Oklahoma State Wrestling Early Lineup Look - 2025-26 Season
Oklahoma State Wrestling Early Lineup Look - 2025-26 Season
A breakdown of the potential starting lineup for the 2025-26 Cowboy Wrestling Team.
David Taylor had a magical first year in Stillwater, but the Cowboys are only returning 28 NCAA points, and there are a lot of questions surrounding their lineup next year. However, with some big-time high school recruits coming in and a couple of key transfer portal pickups, Oklahoma State should be on track to repeat as Big 12 champions and NCAA team trophy winners.
Oklahoma State’s Potential 2025-26 Lineup
125: Troy Spratley
133: Rin Sakamoto / JJ McComas
141: Cael Hughes / Sergio Vega / Tagen Jamison
149: Casey Swiderski / Tagen Jamison
157: Teague Travis / Tagen Jamison / Landon Robideau
165: LaDarion Lockett / Kody Routledge
174: Alex Facundo
184: Zack Ryder
197: Cody Merrill
285: Konner Doucet
125: Troy Spratley
Possibly the most sure thing for the Cowboys next year is Troy Spratley holding down the opening weight class. The returning national finalist went 24-5 last season and will be entering his junior year with a 46-13 career record.
133: Rin Sakamoto / JJ McComas
With 2025 starter Reece Witcraft out of eligibility, the Cowboys will need a new starter at 133 lbs. Cael Hughes split time with Witcraft this season, but word is he is huge and likely can’t make 133 anymore.
Japan native Rin Sakamoto wrestled in just one match last season while redshirting this past season - an 11-1 loss to national finalist Drake Ayala of Iowa. Despite the final score, I was impressed with Sakamoto in the match and would like to see him compete more folkstyle. He recently went 2-2 at the Senior Asian Championships representing Japan and was the Japanese 57 kg rep at the 2023 U20 World Championships.
JJ McComas is another option for the Cowboys at 133. He was the #22 overall recruit coming out of high school last year. He went 10-2 this season while competing unattached, losing to Jake Crapps of Missouri 7-4 and Blake Gioimo of Iowa State 4-1.
141: Cael Hughes / Sergio Vega
It’s no secret that Tagen Jamison was a big 141-pounder this season. If he can make it back down, I’m guessing the spot is his. However, ti sounds like that might not be in the cards. As mentioned above, Hughes was also large for his weight class of 133 this season. The hometown Stillwater boy went 7-1 this season with wins over Kai Orine and Zan Fugitt.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see David Taylor roll out true freshman Sergio Vega right away. The Tucson, Arizona native is the #6 overall recruit in this year’s senior class. In the past 12 months, Vega has won Who’s Number One, Super 32, Fargo, Doc B, and the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic.
Watch Sergio Vega win 2024 Who’s Number One over Drew Gorman below.
149: Casey Swiderski / Tagen Jamison
Casey Swiderski was an excellent pick up for the Cowboys in the transfer portal early this offseason, but creates a bit of a log jam if Jamison can’t make 141 again. Swiderski was an All-American at 149 in 2024, finishing in 7th place with a record of 20-5. The Michigan native was sidelined this past season with a torn ACL while trying to cut down to 141 lbs for Iowa State. It’s not clear who the clear starter is if these two both want to go 149. Jamison went 21-6 this season and made the bloodround.
157: Teague Travis / Tagen Jamison / Landon Robideau
Swiderski coming in and Jamison potentially moving up will likely force this year’s 149 lb starter Teague Travis up to 157. This won’t be new for Travis, he competed at 157 two years ago as a redshirt sophomore going 23-8 and 2-2 at NCAAs. Or could we see Jamison move up two weights to 157?. No inside info here, but if Jamison really can’t make 141 anymore and Swiderski is the best option at 149, Jamison might have to do the two weight bump.
Another potential option is true freshman Landon Robideau. The #1 ranked high schooler at 157 lbs and #5 overall recruit in the class of 2025, Robideau is a key part of Coach Taylor’s incoming recruiting class. In the past 12 months the Minnesota native has won Who’s Number One, Super 32, Fargo, and the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic.
Watch Landon Robideau defeat Melvin Miller at Who’s Number One below.
165: LaDarion Lockett / Kody Routledge
I think we’re going to see a young starter for the Cowboys at 165 lbs - most likely either true freshman LaDarion Lockett or true freshman Kody Routledge. Lockett is the #3 overall recruit coming out of high school this year and the bluest of blue chip recruits. He’s a U17 World champion, U20 World silver, Who’s Number One winner, 2X Super 32 champion, 2X Ironman champion, and a Fargo champion. He’s split time at 165 lbs and 175 lbs for his senior year of high school, but sounds like he’ll be a 165 next year.
While I expect Lockett to be ready to go right out of the gate, if it’s decided he needs a redshirt year, another option is Kody Routledge. Routledge is the #26 overall senior in high school and currently ranked #6 at 165 lbs. The Oklahoma native an Ironman champion and Super 32 finalist.
174: Alex Facundo
How do you replace a national champion like Dean Hamiti? You hit the portal and pick up 2X Cadet World medalist Alex Facundo. Facundo has spent the past four years at Penn State, but has struggled to make the starting lineup. He was the starter in 2023 at 165 lbs where he went 19-6 and was a national qualifier. This year he cut down to 157 to try and make the starting lineup, but Tyler Kasak won the spot. Despite him dropping down this season, it sounds like 174 will be his best weight class moving forward.
184: Zack Ryder
Back-to-back former Nittany Lions? There were some question marks surrounding who was going to replace national finalist and 4X All-American Dustin Plott. That is, until yesterday when Zack Ryder announced he would be transferring from Penn State to Oklahoma State. This is a huge pickup for David Taylor. Ryder was the #5 overall recruit coming out of high school last year. He is a 2X U17 World bronze medalist and U20 World silver medalist. He went 8-0 as a redshirt this year winning the Black Knight and Southern Scuffle tounaments, picking up enough quality wins that he could be ranked in the top 10 heading into the season. Everyone has high expectations for this kid.
Watch Zack Ryder win the 2025 Southern Scuffle below.
197: Cody Merrill
Everyone also has high expectations for redshirt freshman Cody Merrill. Merrill was the #12 recruit coming out of high school last year. He went 10-2 as a redshirt this season only losing to U20 World bronze medalist Justin Rademacher 2-4 and national champion Stephen Buchanan 0-2. He beat several national qualifiers including All-American Isaiah Salazar.
285: Konner Doucet
Konner Doucet was the heavyweight starter for Oklahoma State for two years before Wyatt Hendrickson joined the Cowboys last year. No shame in sitting behind the Dan Hodge Trophy Award winner. He qualified for the national tournament both years he was a starter.