OSU's Heil Named Big 12 Wrestler Of The Year

Oklahoma State wrestling junior Dean Heil has been named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Year, the league announced Wednesday. Heil marks the Cowboys' second-straight Big 12 Wrestler of the Year, as Alex Dieringer was named the award's inaugural recipient last season.
 
Heil turned in a fantastic junior season in 2017, and his resume speaks for itself. The Cowboy junior posted an unblemished 32-0 overall record on the way to winning his second career individual NCAA Championship last weekend in St. Louis, Mo.
 
His perfect season goes down as the 15th undefeated campaign of 29 wins or more in school history, putting Heil in exclusive company with the likes of Dieringer, John Smith, Pat Smith, Eric Guerrero, Steve Mocco, Mark Branch, Jordan Oliver, Mike Sheets, Alan Fried and Eric Wais.
 
Heil also found postseason success at the Big 12 Championship, where he brought home his third conference title. He earned his second Southern Scuffle title in January in Chattanooga, Tenn., to become the fifth Cowboy in program history to win two individual crowns at the event.
 
As a junior, Heil went 14-0 against ranked opponents, with 10 of those wins coming against ranked foes. He went 15-0 in dual action to help lead the Cowboys to a 14-1 overall mark on the season.
 
Following his NCAA finals victory, Heil ends his junior season on a 41-match win streak. He currently owns a 91-11 overall record for his career, and next season will look to become the 42nd Cowboy wrestler to break onto the program's 100-win list.