TULSA — Senior No. 1 Rocky Elam claimed his second Big 12 Championship on Saturday at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Elam’s dominant weekend at 197 pounds culminated with a tight 5-4 win against Joey Novak of Northern Iowa.
The victory makes Elam a two-time Big 12 champion. His first came in 2023 while wrestling for Missouri. He also claimed a MAC title in 2021 as a Tiger.
“This is about the journey, and this is about doing it with my teammates and my brothers,” Elam said. “I enjoy these experiences more than I enjoy, you know, being a Big 12 champ, even though that’s something I’m also thankful for.”
After the tournament, the Kansas City native secured an allocation to the NCAA Championships along with eight of the other nine members of the Iowa State lineup.
Senior No. 1 Yonger Bastida also claimed the title at heavyweight. The Cyclones finished second behind Oklahoma State in the team championship.
Early in the championship match, Novak fell onto an Elam takedown to put Elam ahead 3-0. Novak exhibited his defensive skills late in the first period with several smooth takedown denials.
Elam scored on a takedown in the third period to take a 5-4 lead and narrowly avoided another takedown in the final minute by hanging onto a leg. Wyoming threw the brick for a challenge, but after review, the call was confirmed as no takedown.
With 16 seconds left, Elam had top position and a point advantage. He maintained control and avoided the escape to win his second Big 12 Championship.
It was the second comeback victory of the tournament for Elam. He was taken down and put on the back foot in the first period of his semifinal match against Oklahoma’s DJ Parker before going on the offensive for the rest of the match and winning 9-3.
“It’s so important to manage those matches. You know, I think in our heads, of course, we want to get, you know, two, three takedowns a match, riding time, escape, dominate every position. That’s the ideal match,” Elam said. “It’s not going to be like that every time.”
Since transferring, the former Tiger has found a strong support system at Iowa State and has been able to learn from teammates like Bastida.
“People have really poured into me,” Elam said. “I mean, literally, when I was back in the tunnel after my match, Yonger [Bastida] had got done and he won. He came back there and told me adjustments I could make.”
Elam and Bastida have formed a powerful 1-2 punch at the end of the lineup this year for the Cyclones. Both will enter the NCAA Championships as undefeated conference champions.
In 2023, Elam finished third to log his best finish at the NCAA Championships. His eyes are set on the top of the podium in 2026.
“I think coach Dresser had a really good quote. He said, You know, don’t get too high or too low after this conference tournament,” Elam said. “A lot of things change in two weeks and it happens every year with people being conference champions and then maybe not performing up to the capacity.”
“So I think that’s going to be my mindset, really, just don’t get too high or too low,” Elam said. “Continue to, you know, wake up and get better.”
With the Big 12 Championships in the rearview mirror, all eyes turn to the NCAA Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, March 19-21.
