Friday, March 6
Tulsa, Okla.
11 a.m./6 p.m.
West Virginia University
vs
Big 12 Wrestling Championships
Mountaineers Head to Tulsa for 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships
March 05, 2026 02:47 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University wrestling team competes in the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships presented by Allstate on March 6-7, at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The first session begins at 11 a.m. ET and the second starts at 6 p.m. on Friday. The third session is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the final session begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday. All sessions will be streamed on ESPN+.
West Virginia (11-5, 5-3 Big 12) heads to Tulsa after accomplishing its best regular season under head coach Tim Flynn. In his eighth season at the helm, the Mountaineers won their most duals since 2014, most Big 12 matches since joining the conference and defeated three ranked opponents for the first time under Flynn.
WVU also finished No. 16 in the final National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll, marking the third consecutive season the team is ranked in the final poll.
West Virginia's lineup at the Big 12 Championships is highlighted by two defending conference champions in graduate student Jett Strickenberger (125) and redshirt sophomore Ty Watters (157). Strickenberger won his first career title last season at 125 pounds, while Watters took home the title at 149 pounds in 2024.
Along with Strickenberger and Watters, there are four other Mountaineers in the lineup who have placed at the conference championship. Oklahoma transfer graduate student Willie McDougald placed as high as second in 2022 to highlight three trips to Tulsa that ended on the podium.
Redshirt senior Jordan Titus has placed three times at the conference championship, including sixth last season at 141 pounds. Redshirt juniors Brody Conley (174) and Ian Bush (184) also make return appearances, with Conley placing fifth in 2024, and Bush finishing fourth at 197 pounds last year.
Six Mountaineers earned seeds in their respective weight classes. Strickenberger leads the team as the No. 3 seed at 125 pounds.
West Virginia's Projected Lineup (w/ opening matchups)
125: No. 3 Jett Strickenberger vs. Bryson Valdez (Northern Colorado)
133: No. 4 Gunner Andrick vs. No. 5 Julian Farber (Northern Iowa) OR Carter Schmidt (Oklahoma)
141: Jordan Titus vs. No. 8 Jesse Vasquez (California Baptist)
149: Willie McDougald vs. No. 1 Casey Swiderski (Oklahoma State)
157: No. 4 Ty Watters vs. Drayden Morton (California Baptist)
165: Sasha Gavronsky vs. No. 2 Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa)
174: No. 7 Brody Conley vs. Max Magayna (NDSU)
184: No. 4 Ian Bush vs. No. 5 Nick Fox (UNI) OR Mahroni Rushton (Northern Colorado)
197: No. 7 Rune Lawrence vs. No. 2 Joey Novak (Wyoming) OR Eli Sheeren (CBU)
HWT: Brock Kehler vs. No. 1 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State)
The first session begins at 11 a.m. ET and the second starts at 6 p.m. on Friday. The third session is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the final session begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday. All sessions will be streamed on ESPN+.
WVU also finished No. 16 in the final National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll, marking the third consecutive season the team is ranked in the final poll.
West Virginia's lineup at the Big 12 Championships is highlighted by two defending conference champions in graduate student Jett Strickenberger (125) and redshirt sophomore Ty Watters (157). Strickenberger won his first career title last season at 125 pounds, while Watters took home the title at 149 pounds in 2024.
Along with Strickenberger and Watters, there are four other Mountaineers in the lineup who have placed at the conference championship. Oklahoma transfer graduate student Willie McDougald placed as high as second in 2022 to highlight three trips to Tulsa that ended on the podium.
Redshirt senior Jordan Titus has placed three times at the conference championship, including sixth last season at 141 pounds. Redshirt juniors Brody Conley (174) and Ian Bush (184) also make return appearances, with Conley placing fifth in 2024, and Bush finishing fourth at 197 pounds last year.
Six Mountaineers earned seeds in their respective weight classes. Strickenberger leads the team as the No. 3 seed at 125 pounds.
West Virginia's Projected Lineup (w/ opening matchups)
125: No. 3 Jett Strickenberger vs. Bryson Valdez (Northern Colorado)
133: No. 4 Gunner Andrick vs. No. 5 Julian Farber (Northern Iowa) OR Carter Schmidt (Oklahoma)
141: Jordan Titus vs. No. 8 Jesse Vasquez (California Baptist)
149: Willie McDougald vs. No. 1 Casey Swiderski (Oklahoma State)
157: No. 4 Ty Watters vs. Drayden Morton (California Baptist)
165: Sasha Gavronsky vs. No. 2 Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa)
174: No. 7 Brody Conley vs. Max Magayna (NDSU)
184: No. 4 Ian Bush vs. No. 5 Nick Fox (UNI) OR Mahroni Rushton (Northern Colorado)
197: No. 7 Rune Lawrence vs. No. 2 Joey Novak (Wyoming) OR Eli Sheeren (CBU)
HWT: Brock Kehler vs. No. 1 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State)
Players Mentioned
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