is a two time NCAA qualifier and has reached the round of 16 once. He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 2-2 getting knocked out by decision (7-2) to No. 8 Philip Cogniliaro (Harvard) in the third round consolation.
Travis Wittlake (Jr.) - Record: 9-7
Finished the season with a 6-4 conference record and did not place in the Big 12 Conference Championship in the 21-22 season. Wittlake will be on the mend from an injury riddled season which masked his talents in the previous season. He is a two time NCAA qualifier and one time All-American (4th in 2021).
Isaac Judge (Jr.) - Iowa State - Record: 18-14
Finished the season with a 8-9 conference record and a sixth place conference finish in the 21-22 season.
Tanner Cook (Jr.) - South Dakota State - Record: 20-11
Finished the season with a 10-8 conference record and a seventh place conference finish in the 21-22 season.
Cooper Voorhees (So.) - Wyoming - Record: 23-12
Finished the season with a 7-8 conference record and did not place in the Big 12 Conference Championship in the 21-22 season. Voorhees was bumped into the starting job after teammate Cole Moody was forced out due to an injury.
Daniel Snediker (So.) - Utah Valley - Record: 7-7
Finished the season with a 2-5 conference record and did not place in the Big 12 Conference Championship in the 21-22 season.
Other Potential Starters:
Michael Caliendo (Fr.) - North Dakota State
- #52 Overall Recruit in 2021 (FloWrestling)
- Projected starter at 165lbs
Troy Mantanona (Jr.) - Oklahoma
- Projected starter at 165lbs
Baylor Fernandes (So.) - Northern Colorado
- Returning from medical redshirt
- Projected starter at 165lbs
Cole Moody (Jr.) - Wyoming
- Suffered season ending injury
- 1x NCAA Qualifier (2021)
- Was 10-3 prior to injury
Jack Ganos (So.) - Air Force
- #83 Overall Recruit in 2021 (FloWrestling)
- Projected starter at 165lbs
Departures:
Luke Weber - North Dakota State
Joe Grello - Oklahoma
Nick Knutson - Northern Colorado
Trey Brisker - Air Force
Notable Recruits: (FloWrestling, MatScouts)
Jordan Williams- Oklahoma State:
- #12 Overall Recruit (FloWrestling)
- #10 Overall Recruit (MatScout)
- 3x High School State Champion (Oklahoma)
MJ Gaitan- Iowa State:
- #17 Overall Recruit (FloWrestling)
- #14 Overall Recruit (MatScout)
John Wiley- Oklahoma:
- #41 Overall Recruit (FloWrestling)
- #33 Overall Recruit (MatScout)
- 4x High School State Medalist (2x Champ) (Oklahoma)
Early Big 12 Tournament Prediction:
- Keegan O’Toole (Miz)
- Travis Wittlake (OKST)
- Peyton Hall (WVU)
- Austin Yant (UNI)
- Michael Caliendo (NDSU)
- Tanner Cook (SDSU)
- Cole Moody (WYO)
- Jack Ganos (AF)
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