A breakdown of individual wrestlers inside the Big 12 Conference at the 157lbs weight class and where they stand going into the 2022-23 wrestling season.
Jumping from one season to the next comes with its lineup 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.
157lbs Conference Overview:
The 157lbs weight class will be returning seven of its top eight Big 12 placer’s from the 2021-22 season. Four of the returning starters have qualified for the NCAA Championship multiple times and only one has made it onto the podium. While a majority of the weight class is back for the upcoming season, there are a few teams that will be looking for new faces to fill their lineups for the upcoming season.
At 157lbs, David Carr ultimately stands alone atop the class. Carr has yet to lose a match to a conference opponent and there is no indication he will. Dropping in behind Carr is Jared Franek. Franek, believe it or not, has only lost to one other wrestler inside the Big 12 (Wyatt Sheets, David Carr) and he just moved on from his wrestling career. The rest of this weight class is going to be interesting to watch pan out over the rest of the season with potential freshmen stepping in to make a household name for themselves among others.
Anticipated Big 12 Matchups:
David Carr (ISU) vs. Jared Franek (NDSU)
- David Carr currently owns this series 6-0 but only one match has been decided by more than a decision. The most recent matchup between Carr and Franek was decided by a one-point decision during the 21-22 NCAA Championship.
157lbs Sleeper:
Willie McDougald (OU)
- McDougald could be moving up a weight class for the coming season. After his first two seasons at 149 and his first NCAA appearance, we could see a bulkier version of this Sooner step in a make some noise in a heavier division.
Returning 2021-22 Starters:
David Carr (Jr.) – Iowa State – NCAA Championship Seed: 1 – Record: 28-1
Carr is a three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American, and was the defending national champ from the 2020-21 season. The 2022 NCAAs saw him get upset in Champ Round two, before battling his way through the backside to reach the medal rounds. Carr finished the season with a 13-0 conference record and a first-place conference finish in the 21-22 season. He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 7-1 defeating No. 10 Peyton Robb (Nebraska) by decision (7-2) in the third-place match.
Jared Franek (Jr.) – North Dakota State – NCAA Championship Seed: 6 – Record: 26-5
Finished the season with a 10-3 conference record and a second-place conference finish in the 21-22 season. Franek’s three conference losses all came from David Carr (ISU). He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship by going 2-2 getting knocked out by decision (4-3) to No. 1 David Carr (Iowa State) in the fourth-round consolation. A three-time NCAA qualifier, he has reached the blood round in back-to-back seasons being defeated both times.
Jacob Wright (Sr.) – Wyoming – NCAA Championship Seed: 12 – Record: 20-8
Finished the season with an 11-4 conference record and a third-place conference finish in the 21-22 season. Wright is a three-time NCAA qualifier and has reached the blood round just one time during those appearances. He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 1-2 getting knocked out by decision (4-2) to No. 11 Austin O’Connor (North Carolina) in the second-round consolation.
Jarret Jacques (Sr.) – Missouri – NCAA Championship Seed: 25 – Record: 18-14
Finished the season with a 12-7 conference record and a fifth-place conference finish in the 21-22 season. Jacques is a four-time NCAA qualifier and has reached as far as the blood round one time in 2021. He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 0-2 getting knocked out by decision (2-1) to No. 24 Doug Zapf (Penn) in the first-round consolation.
Derek Holschlag (Sr.) – UNI – NCAA Championship Seed: 33 – Record: 21-14
Finished the season with a 14-8 conference record and a sixth-place conference finish in the 21-22 season. Holschlag returns for another season after reaching the NCAAs for the first time in his collegiate career. He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 1-2 getting knocked out by a major decision (15-7) to No. 16 Brady Berge (Penn State) in the third-round consolation.
Alex Hornfeck (Jr.) – West Virginia – Record: 14-17
Finished the season with a 4-10 conference record and a seventh-place conference finish in the 21-22 season.
Kenny O’Neil (Jr.) – South Dakota State – Record: 15-23
Finished the season with a 4-13 conference record and an eighth-place conference finish in the 21-22 season.
Wyatt Sheets (Sr.) – Oklahoma State – NCAA Championship Seed: 31 – Record: 11-10
Finished the season with a 6-5 conference record and did not place in the Big 12 Conference Championship in the 21-22 season. Sheets is a three-time NCAA qualifier and one-time All-American. He ended the 2022 NCAA Championship going 1-2 getting knocked out by a decision (3-2) to No. 1 David Carr (Iowa State) in the second-round consolation.
Jaxon Garoutte (So.) – Utah Valley – Record: 6-9
Finished the season with a 2-6 conference record and did not place in the Big 12 Conference Championship in the 21-22 season.
Giano Petrucelli (Jr.) – Air Force – Record: 13-13
Finished the season with a 3-7 conference record and did not place in the Big 12 Conference Championship in the 21-22 season.
Nathan Moore (Jr.) – Northern Colorado – Record: 13-14
Finished the season with a 4-9 conference record and did not place in the Big 12 Conference Championship in the 21-22 season.
Other Potential Starters:
Willie McDougald (So.) – Oklahoma
- Moved up a weight class
- See 149lbs Preview
Alejandro Herrera (Fr.) – Oklahoma
- Returning from Redshirt
- #10 Overall Recruit in 2021
Jack Thomsen (So.) – South Dakota State
- Projected Starter at 157lbs
Cael Swensen (Fr.) – South Dakota State
- Returning from redshirt season
- #44 Overall Recruit in 2021
- Will compete with Jack Thomsen & Kenny O’Neil for starting job
Vince Zerban (Fr.) – Northern Colorado
- Returning from redshirt season
- Will compete with Nathan Moore for starting job
Robert Weston (Fr.) – Northern Iowa
- #72 Overall Recruit in 2021
- Returning from Redshirt
Departures:
Justin Thomas – Oklahoma
Notable Recruits: (FloWrestling, MatScout)
Anthony Ferrari- Oklahoma State:
- #14 Overall Recruit (FloWrestling)
- #23 Overall Recruit (MatScout)
- Potential Starter if not redshirted
Logan Ours- Wyoming:
- #79 Overall Recruit (FloWrestling)
- #74 Overall Recruit (MatScout)
- Redshirt Candidate
Connor Euton- Iowa State:
- #77 Overall Recruit (MatScout)
- Redshirt Candidate
Early Big 12 Tournament Prediction:
- David Carr (ISU)
- Jared Franek (NDSU)
- Jacob Wright (WYO)
- Jarrett Jacques (MIZ)
- Willie McDougald (OU)
- Derek Holschlag (UNI)
- Cael Swensen (SDSU)
- Wyatt Sheets (OKST)