Oak Glen High School graduate Peyton Hall stands alone atop the WVU wrestling books. The fifth-year senior collected three wins on Day 1 of the Big 12 Wrestling Championships in Tulsa, Okla. Saturday, allowing him to surpass three-time national champion Greg Jones with 129 victories.
Seeded second in the 165-pound weight class, Hall defeated Daniel Manibog of Cal Baptist, 15-0 in the opening round. Hall was taken to overtime in the quarterfinals by Jack Thomsen of Northern Iowa. Hall prevailed 9-6 in sudden victory. In the semifinal round, Hall defeated Arizona State’s Nicco Ruiz, 8-2.
Hall will face Missouri’s Cam Steed in Sunday’s championship. The final session begins at 9 p.m.
At 125 pounds, WVU’s Jett Strickenberger collected three wins to earn a spot in the championship round. Strickenberger will face Oklahoma State’s Troy Sprately.
With their finishes on Saturday, Hall, Strickenberger and Jordan Titus (141 pounds) clinched spots in the NCAA Championships.