Oklahoma Wrestling Will Continue to Compete in Big 12 Conference as Affiliate Member

Oklahoma’s wrestling program will remain a Big 12 Conference affiliate member for the 2024-25 season and beyond, the university announced on Thursday.

OU athletics are moving to the Southeastern Conference on July 1, 2024, but the SEC does not compete in wrestling.

As a result, the Sooners will continue to compete in the Big 12 on the mat, a conference that Oklahoma has won three times and produced an additional 35 individual Big 12 champions since 1996.

"We're thrilled to remain in the Big 12 Conference as an affiliate member starting in the 2024-25 season," first-year OU head coach Roger Kish said in a press release. "We have a tremendous amount of respect for the Big 12 and are enthusiastic about the opportunity to continue contributing to the conference's wrestling success on a national scale.

“This opportunity affords our program and student-athletes the chance to compete against top-tier wrestling programs every week as we strive to compete for championships at Oklahoma."

Starting on July 1, 2024, OU will compete alongside Iowa State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Air Force, Cal Baptist, Missouri, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley, Wyoming and Arizona State as members and affiliates for Big 12 wrestling.

OU fans can preview the start of the Kish Era in Oklahoma’s Crimson and Cream instrasquad dual on Nov. 1 at McCasland Field House, and the Sooners will open up the regular season with a dual at Central Michigan on Nov. 9.

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