Monday, February 16, 2026

2026 Sooner Athletic Conference Preview (Sat Feb 21st)

 


The #5 Oklahoma City Stars look to completely dominate the Sooner Athletic Conference this Saturday, but we should see some good fight out of both #21 Wayland Baptist, as well as Texas Wesleyan at various weights. 

125

Cash Donnel is one of many former Oklahoma Sooners, now an Oklahoma City Star looking to win a SAC title this Saturday.   He won the Southeastern Open earlier this season.  To challenge him will be Jesse Lewis, a tough freshman for the Pioneers, champion at the Cumberland Open. 

#8
Vincent Citrano
  Oklahoma City 
133

The Pittsburgh native is having a standout season thus far & is head & shoulders the favorite to win this Saturday's SAC title. 

U.R.
Jace Province
Oklahoma City
141



No ranked wrestlers in the SAC at 141 lbs, but if I be a guessing man, my guess for a champion here is Jace Province.  The freshman has looked very solid multiple times thus far in '25-'26, including winning both the Viking Open & the 918 Open. 

149


I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this doesn't end up being the best match of the SAC finals.  Kaden Fetterolf, yet another of the former Oklahoma Sooners, now an Oklahoma City Star.  Having a great season thus far, taking titles at both the Friend Falcon Open & the Southeastern Open.  His likely opponent, Jaden Two Lance.  An outstanding NJCAA wrestler for Carl Albert, now doing big things in the NAIA.  He recently won the Cumberland Open. 

157


I have no doubt in my mind that Oklahoma City sends 12 wrestlers to the NAIA championships this year.  Former Oklahoma Sooner, & NAIA title contender John Wiley will without a doubt be one of them.  And for that matter, so will Jake Moon. 

165


The other weight class where Oklahoma City sends two to the NAIA national tournament? 165 lbs.  Ironically enough, last season Jordan Lomeli finished 3rd at the SAC championships, whereas Hayden Brown finished 2nd.  This year, the two look to duke it out for the gold.  So far this season, Lomeli bested Brown at the Friends Falcon Invite in the 3rd place match.  Lomeli also won the Southeastern Open. 

174

Truth to be known, if Tate Picklo was still competing for the Oklahoma Sooners, he would easily be a top 33 NCAA DI wrestler.  Honestly, I think he's good enough and talented enough to be within the top 20. You remember that the next time you doubt the credibility of NAIA wrestling or you hear someone question the talent of the upper caliber of the NAIA. There are some outstanding wrestlers in the NAIA & Picklo is walking, breathing proof of that.  A Friends Falcon Invite champion, as well as a Southeastern Open champion, he's got SAC gold written all over him.   

With that said, I expect his finals opponent to be Jonathon Ward of Texas Wesleyan.  An SAC champion in his own right. 

184


If 149 lbs isn't our best final, 184 lbs will be.  Dayne Stormer & Cole Olguin met earlier this year, and it was a wild 15-13 win for Stormer.  I would imagine such a match this weekend will bring the same excitement. 

#15
Omari Smith
Oklahoma City
197

The SAC's only returning All-American from last season (8th) & a SAC champion, I say it's a fair thought to think he'll repeat as both as we near the end of the season. 

HWT



This is a very interesting situation.  An SAC champion last season, Emmett Bivens is a favorite to win an SAC title this weekend.  Here to give him a challenge will be Rafael Lovato.  What makes him so interesting?  How about the fact that most collegiate wrestlers were born sometime between 2001 & 2008.  Rafael Lovato was born in 1983.   If he were to win the SAC title this weekend, I wonder if he'd be the oldest conference champion in collegiate wrestling history?  What a story that'd make. 



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