Oklahoma State dominates team race at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Hendrickson named Outstanding Wrestler

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The third-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, led by two individual champions and eight place winners, improved on a strong day one lead to win the team title at the 2024 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday afternoon.

In the team race, Oklahoma State was leading by 21.5 points entering day two. The Cowboys put up a dominant 192 points in Las Vegas, 77 points ahead of second-place finisher Nebraska. The Huskers scored 115 team points, edging out third-place Ohio State who tallied 110.5 points. Virginia Tech secured 90 team points, and 2023 team champion Iowa State rounds out the top five with 89.5 team points.

In his first season at the helm for the Cowboys, 2020 Olympic champion David Taylor has coached his team to a dominant performance at one of the biggest midseason tournaments in collegiate wrestling. Oklahoma State had all ten in its line-up reach the podium in Las Vegas, and five wrestlers reached the finals after the third session.

The two champions for Oklahoma State were Dean Hamiti Jr. at 174 pounds and Wyatt Hendrickson at 285 pounds. Hamiti edged Lorenzo Norman (Stanford) in a 4-3 match that came down to a riding time point after Norman took the lead with a first-period takedown. Hamiti scored two on a reversal in the first, then evened the score at 3 with an escape in the second period. Hendrickson capped off the night with a pin against Isaac Trumble (NC State) at 2:35 in a battle of U23 World Champions. He was also named the Outstanding Wrestler for his performance this weekend.

At 125 pounds, Matt Ramos (Purdue) displayed dominance early, securing a 6-2 lead over Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) in the first period with a pair of takedown-escape sequences. Despite Ventresca earning a point from a stalling call in the third period in an effort to narrow the gap, Ramos held on for the victory.

In the 133-pound final, Zeth Romney (Cal Poly) showed precision, using an early escape and a second-period takedown to secure a 7-3 win over Evan Frost (Iowa State). Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) edged out Tagen Jamison (Oklahoma State) at 141 pounds, breaking a 1-0 stalemate with a decisive third-period takedown.

Fans were treated to a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s final at 149 pounds between Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech) and Ridge Lovett (Nebraska). Henson was able to reverse the previous outcome, attacking Lovett’s legs and circling for a takedown in sudden victory.

At 157 pounds, Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) narrowly defeated Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa), 4-3. Taylor led 4-1 after the first period, scoring points on a reversal and a two-point nearfall. Downey earned escape points in the second and third periods, but neither could secure a takedown in the low-scoring matchup.

The 165-pound final featured Peyton Hall (West Virginia) capitalizing on an overtime sequence, executing a throw-by to defeat Cameron Amine (Oklahoma State). Earlier in the day, Hall became West Virginia’s first Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational finalist since 2007. The action continued at 184 pounds, when Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) dominated Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) in a rematch of last year’s NCAA and Big 12 finals, this time with a strong 8-3 decision. This is Keckeisen's second straight Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational title.

At 197 pounds, Jacob Cardenas (Michigan) tied up Evan Bates’ (Northwestern) legs for a takedown and ultimately pinned him at 4:34.

Full match replays, results, and brackets are available at FloWrestling.org.

Team Standings

1. Oklahoma State, 192 points

2. Nebraska, 115 points

3. Ohio State, 110.5 points

4. Virginia Tech, 90 points

5. Iowa State, 89.5 points

6. Northern Iowa, 85.5 points

7. Michigan, 75 points

8. Stanford, 72.5 points

9. South Dakota State, 62 points

10. Purdue, 53.5 points

Final Results

125 pounds

1st – Matt Ramos (Purdue) dec. Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech), 7-4

3rd – Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State) dec. Caleb Smith (Nebraska), 2-0

5th – Brendan McCrone (Ohio State) pin Maximo Renteria (Oregon State), 4:21

7th – Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State) maj. dec. Marcello Milani (Cornell), 8-0

133 pounds

1st – Zeth Romney (Cal Poly) dec. Evan Frost (Iowa State), 7-3

3rd – Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) dec. Reece Witcraft (Oklahoma State), 13-10 SV

5th – Tyler Knox (Stanford) dec. Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska), 5-0

7th – Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State) dec. Dylan Ragusin (Michigan), 12-5

141 pounds

1st – Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) dec. Tagen Jamison (Oklahoma State), 5-2

3rd – Brock Hardy (Nebraska) pin Joshua Koderhandt (Navy), 0:41

5th – Jacob Frost (Iowa State) MFFL Sam Latona (Virginia Tech)

7th – Sergio Lemley (Michigan) med. forf. Cael Happel (Northern Iowa)

149 pounds

1st – Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech) dec. Ridge Lovett (Nebraska), 6-3 SV

3rd – Jaden Abas (Stanford) pin Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State), 1:42

5th – Carter Young (Oklahoma State) dec. Sammy Alvarez (Rider), 4-1

7th – Colin Realbuto (Northern Iowa) dec. Ethan Fernandez (Cornell), 8-3

157 pounds

1st – Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) dec. Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa), 4-3

3rd – Caleb Fish (Oklahoma State) MFFL Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State)

5th – Jared Hill (Wyoming) med. forf. Joey Blaze (Purdue)

7th – Paniro Johnson (Iowa State) med. forf. Rafael Hipolito (Virginia Tech)

165 pounds

1st – Peyton Hall (West Virginia) dec. Cameron Amine (Oklahoma State), 4-1 SV

3rd – Terrell Barraclough (Utah Valley) dec. Bubba Wilson (Nebraska), 1-0

5th – Drake Rhodes (South Dakota State) dec. Hunter Garvin (Stanford), 8-4

7th – Brock Mantanona (Michigan) pin Kyle Mosher (Hofstra), 2:53

174 pounds

1st – Dean Hamiti Jr. (Oklahoma State) dec. Lorenzo Norman (Stanford), 4-3

3rd – Garrett Thompson (Ohio) dec. Simon Ruiz (Cornell), 10-7 SV

5th – Brevin Cassella (Binghamton) maj. dec. Danny Wask (Navy), 9-0

7th – Jared Simma (Northern Iowa) dec. Cade Devos (South Dakota State), 11-9

184 pounds

1st – Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) dec. Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State), 8-3

3rd – Bennett Berge (South Dakota State) maj. dec. Seth Shumate (Ohio State), 18-4

5th – Isaac Dean (Rider) med. forf. Evan Bockman (Iowa State)

7th – Dennis Robin (West Virginia) dec. Jaden Bullock (Michigan), 4-2

197 pounds

1st – Jacob Cardenas (Michigan) pin Evan Bates (Northwestern), 4:34

3rd – Luke Surber (Oklahoma State) def. Joey Novak (Wyoming), 8-2 3:21

5th – Trey Munoz (Oregon State) no contest Andy Smith (Virginia Tech)

7th – Wyatt Voelker (Northern Iowa) dec. Christian Carroll (Iowa State), 6-1

285 pounds

1st – Wyatt Hendrickson (Oklahoma State) pin Isaac Trumble (NC State), 2:35

3rd – Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) MFFL Jimmy Mullen (Virginia Tech)

5th – David Mower (Oregon State) med. forf. Nick Feldman (Ohio State)

7th – Lance Runyon (Northern Iowa) MFFL Harley Andrews (Nebraska)