While the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Tournament (December 6/7, 2025) has always been tough, it has seemed to keep getting better over the last few years, and this year is no exception. Based on how many top 20 wrestlers in each weight class who are scheduled to wrestle, it will compete with, if not exceed the toughest conference tournaments, even the Big 10. In addition to #5 OSU, five more of the current top ten tournament teams (#3 Nebraska, #6 South Dakota State #7 Virginia Tech, #8 Cornell and #10 Ohio State) will be there. When you add Iowa State, North Carolina State, and others to the 30 team bracket, you end up with a crazy deep tournament, especially this early in the season. Keep in mind, however there will be some weird scratches, both due to being banged up (understandable), and for guys protecting their postseason seeds (weak). Cornell has not yet entered half their guys as of Tuesday night, including (2) Meyer Shapiro which is disappointing. NC State might be missing four of their guys including Kai Orine (141) and Dylan Fishback (184), and Ohio State has not yet entered Dylan D’Emilio (149), Carson Karchla (174), or Rocco Welsh (184). Hopefully some of that changes for the better before Friday. Based on potential seeds of actual starters, Oho State would “win” the tournament with 9 placers and 1 champ while Oklahoma State would finish second with 7 placers and a champ, closely followed by Nebraska for 3rd. This preview will focus on Oklahoma State wrestlers who have a real chance to make some noise under their first-year coach. Rankings are from Intermat (12/3/24) and records are from Wrestlestat.
125: (4) Troy Spratley (4-0). Spratley has had an interesting early season. He looked lackadaisical against Bridger Ricks (Utah Valley) and (24) Maximo Renteria (Oregon State) before taking out the always dangerous (7) Jore Volk (Wyoming) in Sudden Victory. Unfortunately, that win lost some luster when Volk went down to Norman and got upset by Antonio Lorenzo (Oklahoma) the next day. Spratley really has a chance to show what he is capable of since 9 of the top 10 (only missing Steven Poulin (N. Colorado), assuming Richie Figueroa is back from injury) and 12 of the top 20 ranked guys at 125 will be there. He is anticipated to be seeded 5th but at 125, literally anything goes. He could win the whole thing, or not even finish in the top 8. He really needs to have a good tournament though, because he does not face anyone else ranked in the top 10 until Big 12s. Nationally, Spratley is getting a lot of love from the pundits, and could do much better. PREDICTION: 7th Place
133: Reese Witcraft (2-0) or (30) Cael Hughes (5-0): As of today, no announcement has been made regarding who will suit up for the Cowboys at 133. Coach David Taylor has said he is looking for one of them to separate themselves, but early on, neither has, at least in public. Witcraft is the crafty Senior who has bided his time and Hughes is the highly touted and talented Redshirt Freshman who has struggled a little to make weight at 133. As for the potential matchups, 133 is not nearly as deep for CKLV as 125. “Only” 3 of the top 10 and 8 of the top 20 will be there, so there is a real chance for either to make some waves, and selfishly, I’d like to see it be Hughes because his upside is big. Predicted seed for either guy is 13th and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that either make the blood round. PREDICTION: Top 12.
