165 U: Cowboys Are The Standard Bearer

165 U: Cowboys Are The Standard Bearer

FloWrestling's review of every NCAA weight class shows the Oklahoma State Cowboys as the clear winners of 165 U

Nov 7, 2016 by Wrestling Nomad
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Which Division I college wrestling team is the best at each of the 10 weight classes? This is the question FloWrestling has been answering over the past week, using a 15-year period (2002-16) as a frame of reference. Today, we're learning which school is 165 U.

No other weight has as big of a gap between first and second place as 165 pounds. There's Oklahoma State, and then there's everyone else. The Cowboys have had a wrestler finish in the top three at this weight nine times in 15 years, something no team can match at any other weight.

From Tyler Caldwell to Alex Dieringer, the fans in Stillwater, Oklahoma, have been treated to four straight years of excellence. Throw in the mid-2000s dominance of Johny Hendricks and Tyrone Lewis, and you have our winner at 165 U.

The data and graphs below were compiled by Andrew Spey, aka @JaroslavWrestle. Take a look at the qualifying numbers since the 2002 NCAA tournament.

165 Pounds

NCAA Qualifiers & Final Placing (2002-16)

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There is a certain curiosity that comes from seeing the qualifying numbers for Cornell and Oklahoma State so far. While the Big Ten understandably gets more qualifier allocations every year, it seems like the Big Red and Cowboys are the ones who help their conferences and not the other way around. The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association has more teams than any other conference, but the boys in Ithaca, New York, drag up the available slots for the other 15 teams. Big 12 expansion just happened this past year, but the small number of teams in the conference didn't hurt Oklahoma State in the past.

Which teams qualified 14 wrestlers? That would be two other traditional Big 12 teams in Iowa State and Missouri. Somewhat astoundingly, ISU has had six of its 165s bow out in the round of 12, which is something only Hofstra can equal. Iowa State still had seven All-Americans, showing just how close the Cyclones were to being in double digits. Missouri's Nick Marable, Matt Pell, and Daniel Lewis are the highest placing Tigers since the 2002 season, who are now in the MAC after a long run in the Big 12.

All four teams with 13 qualifiers wrestle in the Big Ten, though Nebraska is a relatively new addition that, like Mizzou, mainly competed in the Big 12 conference. Iowa and Illinois wind up in the top five, with the common denominator being Iowa's Mark Perry, who won two NCAA titles and made another final. Now, as the chief assistant on the Illini, Perry has coached four AAs in the past five years.

165 Pounds

NCAA Points Accrued (2002-16)

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The Cowboys' margin of victory (66 points) is similar to what they did at the 2005 NCAA Tournament in St. Louis. Johny Hendricks was one of five champions on that title team. Hendricks replaced two-time AA Tyrone Lewis in Stillwater, who started the run as 165 U for Oklahoma State. There was a short dry spell after Hendricks, which ended when Tyler Caldwell transferred in to wrestle under John Smith.

Iowa State's last AA was Mike Moreno in 2014, and he was the first in Ames since Jon Reader. The current South Dakota State assistant placed twice as a 165; Reader was the successor to current Cyclones assistant Travis Paulson. But kicking off these past 15 years for Iowa State was NCAA titlist Joe Heskett.

Penn State had perhaps the best 165 of the time frame reviewed, with David Taylor spending three years asserting his dominance at this weight. Nittany Lions fans witnessed a bonus rate from Taylor in just about four out of every five matches. Dan Vallimont beat Edinboro's Jarrod King on his way to the finals in 2010, contributing to PSU's slight lead over the Fighting Scots. A defending NCAA champion, King was the best of the bunch from his school, which included two-time AAs Matt King and Deonte Penn.

Wisconsin's Andrew Howe was one of the best young 165s of this era, showing great maturity early on in his career. The rough equivalent of wrestling a man with cinder block hands placed three times while in Madison. The current Badger is Isaac Jordan, an NCAA finalist whose impeccable top skills are a huge part of why he is ranked second in the country.

Spey used the following system to break down the points here: 18 points for first place; 16 pts for second; 13 pts for third; 12 pts for fourth; 10 pts for fifth; nine pts for sixth; six pts for seventh; five pts for eighth; three pts for making the round of 12; two pts for making the round of 16; and one pt for making the round of 24.

Top-10 Teams at 165lbs

1) Oklahoma State
2) Iowa State
3) Iowa
4) Penn State
5) Illinois
6) Edinboro
7) Wisconsin
8) Lehigh
9) Missouri
10) Ohio State


Key Scorers For Oklahoma State

Tyrone Lewis (2002-03): 3rd, 5th
Johny Hendricks (2005-07): 1st, 1st, 2nd
Tyler Caldwell (2013-14): 3rd, 2nd
Alex Dieringer (2015-16): 1st, 1st

Key Scorers for Iowa State

Joe Heskett (2002): 1st
Travis Paulson (2006-07): 6th, 5th
Jon Reader (2008-09): 7th, 4th

Key Scorers for Iowa

Mark Perry (2005-08): 2nd, DNW, 1st, 1st
Eric Luedke (2006): 8th
Ryan Morningstar (2009-10): 3rd, 7th


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