John Smith on Big 12 Seedings and Our Big 12 Wrestling Predictions

Well new hit late yesterday, the kid Witcraft was supposed to face in the opening round has had to pull out of the tournament. If that means he simply gets the win and moves on that puts him in the 2nd round vs the 4 seed, so maybe some good news.

Also a very unheralded event but Cal Baptist is now a member of the Big XII Wrestling conference so we're up to 13 teams.

Cal Baptist replaced Fresno State (who dropped their program) for the 2022-2023 season, 12 teams.

https://calbaptist.edu/news/cbu_wrestling_accepts_conditional_membership_status_from_big_12_conference

Riverside, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2021) California Baptist University wrestling has received a letter of intent from the Big 12 Conference regarding affiliate membership starting in 2022-23.

The Big 12 is currently home to Air Force, Fresno State, Iowa State, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, South Dakota State, Utah Valley, West Virginia and Wyoming. The Lancers would give the conference 12 teams in 2022-23, as Fresno State is set to discontinue its program at the end of this season.

here is the bracket

https://okstate.com/documents/2023/3/1/2023_Big_12_Wrestling_Championship_Brackets.pdf

he was listed to wrestle Elijah Griffin, from Tulsa Cascia Hall

https://cbulancers.com/sports/wrestling/roster/elijah-griffin/8979

There must be 13 teams because there are 13 wrestlers listed in each weight class.

Destin Poke said:

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There must be 13 teams because there are 13 wrestlers listed in each weight class.

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yes, it looks like that article about Cal Baptist entering because Missouri hadn't yet joined. The CBU announcement was Feb 2021, the Missou announcement was April 2021.

in any event, it wasn't a surprise ... Cal Baptist has been in the conference all year, and it was announced a while back, but they had a "transition year" before they could officially join.

Mizzou Wrestling Program Returns To Big 12 Conference
Tigers to Compete In Big 12 Starting With 2021-22 Season
4/22/2021 2:43:00 PM

Missouri will join Big 12 legacy members Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and West Virginia along with affiliate programs Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming in the 12-team alliance. Former affiliate Fresno State eliminated wrestling after the 2020-21 season, and Cal-Baptist will join the league as the ninth affiliate member at the conclusion of its NCAA Division I transition period in 2022-23.

https://mutigers.com/news/2021/4/22/mizzou-wrestling-program-returns-to-big-12-conference.aspx