Big 12 Conference

NDSU’s Franek Named Big 12 Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year

IRVING, Texas – North Dakota State wrestling’s Jared Franek has been honored as the Big 12 Conference Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year, league officials announced on Friday after a vote of the conference’s head coaches.

A senior from Harwood, North Dakota, Franek has maintained a 4.00 grade-point average as he works towards a Master’s of Business Administration while obtaining NCAA All-American honors on the mat this season, along with his first Big 12 Wrestling Championship at 157 pounds. Franek posted a 27-3 record, including going undefeated in Big 12 duals and the Big 12 Tournament.

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11 Bison Wrestlers Earn Academic All-Big 12 Honors

IRVING, Texas – North Dakota State wrestling had 11 Bison named to the 2023 Winter Academic All-Big 12 Team Wednesday, announced the conference office.

The Bison had nine student-athletes named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, while two more Bison were tabbed with Academic All-Big 12 Second Team honors.

Leading the way for honorees is Jared Franek and Dylan Droegemueller, who become four-time recipients of the honor, as both Bison have been named to the first team all four years.

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Big 12 Championship Seeds Announced

IRVING, Texas – The Conference announced on Monday the pre-seeds for the 2023 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, which is set to take place March 4-5 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Missouri led the Big 12 in selections and top seeds as its entire lineup received selections, highlighted by No. 1-seeded Brock Mauller (149 pounds) and Peyton Mocco (174). Oklahoma State and West Virginia each had nine seeds, while South Dakota State followed with eight.

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Caliendo Named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week After Defeating National Champion

IRVING, Texas – North Dakota State wrestling’s Michael Caliendo has been named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week following his performance last week in two duals, including a victory over a past national champion.

Caliendo started off the week by defeating #2 Shane Griffith, 2021 NCAA champion, with two takedowns in a 6-3 decision to help the Bison to a win over Stanford on Thursday. He avenged a 3-2 loss in the 165-pound Southern Scuffle finals to Griffith two weeks ago.

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Cook honored as Big 12 Wrestler of the Week

IRVING, Texas — South Dakota State 165-pounder Tanner Cook was honored Tuesday as Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Week after defeating another nationally ranked opponent in convincing fashion.

A junior from Ilion, New York, Cook made quick work of 13th-ranked Bubba Wilson of Nebraska in dual action on Dec. 18, recording a pin in 29 seconds. With his victory, Cook improved to 8-1 on the season, with six of his wins by fall. Five of Cook’s six wins by fall this season have been recorded in less than a minute.

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Seeds Determined for 2022 Big 12 Championship

IRVING, Texas – The pre-seeds have been announced for the 2022 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, which is set for March 5-6 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Iowa State led the Big 12 as its entire lineup received selections, highlighted by top-seeded Ian Parker (141 pounds) and David Carr (157). Missouri, North Dakota State, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State each had nine seeds and Northern Iowa followed with eight.

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Carlson Earns Big 12 Scholar-Athlete Award

IRVING, Texas — South Dakota State’s Clay Carlson was honored Wednesday as the 2021 Big 12 Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Jackrabbit to receive the award.

A redshirt sophomore from Willmar, Minnesota, Carlson has compiled a 3.931 grade-point average as an animal science/pre-veterinary major. He became the first SDSU wrestler to earn All-America recognition at the NCAA Division I Championships since 2018, placing eighth in the 141-pound weight class at the national meet. He qualified for the NCAA Championships with a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship in early March en route to a 20-9 record.

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