Daton Fix with Tech Fall Helps Lead Seven Oklahoma State Wrestlers into 2nd Round
This story originated with Oklahoma State University Athletic Media Relations and was added to by Pokes Report publisher Robert Allen.)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Oklahoma State advanced seven wrestlers to the second round of the championship bracket at the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships Thursday morning, marking its most wrestlers to reach the round since it also had seven in 2019. The Cowboys also had two of their winners pick up bonus points for the team score. NCAA defending champion and favorite for this championship, Penn State, suffered two losses in the first round. The race for first is still wide open.
The Cowboys are also one of just six teams that have at least seven wrestlers remaining in the championship bracket.
Troy Spratley (125 pounds), Daton Fix (133 pounds), Jordan Williams (149 pounds), Teague Travis (157 pounds), Izzak Olejnik (165 pounds), Dustin Plott (184 pounds) and Konner Doucet (heavyweight) each advanced with a win in the opening session, while Tagen Jamison (141 pounds), Brayden Thompson (174) and Luke Surber (197) moved into Thursday night’s consolation bracket.
Fix and Plott each gave the Cowboys bonus points via technical falls, with No. 1 Fix knocking off VMI’s Dyson Dunham, 17-1 in seven minutes and No. 3 Dustin Plott defeating Malachi DuVall of George Mason in five minutes, 18-2.
Fix gained his tech fall picking up needed near fall points with a count right at the end of his match. It was a dramatic move by the Oklahoma State veteran wrestler that has been to three NCAA individual finals and is looking to score his first NCAA individual championship in his final attempt.
Plott was dominant throughout his match and was able to take down his opponent, DuVall, at will. A couple of times he attempted to turn him for the fall, but it was much easier to just pile on the takedowns.
Ranked at No. 20 in his bracket, Williams provided an upset win for the Cowboys when he knocked off and nearly scored bonus points against No. 13 Caleb Rathjen of Iowa, winning 12-5.
OSU’s four other first-round winners took care of business against lower-seeded opponents as No. 6 Spratley beat No. 27 Max Gallagher of Penn, 6-0; No. 16 Travis beat No. 17 Brock Mauller of Missouri, 7-2; No. 7 Olejnik defeated No. 26 Domonic Baker of Campbell, 5-0; and No. 12 Doucet beat No. 21 Dayton Pitzer of Pittsburgh, 5-0.
Oklahoma State wrapped up the opening session with 10.0 team points to rank 10th in the team standings. It trails first-place Penn State by 5.5 points.
The 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships continue through March 23 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, with the second session scheduled to begin Thursday evening at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships
March 21, 2024 | T-Mobile Center | Kansas City, Mo.
Session I (Thursday Morning)
Team Standings After Session I (Top 10)
1. Penn State - 15.5
2. Nebraska - 14
3. Michigan - 13.5
4. Iowa State - 13
5. Ohio State - 12.5
6. Virginia Tech - 11.5
7. Cornell - 11
7. NC State - 11
9. Iowa - 10.5
10. Oklahoma State - 10
Championship First Round
125: No. 6 Troy Spratley (OSU) dec. No. 27 Max Gallagher (PENN), 6-0
133: No. 1 Daton Fix (OSU) TF No. 33 Dyson Dunham (VMI), 17-1, 7:00
141: No. 23 Danny Fongaro (IND) dec. No. 10 Tagen Jamison (OSU), 9-8
149: No. 20 Jordan Williams (OSU) dec. No. 13 Caleb Rathjen (IOWA), 12-5
157: No. 16 Teague Travis (OSU) dec. No. 17 Brock Mauller (MIZZ), 7-2
165: No. 7 Izzak Olejnik (OSU) dec. No. 26 Domonic Baker (CAMP), 5-0
174: No. 8 Adam Kemp (POLY) dec. No. 25 Brayden Thompson (OSU), 4-3
184: No. 3 Dustin Plott (OSU) TF No. 30 Malachi DuVall (GMU), 18-2, 5:00
197: No. 6 Lou Deprez (BING) dec. No. 27 Luke Surber (OSU), 6-0
HWT: No. 12 Konner Doucet (OSU) dec. No. 21 Dayton Pitzer (PITT), 5-0
Championship Second Round Bouts (Thursday Night)
125: No. 6 Troy Spratley (OSU) vs. No. 11 Cooper Flynn (VT)
133: No. 1 Daton Fix (OSU) vs. No. 16 Nic Bouzakis (OHST)
149: No. 20 Jordan Williams (OSU) vs. No. 4 Caleb Henson (VT)
157: No. 16 Teague Travis (OSU) vs. No. 1 Levi Haines (PSU)
165: No. 7 Izzak Olejnik (OSU) vs. No. 10 Cameron Amine (MICH)
184: No. 3 Dustin Plott (OSU) vs. No. 19 James Conway (FM)
HWT: No. 12 Konner Doucet (OSU) vs. No. 5 Nathan Taylor (LEH)
Only two of the Cowboys have a history with their second round opponents as Izzak Olejnik scored a 6-4 decision over Cameron Amine of Michigan in the Cliff Keen Tournament in Las Vegas. Heavyweight Konner Doucet lost a 4-3 decision to Lehigh’s Nathan Taylor in the dual with the Engineers in December.
Teague Travis has a chance to do the Cowboys and all other contending teams a favor if he can upset top seed at 157 pounds in Penn State’s Levi Haines. That would be a huge upset and would seriously hurt the Nittany Lions.
Consolation First Round Bouts (Thursday Night)
141: No. 10 Tagen Jamison (OSU) vs. No. 7 Cael Happel (UNI)
174: No. 25 Brayden Thompson (OSU) vs. No. 24 Andrew Sparks (MINN)
197: No. 27 Luke Surber (OSU) vs. No. 11 Jaxon Smith (MD)
Jamison is in trouble with the match-up to stay alive against Northern Iowa’s Cael Happel. Happel beat Jamison in the regular season with a 4-2 decision in the dual at Gallagher-Iba. Then Happel beat Jamison 4-1 two weeks ago in the Big 12 Tournament. Thompson has not met Sparks. Surber had a medical forfeit to Maryland’s Jaxon Smith in the Cliff Keen Tournament in Las Vegas.
Again, these matches begin tonight at 6 p.m. in Kansas City.