OSU has won the last five Pac-12 titles.
Photo by: Scobel Wiggins/Oregon State Athletics
Beavers seek sixth straight Pac-12 title
February 23, 2017 | Wrestling
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State wrestling team will contend for its sixth consecutive title on Sunday at the Pacific-12 Conference Championships at Stanford.
The Beavers, Stanford and Arizona State are regarded as the top contenders for team honors. Each finished the Pac-12 round robin with 4-1 records; OSU defeated Stanford, ASU defeated Oregon State and Stanford defeated ASU.
Competition starts at 10:30 a.m. at Maples Pavilion. The championship, third place and fifth-place matches start at 6 p.m. and will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.
"We are looking for guys to perform," OSU coach Jim Zalesky said. "It's the Pac-12, the qualifying tournament for NCAAs. We are looking to get guys through to the next event.
"Everybody has to score points. You have to stay [in the championship bracket] as long as you can. Last year we actually won the tournament in the wrestlebacks," as redshirting heavyweight Amarveer Dhesi was OSU's lone champion.
Senior Joey Palmer (133) and redshirt sophomore Corey Griego (197) are each ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes. Redshirt juniors Cody Crawford (hwt.) and Jack Hathaway (141) and redshirt freshman Seth McLeod (184) are ranked No. 2. They would advance to the finals if the tourney unfolds according to form.
Redshirt senior Joey Delgado (149) and redshirt sophomore Kegan Calkins (125) are ranked third; redshirt junior Abraham Rodriguez (157) is ranked fifth and redshirt sophomore Rodney Williams (165) and freshman Bob Coleman (174) are ranked sixth. They would need an upset or two to advance to the finals.
"We have to have everybody competing at their best," Zalesky said. "We have to score points at every weight class to have a shot at winning.
"If we wrestle well, we could put five or six guys in the finals. But so could Arizona State and so could Stanford, so it could be the guys in the wrestlebacks who make the difference. "
The NCAA released its conference allocations for the NCAA Championships on Thursday. Â The Pac-12 will get three spots at 141, 149, 197 and heavyweight; two spots at 157, 165 and 174, and only one spot at 125, 133, and 184 pounds.
Others may be added at an at-large basis to fill each bracket, but the only way to guarantee an NCAA spot is to earn an automatic berth. Neither Palmer nor second-seeded Connor Schram of Stanford are ranked in the NCAA's top 33 (by RPI), so it's unlikely either would receive an at-large berth unless he wins the conference championship.
OSU (6-8) concluded the regular season on Feb. 17 with a 29-7 loss to No. 21 Oklahoma at Norman. Palmer and Griego were OSU's only winners.
"It was a long trip, we had matches we were capable of winning, matches we were in but we didn't do enough to win," Zalesky said. "Now we have to move on put that behind us and get ready for Pac-12s.
"We're wrestling better at a lot of weights" than at midseason. "We have a lot of guys who can still step it up even more and that's what we've looking for."
For more information on the Oregon State wrestling team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/Beaverwrestling, or by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateWrestling.
OSU's projected Pac-12 lineup:
125: RSo. Kegan Calkins (11-14); first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
133: RSr. Joey Palmer (23-5); placed second at 133 pounds in 2016 and third at 125 pounds in 2014.
141: RJr. Jack Hathaway (16-10); placed fifth at 141 pounds in 2016 and was Pac-12 champion at 133 in 2015.
149: RSr. Joey Delgado (15-9); placed third at 149 pounds in 2016 and won Pac-12 title at 141 pounds in 2014.
157: RJr. Abraham Rodriguez (7-13); placed third at 157 pounds at 2016 Pac-12 Championships and second at 149 pounds at 2015 championships.
165: RSo. Rodney Williams (3-15): first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
174: Fr. Bob Coleman (5-19); first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
184: RFr. Seth McLeod (7-6); first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
197: RSo. Corey Griego (22-8): Placed second at 184 pounds at 2016 Pac-12 Championships.
Hwt.: RJr. Cody Crawford (20-6); placed third at 2016 Pac-12 Championships and was Pac-12 champion in 2015 at 197 pounds.
OREGON STATE ATHLETICS' EVERYDAY CHAMPIONS CULTURE
Through the power of sport, we help people discover and pursue their passions, talents and purpose in order to live a life of balance and positive contribution.
Â
The Beavers, Stanford and Arizona State are regarded as the top contenders for team honors. Each finished the Pac-12 round robin with 4-1 records; OSU defeated Stanford, ASU defeated Oregon State and Stanford defeated ASU.
Competition starts at 10:30 a.m. at Maples Pavilion. The championship, third place and fifth-place matches start at 6 p.m. and will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.
"We are looking for guys to perform," OSU coach Jim Zalesky said. "It's the Pac-12, the qualifying tournament for NCAAs. We are looking to get guys through to the next event.
"Everybody has to score points. You have to stay [in the championship bracket] as long as you can. Last year we actually won the tournament in the wrestlebacks," as redshirting heavyweight Amarveer Dhesi was OSU's lone champion.
Senior Joey Palmer (133) and redshirt sophomore Corey Griego (197) are each ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes. Redshirt juniors Cody Crawford (hwt.) and Jack Hathaway (141) and redshirt freshman Seth McLeod (184) are ranked No. 2. They would advance to the finals if the tourney unfolds according to form.
Redshirt senior Joey Delgado (149) and redshirt sophomore Kegan Calkins (125) are ranked third; redshirt junior Abraham Rodriguez (157) is ranked fifth and redshirt sophomore Rodney Williams (165) and freshman Bob Coleman (174) are ranked sixth. They would need an upset or two to advance to the finals.
"We have to have everybody competing at their best," Zalesky said. "We have to score points at every weight class to have a shot at winning.
"If we wrestle well, we could put five or six guys in the finals. But so could Arizona State and so could Stanford, so it could be the guys in the wrestlebacks who make the difference. "
The NCAA released its conference allocations for the NCAA Championships on Thursday. Â The Pac-12 will get three spots at 141, 149, 197 and heavyweight; two spots at 157, 165 and 174, and only one spot at 125, 133, and 184 pounds.
Others may be added at an at-large basis to fill each bracket, but the only way to guarantee an NCAA spot is to earn an automatic berth. Neither Palmer nor second-seeded Connor Schram of Stanford are ranked in the NCAA's top 33 (by RPI), so it's unlikely either would receive an at-large berth unless he wins the conference championship.
OSU (6-8) concluded the regular season on Feb. 17 with a 29-7 loss to No. 21 Oklahoma at Norman. Palmer and Griego were OSU's only winners.
"It was a long trip, we had matches we were capable of winning, matches we were in but we didn't do enough to win," Zalesky said. "Now we have to move on put that behind us and get ready for Pac-12s.
"We're wrestling better at a lot of weights" than at midseason. "We have a lot of guys who can still step it up even more and that's what we've looking for."
For more information on the Oregon State wrestling team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/Beaverwrestling, or by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateWrestling.
OSU's projected Pac-12 lineup:
125: RSo. Kegan Calkins (11-14); first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
133: RSr. Joey Palmer (23-5); placed second at 133 pounds in 2016 and third at 125 pounds in 2014.
141: RJr. Jack Hathaway (16-10); placed fifth at 141 pounds in 2016 and was Pac-12 champion at 133 in 2015.
149: RSr. Joey Delgado (15-9); placed third at 149 pounds in 2016 and won Pac-12 title at 141 pounds in 2014.
157: RJr. Abraham Rodriguez (7-13); placed third at 157 pounds at 2016 Pac-12 Championships and second at 149 pounds at 2015 championships.
165: RSo. Rodney Williams (3-15): first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
174: Fr. Bob Coleman (5-19); first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
184: RFr. Seth McLeod (7-6); first Pac-12 Championships appearance.
197: RSo. Corey Griego (22-8): Placed second at 184 pounds at 2016 Pac-12 Championships.
Hwt.: RJr. Cody Crawford (20-6); placed third at 2016 Pac-12 Championships and was Pac-12 champion in 2015 at 197 pounds.
OREGON STATE ATHLETICS' EVERYDAY CHAMPIONS CULTURE
Through the power of sport, we help people discover and pursue their passions, talents and purpose in order to live a life of balance and positive contribution.
Â
Players Mentioned
125
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
HEAVY
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
165
/ WrestlingBeaver Wrestling Tailgate at Parker Plaza - Nov. 2
Friday, November 01
230103 Pendleton
Wednesday, January 04
Oregon State Wrestling At 2022 NCAA Championships
Thursday, March 24
2011 Oregon State Wrestling Webisode - Prepping for the Pac-10s
Thursday, April 11
