Big 12 Wrestling Championship kicks off in Tulsa with day one action

The road to NCAA glory begins this weekend at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship, where nearly 200 wrestlers are fighting for conference titles and a chance to qualify for the national tournament in Philadelphia later this month.

“This is what you compete for and what you wish for—to be here at this point in March, wrestling at a conference championship with a chance to compete and earn your spot in the NCAA tournament,” said Matt Ensor, spokesperson for the Big 12 Conference.

As one of the nation's most competitive wrestling conferences, the Big 12 Championship at the BOK Center continues to grow in prestige and fan support.

“Seems like every year, this event gets more and more people coming and more and more people in the stands,” Ensor said.

Among the many fans making the trip to Tulsa is Clay Lent, an Oklahoma State supporter who traveled five hours to catch the action.

“A lot of western Oklahomans are Oklahoma State fans,” Lent said. “I really thought Oklahoma State wrestling was the pinnacle.”

Lent, a former high school wrestler, said watching the Cowboys compete in person was worth the trip.

“Wrestling’s such an awesome sport and so fun to watch,” he said.

The championship also serves as a celebration of the wrestling community, Ensor said.

“It’s very much a community sport...this championship really highlights that,” he said.

The Big 12 Wrestling Championship finals are set for 8 p.m. Sunday.