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Cowboys Present and Future Dominate Pan-Am Championships

The Cowboys represented Oklahoma State well.
Taylor Skieens|
Mar 22, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Wyatt Hendrickson of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts after defeating Gable Steveson of the Minnesota Golden Gophers (not pictured) during the Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Mar 22, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Wyatt Hendrickson of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts after defeating Gable Steveson of the Minnesota Golden Gophers (not pictured) during the Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

At what point will the Oklahoma State Cowboy wrestling magic wear off? With coach David "Magic Man" Taylor at the steering wheel, the Pokes are showing zero sign of slowing down anytime soon. This past weekend in the 2025 Pan-American Wrestling Championships, it would be the Cowboys and their RTC that shined brightest.

Oklahoma State got a strong showing from its RTC during the Pan-Am championships. Although wrestlers like Roman Bravo-Young, Zahid Valencia and Joey McKenna have never wrestled for the Cowboys at the collegiate level, they are members of the Cowboy family by way of the RTC. Bravo-Young and Valencia both won gold, and McKenna closed out the event with a silver. The RTC also added the brilliant coaching mind of Lee Roper, who has made an instant impact.

Oklahoma State senior Wyatt Hendrickson may be having the biggest year of any wrestler in the nation. Hendrickson is a National Champion as well as a Hodge Trophy winner. On Saturday, he wrapped up a Pan-Am championship. He rolled through the 125 kg bracket with a pair of pins to start the tournament and a massive five-point slam in the finals to secure the title.

The future of Oklahoma State wrestling continued to shine brightly during the Pan-American Championships. High School senior and Oklahoma State commit Ladarion 'Dee' Lockett is closing out his high school career with proms and graduations. That isn't good enough for the phenom from Stillwater.

Lockett had a scary moment in the semifinals against Cuba's Geannis Garzon Tamayo. Lockett was attempting to pull Tamayo off the mat when the Cuban wrestler delivered a move straight out of the WWE. Tamayo was disqualified and Lockett went on to defeat Venezuela's Anthony Montero Chirinos in the finals by a score of 11-0.

High school junior and Oklahoma State commit Jax Forrest has been the biggest story of the summer. Forrest won the Senior US Open to punch his ticket into the Pan-Ams. He demolished the field at 61 kg in Mexico. He won all three matches in commanding fashion by a combined score of 31-0.

The United States team finished in first place with 230 points. Canada clocked in at second place with 144 points, and Mexico finished in third with 139 points. Next up, a group of Cowboys head to Louisville for the Senior World Team Trials Challenge beginning on Friday, May 16.

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Taylor Skieens
TAYLOR SKIEENS

Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.

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