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Cottrell Wins WVU’s First-Ever Big 12 Title
March 05, 2017 05:07 PM | Wrestling
TULSA, Okla. – Spencer, West Virginia, native Dylan Cottrell became the first ever West Virginia University wrestler to win a Big 12 title, as he defeated Oklahoma State’s Chandler Rogers in the 165-pound finals of the 2017 Big 12 Wrestling Championship at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Sunday.
The No. 2 seed, 10th-ranked Cottrell scored a 5-4 decision over Rogers, who entered the tournament ranked No. 8 in the nation and the No. 1 seed. He automatically qualifies for the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship.
“I’m so incredibly proud of Dylan and everything he’s been able to accomplish, on and off the mat, as a Mountaineer,” WVU coach Sammie Henson said. “He’s been a leader on this team for the past two years. He battled through an injury this season, and came back to win. It’s fitting that a homegrown Mountaineer is our first-ever Big 12 Champion, and we couldn’t be happier for him.”
Rogers struck first, scoring a takedown a minute into the first period. Cottrell escaped seconds later to trail 2-1. Rogers was then called for a technical violation, tying the score at 2-2 with 90 seconds remaining in the first. Cottrell started the second period on top, giving up an escape as Rogers took a 3-2 lead in the opening seconds. Neither wrestler scored for the remainder of the period, as Cottrell trailed 3-2 to start the third. Choosing the defensive position, he escaped early in the period to knot the score at 3-3. Cottrell scored a takedown with 1:17 remaining, taking a 6-4 lead. Rogers escaped, cutting Cottrell’s lead to one at 5-4 with under a minute to go. Officials went to a lengthy video review to determine whether Rogers scored a late takedown, but the original call was upheld as Cottrell took the bout 5-4.
In the 197-pound match, Jacob A. Smith was injured on a takedown in the first period and fell to OSU’s Preston Weigel in 2:24.
In earlier action, Parker VonEgidy took fourth place at 184 pounds after dropping a 3-1 decision to South Dakota State’s Martin Mueller in the third-place match. He defeated Iowa State’s Carson Powell in a 4-2 decision in the consolation semifinals.
At 141 pounds, Joe Wheeling won a 5-2 decision over Iowa State’s John Meeks to take fifth place at 141 pounds. He had previously dropped a 13-1 major decision to Northern Colorado’s Timmy Box.
West Virginia finished the championship in seventh place with 50 points. Oklahoma State took home the team title with 176.5 points. Oklahoma finished second with 93.5 points, followed by South Dakota State in third with 90.5 points.
Cottrell and Smith both qualified for the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, slated for March 16-18 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
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