by By Micah Thompson, soonersports
The No. 18 Oklahoma wrestling team will send eight student-athletes to compete at the 2017 NCAA Championships on March 16-18 inside Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.
Seven Sooners qualified automatically following their performance in the Big 12 Championship, and junior Yoanse Mejias received an at-large bid at 165 pounds on Tuesday. Mejias will join teammates Christian Moody (125), Mike Longo (141), Davion Jeffries (149), Clark Glass (165), Matt Reed (174), Brad Johnson (197) and Ross Larson (285) at the championships.
The total surpasses the six wrestlers Oklahoma sent to the national tournament last season, where it finished 13th overall, and marks the most since the 2014 season when the Sooners also qualified eight student-athletes.
Additionally, complete brackets and first round pairings were announced on Wednesday. No. 11 Davion Jeffries (Creek Nation) and No. 13 Clark Glass were both awarded national seeds.
The first session of the 2017 NCAA Championships is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CT on Thursday, March 16, with Thursday and Friday’s morning sessions airing live on ESPNU and evening and All-American matches covered on ESPN. ESPN3 will stream every match on every mat throughout the championship.
Oklahoma’s First Round Matchups (with NCAA seed)
125: Christian Moody vs. No. 6 Ethan Lizak (Minnesota)
141: Mike Longo vs. No. 10 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming)
149: No. 11 Davion Jeffries vs. Joey Delgado (Oregon State)
157: No. 13 Clark Glass vs. Bryant Clagon (Rider)
165: Yoanse Mejias vs. No. 10 Te’Shan Campbell (Pitt)
174: Matt Reed vs. Jake Residori (SIUE)
197: Brad Johnson vs. No. 15 Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin)
HWT: Ross Larson vs. No. 15 Ryan Solomon (Pitt)
NCAA Championships Schedule
Thursday, March 16
11 a.m. – Session One (Eight Mats – Pigtails and First Round)
6 p.m. – Session Two (Eight Mats – Wrestleback Prelims and First Round; Championship Second Round and Consolation Round)
Friday, March 17
10 a.m. – Session Three (Eight Mats – Quarterfinals and Wrestlebacks)
6 p.m. – Session Four (Six Mats – Semifinals and Wrestlebacks)
Saturday, March 18
10 a.m. – Session Five (Three Mats – Wrestleback Semis and Medal Rounds)
7 p.m. – Session Six (One Mat – Finals and Awards)
Watch Live
The first session of the 2017 NCAA Championships is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CT on Thursday, March 16, with Thursday and Friday’s morning sessions airing live on ESPNU and evening and All-American matches covered on ESPN. ESPN3 will stream every match on every mat throughout the championship.
