Will there be Bedlam in Oklahoma?

One Man’s Take on the 2010 Big 12 Tournament

Only five of the twelve teams in the Big 12 Conference have wrestling programs. Despite being one of the smallest conferences they are one of the mightiest. Much like a grenade proves that a lot of dynamite can be packed into a small package, the Big 12 proves that a small conference can be home to some of the toughest men on the mat. This weekend there is a lot more than pride on the line at the Big 12 Tournament.

On paper the team to beat this year looks like Kevin Jackson’s Iowa State Cyclones. The first-year head coach looks to cap off the end of the season with a Big 12 team title and at least a top-four finish at the NCAA tournament.

The Cyclones are led into Norman, Oklahoma with five seniors suiting up in the Cardinal & Gold for the last time at their conference tournament. In hopes for a title, Nick Fanthrope will have to avenge a loss to Oklahoma State’s Jordan Oliver at 133 pounds. Two weights up at 149 Mitch Mueller will look to try and dethrone Kyle Terry, on Terry’s home mat. The Cyclone senior has yet to defeat him. Duke Burk at 174 pounds, has struggled within the conference, yet has proved in the overall NCAA to have wrestled well enough all season to qualify for the championships regardless of how things go for him Saturday.

Jake Varner looks to not only win the Big 12 title at 197 pounds, but to also be named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. Nebraska’s Craig Brester is looking to deny the three-time NCAA finalist of both honors. In a wild bracket at heavyweight that could finish in about any order where David Zabriskie will finish is anyone’s guess. While the two-time All-American seems to have last year’s NCAA champion Mark Ellis of Missouri figured out, Oklahoma State’s Jared Rosholt proves to be a large problem.

With five seniors in their starting lineup the Cyclones best chance for an individual champion beyond Varner may lie in 125 pound true freshman Andrew Long. His older brother Dylan was a four time conference champion for the University of Northern Iowa and Andrew has his sights set on doing no less in the Big 12. Returning All-American John Reader would like to give Iowa State another finalist at 165 pounds. The junior has thus far had an outstanding season with a 21-3 record, going undefeated against all of his conference opponents. Other members contributing towards the goal of a conference title are Dalton Jenson at 141, Andrew Sorenson at 157 and Jerome Ward at 184.

Although on paper Iowa State is the team to beat in the Big 12, John Smith and the Oklahoma State Cowboys have different plans. Smith is used to winning, dominating and being number one in the Big 12. Second place is not something he wants or something that he’ll settle for easily.

The Cowboys head into the Big 12 Tournament with a young team filled with potential. OSU is led by champion hopefuls Jordan Oliver at 133, Jamal Parks at 141, Neil Erisman at 157, Alex Meade at 165 pounds, and heavyweight Jared Rosholt. All will have incredibly tough roads ahead of them, but whether you look back three years ago or thirteen years ago the Cowboys have had a history of performing well in the postseason under Smith as head coach. Other wrestlers hoping to earn an invite include Chris Notte at 125, Mike Benefiel at 174, Clayton Foster at 184 and Alan Gelogaev at 197 pounds.

While most of the talk in the Big 12 centers on Iowa State and Oklahoma State, home team Oklahoma led by Jack Spates could be a darkhorse team to dethrone Oklahoma State out of what could be a second place finish. While taking the team title away from Iowa State seems almost impossible, no matter how you figure it knocking the Cowboys down a peg is not.

Going head-to-head with OSU Jarrod Patterson is 2-1 against Notte at 125, Zach Bailey is 1-1 with Parks at 141, and Shane Vernon is 1-1 with Erisman at 157 pounds. Kyle Terry seems unstoppable in his quest for a second title at 149 pounds. Tyler Caldwell is a very talented freshman with great potential for an outstanding career, but seems to be a victim of being in an incredibly tough weight class at 165 pounds. Jeff James has all American ability within his talents, but seems to have two individuals in his bracket that will keep him from a first place finish at 174 pounds.

For Oklahoma seniors Eric Lapotsky and Nathan Fernandez this is it if they want to win a Big 12 title. Wrestling at 197 pounds and heavyweight each faces the same problem as their younger teammate Caldwell, both of their weight classes are loaded with talent.

The “upset” is a term synonymous with the Big 12 tournament and the “upset” is what the Sooners will need to finish at their best. Perhaps the incentive of being on their home mat will give them the edge that they need. At the same time before Oklahoma can plan on placing in the top two they have to finish ahead of Nebraska and Missouri.

Although the Cornhuskers were hampered by the disappointing season ending injury that top rated Jordan Burroughs suffered, they still bring aboard Big 12 champion hopefuls Stephen Dwyer and Craig Brester at 174 and 197 pounds. Burroughs, the 2009 NCAA 157 pound champ, is a loss but Dwyer and Brester are returning All-Americans. Head Coach Mark Manning also hopes to see freshman Josh Inhen and junior Matt Koehnlein advance to the NCAA tournament. Both could end up as one of the biggest surprises at the Big 12’s. Heavyweight Tucker Lane is already secured a trip to nationals. The selection committee extended an invitation to all five wrestlers in the conference.

The Tigers of Missouri with head coach Kevin Smith go into the tournament the underdogs. They have something to prove and nothing to lose. Their greatest hope for an individual title lies in senior Max Askren who is looking to win his third title after missing out on one last season. While not favored to win at their respective weight classes Nick Marable at 165 and heavyweight Mark Ellis could very well walk out of Norman with titles themselves. Ellis is the defending national champion, Marable a returning All-American. Others hoping to earn a trip to Omaha for the Tigers are Todd Schavrien at 141, Pat Wright at 149, Dorian Henderson at 174 and Brent Haynes at 197 pounds.

The Big 12 as always will prove to be a fun and exciting tournament full of some spectacular wrestling. There may only be five men per bracket but rest assured the fans in attendance will be treated to some of the best wrestling that Division One has to offer.

Predictions for Team Finishes at the 2010 Big 12 Tournament