AMES, Iowa — Oklahoma State wrestling defended the Big 12 title on Saturday, and Cowboy senior Johnny Thompson defended his own title.
Thompson, a senior 133 pound wrestler from Oklahoma City, became only the fourth Cowboy to win four straight conference titles.
“I definitely thought about it,” Thompson said. “It was something I wanted to accomplish, but that’s over now.”
Thompson pinned Zach Roberson from Iowa State in the finals to get the win. Thompson once again used his trademark pin hold, a snake, to put Roberson on his back for good in the third period.
In his semi-final match Thompson beat Mimi Miller from Oklahoma 3-1 to advance to set up his fourth trip to the Big 12 finals.
The pin and the fourth title are just the beginning to a postseason run for Thompson. This season has seen Thompson lose some close matches that had some people writing the Two-time National Champion off this season.
“I think most people have,” Cowboy Coach John Smith said. “Somebody just forgot to tell Johnny.”
In his career Thompson has won over 100 matches and is on track to be one of the most successful Cowboys ever. Thompson knows that winning the Big 12 is important but the main goal is to win at the NCAA Championships. Winning at the NCAAs is something that Thompson knows how to do; he is a three-time finalist and has a career record of (14-1) in the NCAA Tournament.
“He is a warrior, he’s had to battle back from a lot of adversity and he’s going to have to have a lot of the same attitude and spirit at the national tournament,” Smith said.
Thompson led a quartet of Cowboy individual champions at the Big 12 Conference Wrestling Championships in Ames, Iowa.
The other Cowboys that brought home titles were Zack Esposito at 149 pounds, Jake Rosholt at 184 and Tyrone Lewis at 165.
Thompson will be looking for his third NCAA Championship in St. Louis on March 18-20.
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