Saturday, December 6
Las Vegas, Nev.
1 p.m./6 p.m.
West Virginia University
vs
Cliff Keen Invitational
Two Mountaineers Claim Titles, No. 18 West Virginia Places Fourth at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite
December 06, 2025 08:16 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Two Mountaineers earned individual titles and the No. 18 West Virginia University wrestling team placed fourth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational for its best finish at the event since 2002 at the Westgate Hotel Paradise Event Center on Saturday.
Graduate student No. 4 seed Jett Strickenberger continued his dominant weekend with two wins on Saturday to claim the 125-pound title. Strickenberger upset the top-seeded Iowa State's Stevo Poulin in the semifinals with a win by decision in overtime, 7-4.
In the finals, Strickenberger utilized a reversal in the third period to defeat Oregon State's No. 6 seed Maximo Renteria by decision, 8-6.
In the 157-pound bracket, redshirt sophomore No. 1 seed Ty Watters remained undefeated on the year as he cruised to the title. Watters advanced to the finals after winning by fall in the semifinals against Purdue's No. 4 seed Stoney Buell.
Unfortunately, Iowa State's No. 3 seed Vinny Zerban medically forfeited in the finals as Watters won the title.
Four other Mountaineers reached the podium with freshman Gunner Andrick earning a fifth place finish at 133 pounds. Redshirt freshmen Shawn Taylor (165) and Rune Lawrence (197) placed seventh and sixth, respectively.
Redshirt junior No. 4 seed Brody Conley finished sixth in the 174-pound bracket due to a late injury that forced him to injury default in the consolation semifinals. Conley medically forfeited in the fifth place match to take sixth.
This marks the first time in program history that two wrestlers claimed individual titles at the same Las Vegas Invitational. This is also the first time since 2001-02 that West Virginia finished with an individual champion at consecutive invitationals, as Peyton Hall won the 165-pound title last season.
West Virginia's fourth place finish is the program's second-highest at the invitational, as it placed second in 2002.
The Mountaineers return to competition on the road against No. 21 North Carolina on Friday, Dec. 12, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Team Standings
Graduate student No. 4 seed Jett Strickenberger continued his dominant weekend with two wins on Saturday to claim the 125-pound title. Strickenberger upset the top-seeded Iowa State's Stevo Poulin in the semifinals with a win by decision in overtime, 7-4.
In the finals, Strickenberger utilized a reversal in the third period to defeat Oregon State's No. 6 seed Maximo Renteria by decision, 8-6.
In the 157-pound bracket, redshirt sophomore No. 1 seed Ty Watters remained undefeated on the year as he cruised to the title. Watters advanced to the finals after winning by fall in the semifinals against Purdue's No. 4 seed Stoney Buell.
Unfortunately, Iowa State's No. 3 seed Vinny Zerban medically forfeited in the finals as Watters won the title.
Four other Mountaineers reached the podium with freshman Gunner Andrick earning a fifth place finish at 133 pounds. Redshirt freshmen Shawn Taylor (165) and Rune Lawrence (197) placed seventh and sixth, respectively.
Redshirt junior No. 4 seed Brody Conley finished sixth in the 174-pound bracket due to a late injury that forced him to injury default in the consolation semifinals. Conley medically forfeited in the fifth place match to take sixth.
This marks the first time in program history that two wrestlers claimed individual titles at the same Las Vegas Invitational. This is also the first time since 2001-02 that West Virginia finished with an individual champion at consecutive invitationals, as Peyton Hall won the 165-pound title last season.
West Virginia's fourth place finish is the program's second-highest at the invitational, as it placed second in 2002.
The Mountaineers return to competition on the road against No. 21 North Carolina on Friday, Dec. 12, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Team Standings
- Iowa State (183.5 points)
- Michigan (99 points)
- Stanford (97.5 points)
- West Virginia (97 points)
- Arizona State (92 points)
Players Mentioned
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