Despite having already received an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, Ryak Finch is not taking anything for granted.

The 125-pound, redshirt freshman will be competing regardless in the Big 12 Championships, where 23 remaining automatic bids will be awarded to the eight weight classes in the conference that did not receive a bid for each wrestler.

“Right now, it’s not even about nationals,” Finch said. “Winning the Big 12 title has been a goal of mine, especially coming in as a freshman.”

Finch, a native of Safford, Ariz., is the first ISU 125-pounder to qualify for the NCAA tournament since Andrew Long did so in 2010.

Long, who was later dismissed from the team after that season for disciplinary reasons, finished second at the Big 12 Championships that year before upsetting two higher-ranked wrestlers en route to a second-place finish at nationals.

“Their energy level is comparable,” said ISU coach Kevin Jackson. “Their speed is comparable, and I think their overall ability and competitive nature is pretty similar.”

Finch is 2-4 against Big 12 opponents this season, but Jackson said he is looking for signs of progression from his young 125-pounder similar to what he saw from Long two years ago.

“You’ve seen what Andrew Long was able to do,” Jackson said. “He lost in the Big 12 Championships, but he was able to gather himself and not let it affect his confidence.”

Jackson said Finch’s main point of focus for attaining success at the Big 12 Championships will be his ability to get out from the bottom position — an area in which he had been struggling as of late.

“It’s actually just the little things that I’ve been tweaking and working on all year,” Finch said. “I’m getting better and better as the year progresses, so right now all I have to do is put it all together and make sure everything is all in a full package for these last two tournaments.”

Ward vies for fourth NCAA bid

All Jerome Ward needs is one.

One win at the Big 12 Championships on Saturday and Ward will qualify for the NCAA Championships for the fourth time in his career.

Ward first competed this season on Feb. 12 at the national duals after sitting out due to a serious back injury, failing to meet the criteria for an automatic bid to the national tournament.

Because of the format of the Big 12 Championships, Ward would need to win one match in order to place as low as third at 197 pounds, which would secure him the third and final automatic bid.

“We’re hoping [his win] and planning on that match being his first match, which should be against the No. 1 seed,” Jackson said. “Obviously, it’s pretty tough to get seeded in the top three if you only have one match.

“But I’m confident that it doesn’t matter where Jerome Ward is seeded. He’s [a] tough matchup for anybody, especially if he wrestles for seven minutes, which we expect him to do.”

For Ward, the Big 12 Championships will not be anything new for him.

“I know what to expect,” Ward said. “It gives me somewhat of an advantage having [had] an opportunity to get there three times.”

Coincidentally, one win was all Ward needed last season to attain All-America status at 197 pounds last season. Falling short of that goal has fueled Ward to take advantage of his last shot.

“It’s a salty feeling not achieving what you came there for,” Ward said. “I was in the match to be an All-American, and I just came up short.”