3 Cowboy Wrestlers To Watch Out For At The NCAA Championships

Oklahoma State is hoping to add more individual champions when the wrestling season is all said and done.

Oklahoma State's Troy Spratley celebrates after defeating Iowa's Dean Peterson at 125 pounds during a college wrestling dual between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cowboy wrestling is looking to showcase its dominance once again. 

The Cowoys are gearing up for the NCAA Wrestling Championships, which will start on Thursday. Oklahoma State has all 10 starting wrestlers making an appearance and will be looking to win its first team title since 2006. 

Multiple wrestlers will also be looking to win their own individual title and join the ranks of elite Cowboy wrestlers before them. Last year, the Pokes had two wrestlers claim this honor, with Dean Hamiti Jr. winning 174 and Wyatt Hendrickson winning the heavyweight title. 

The road to a national championship isn’t easy, but multiple Pokes are capable of this feat. 

Here are three Pokes to look out for at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. 

Troy Spratley

Troy Spratley is entering the NCAA Championships with a major chip on his shoulder. Just a year ago, Spratley defied the odds and made the finals as a seven seed and was looking to make history. However, he would lose in the finals in overtime and would go home with second place. 

Although this isn’t bad, the junior is looking to prove that he can get to the finals again and this time win it. Spratley is coming into the tournament as the fifth seed and has had a solid year with a record of 16-3. He is coming off a conference title and is looking to add another trophy to his collection by the end of the week. 

Dee Lockett

The Cowboy freshman is looking to get back on track after two major losses. Dee Lockett sat as the No. 2 wrestler in the 165 class for a while, until losses at Iowa and in the Big 12 finals. Lockett now enters the NCAA Championships as the fifth seed and is ready to showcase that his seeding is a mistake. 

Lockett has an impressive record at 16-2 and is one of the Cowboys' best wrestlers as a freshman. He has plenty of time to mold his skills in the future, but the young buck is ready to showcase that he can hang with the best wrestlers in the country, even as a freshman. 

Jax Forrest

Oklahoma State’s golden boy is looking for a fairytale ending to a perfect season. The freshman joined OSU in January straight from high school and has been tearing up the collegiate scene. Forrest is 13-0 on the year and isn’t looking to add a loss. 

He is coming off a Big 12 title, in which he won bonus points in every matchup of the tournament. The young star has had an incredible season for the Pokes, and as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championships, he is looking to end the season on the highest note of them all.