Thursday, March 16
Tulsa, Okla.
12:00 PM & 7 PM
Indiana University
vs
NCAA Championships
Four Hoosiers to Compete at NCAA Wrestling Championships
3/13/2023 4:00:00 PM | Wrestling
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– At last, the NCAA Wrestling Championships are here. The six-session postseason and culmination of the sport takes place from March 16-18 at the BOK Center.
TULSA TIME:
-Indiana will have four wrestlers competing in the championships and potentially a fifth if a need for an alternate arises.
-Graham Rooks (149), Derek Gilcher (157), DJ Washington (174) and Jacob Bullock (285) will all represent the Hoosiers in Tulsa.
-Rooks is the No. 21 seed at 149 lbs., Gilcher is the No. 18 seed at 157 lbs., Washington is the No. 17 seed at 174 lbs. and Bullock is the No. 23 seed at heavyweight.
-Indiana's Nick Willham (197) is the first alternate at 197 lbs. Should a competing wrestler at 197 lbs. withdraw due to injury or a missed weigh-in, Willham will take their place in the bracket.
INDIVIDUAL PREVIEWS:
-Rooks' opening round matchup will be against No. 12 seed Doug Zapf from Penn who is 22-7 on the season. Zapf finished third at the EIWA Championships this year and is a two-time NCAA Qualifier.
-Rooks will either face No. 5 Paniro Johnson (Iowa State) or No. 28 Jarod Verkleeren in his next match.
-In Gilcher's opener, he will face No. 15 Jacob Wright of Wyoming. This is a rematch of earlier this season when Wright defeated Gilcher in a 2-1 decision at the Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev.
-Wright is a four-time NCAA Qualifier and owns an 18-5 record this year.
-In Gilcher's second match, he will either face No. 2 Levi Haines (Penn State) or No. 31 Ashton Eyler from Lock Haven.
-In Washington's first round bout, he will face No. 16 Sam Wolf of Air Force.
-Wolf carries a 13-3 record into the tournament and finished in sixth place at the Big 12 Championships. This is his first NCAAs appearance after being an alternate last year.
-Washington's second bout of the tournament will be against either No. 1 Carter Starocci (Penn State) or the winner of 174's Pigtail bout of No. 32 John Worthing (Clarion)/No. 33 Will Miller (App State).
-For Bullock, he opens the championships facing No. 10 Zach Elam (Missouri) who has an 18-3 record.
-Elam is making his second career NCAAs appearance and finished third at 285 lbs. in the Big 12 Championships.
-Bullock's second match will be against No. 7 Owen Trephan (NC State) or No. 26 Cory Day (Binghamton).
NEW STANDARDS:
-Just as it showed in the regular season, Indiana continues to raise the bar for the program in the postseason.
-Indiana's four national qualifiers are its most since 2018, when it also had four.
-If Willham gets to participate, that would be the program's most wrestlers competing since 2013.
-The four qualifiers are the most in a season in the Angel Escobedo coaching era at Indiana.
-Indiana's three podium-finishers at the Big Ten Championships this year were its most since 2019, as well, when it also had three.
TOURNAMENT TIDBITS:
-Rooks and Washington are making their third career NCAA appearances.
-Gilcher and Bullock are making their first career NCAA appearances.
-Indiana is seeking its first All-American since 2017 when Nate Jackson took 8th place at 184 lbs.
-Indiana is seeking its 12th national champion and first since Indiana coach Angel Escobedo won it all at 125 lbs. in 2008.
TULSA TIME:
-Indiana will have four wrestlers competing in the championships and potentially a fifth if a need for an alternate arises.
-Graham Rooks (149), Derek Gilcher (157), DJ Washington (174) and Jacob Bullock (285) will all represent the Hoosiers in Tulsa.
-Rooks is the No. 21 seed at 149 lbs., Gilcher is the No. 18 seed at 157 lbs., Washington is the No. 17 seed at 174 lbs. and Bullock is the No. 23 seed at heavyweight.
-Indiana's Nick Willham (197) is the first alternate at 197 lbs. Should a competing wrestler at 197 lbs. withdraw due to injury or a missed weigh-in, Willham will take their place in the bracket.
INDIVIDUAL PREVIEWS:
-Rooks' opening round matchup will be against No. 12 seed Doug Zapf from Penn who is 22-7 on the season. Zapf finished third at the EIWA Championships this year and is a two-time NCAA Qualifier.
-Rooks will either face No. 5 Paniro Johnson (Iowa State) or No. 28 Jarod Verkleeren in his next match.
-In Gilcher's opener, he will face No. 15 Jacob Wright of Wyoming. This is a rematch of earlier this season when Wright defeated Gilcher in a 2-1 decision at the Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev.
-Wright is a four-time NCAA Qualifier and owns an 18-5 record this year.
-In Gilcher's second match, he will either face No. 2 Levi Haines (Penn State) or No. 31 Ashton Eyler from Lock Haven.
-In Washington's first round bout, he will face No. 16 Sam Wolf of Air Force.
-Wolf carries a 13-3 record into the tournament and finished in sixth place at the Big 12 Championships. This is his first NCAAs appearance after being an alternate last year.
-Washington's second bout of the tournament will be against either No. 1 Carter Starocci (Penn State) or the winner of 174's Pigtail bout of No. 32 John Worthing (Clarion)/No. 33 Will Miller (App State).
-For Bullock, he opens the championships facing No. 10 Zach Elam (Missouri) who has an 18-3 record.
-Elam is making his second career NCAAs appearance and finished third at 285 lbs. in the Big 12 Championships.
-Bullock's second match will be against No. 7 Owen Trephan (NC State) or No. 26 Cory Day (Binghamton).
NEW STANDARDS:
-Just as it showed in the regular season, Indiana continues to raise the bar for the program in the postseason.
-Indiana's four national qualifiers are its most since 2018, when it also had four.
-If Willham gets to participate, that would be the program's most wrestlers competing since 2013.
-The four qualifiers are the most in a season in the Angel Escobedo coaching era at Indiana.
-Indiana's three podium-finishers at the Big Ten Championships this year were its most since 2019, as well, when it also had three.
TOURNAMENT TIDBITS:
-Rooks and Washington are making their third career NCAA appearances.
-Gilcher and Bullock are making their first career NCAA appearances.
-Indiana is seeking its first All-American since 2017 when Nate Jackson took 8th place at 184 lbs.
-Indiana is seeking its 12th national champion and first since Indiana coach Angel Escobedo won it all at 125 lbs. in 2008.
Players Mentioned
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Wednesday, September 17
FB: Kellan Wyatt Media Availability (9/16/25)
Tuesday, September 16
FB: Mikail Kamara Media Availability (9/16/25)
Tuesday, September 16
FB: Curt Cignetti Media Availability (9/15/25)
Monday, September 15