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OSU's Wyatt Hendrickson Nominated for Big 12 Athlete of the Year

The OSU star is in the mix.
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

Wyatt Hendrickson, Oklahoma State’s heavyweight National Champion, has etched his name among the elite, earning a 2024-25 Big 12 Athlete of the Year nomination after a season that redefined wrestling dominance. The Kansas native, who capped a perfect 27-0 campaign with a stunning 2025 NCAA title win over Minnesota’s Olympic champion Gable Steveson, stood tall as OSU’s male nominee.

Hendrickson’s journey from Air Force standout to Cowboy legend culminated in a performance that electrified Stillwater and reverberated across the wrestling world. It was a match between two wrestling gladiators that shocked not only the wrestling community but also the world of sports.

Transferring to OSU for his final collegiate season, Hendrickson seized an extra year of eligibility through the Air Force’s World Class Athlete Program. Under first-year coach David Taylor, an Olympic gold medalist, he became a wrecking ball. His 27 wins included nine against All-Americans, with six postseason pins and a staggering 60:3 takedown ratio.

At the Big 12 Championships, he overpowered Arizona State’s Cohlton Schultz to claim his third career conference title, anchoring OSU’s team victory. The NCAA final against Steveson—a clash of eras—saw Hendrickson secure a third-period takedown, clinching the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top wrestler and etching a defining moment in Cowboy history.

The Big 12 nomination places Hendrickson alongside Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, and Cornell’s CJ Kirst, stars of basketball, football, and lacrosse. Hendrickson's 'storybook upset' over Stevenson stands as one of the greatest wrestling moments in history. His 127-11 record, 72 pins and third NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler award showcase just how special Hendrickson was on the mat.

For Hendrickson, the nomination reflects more than personal glory; it’s a testament to OSU wrestling’s resurgence under Taylor’s vision. As the Big 12 prepares to announce its winner on July 24, Cowboy fans see Hendrickson as a symbol of their program’s unbreakable spirit as well as wrestling's potential return to the top. Win or lose, his story—a kid from Newton, Kansas, who toppled a giant—proves that in wrestling’s unforgiving arena, heart and hustle can forge a legacy that echoes far beyond the mat.

Published
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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