Oklahoma
Oklahoma State’s Alex Facundo Getting Challenged By Unrelenting Schedule – FloWrestling
The absurd difficulty of Alex Facundo’s schedule this season provided a brief moment of levity on Wednesday during David Taylor’s weekly gathering with the Oklahoma State wrestling media.
The coach of the Cowboys shook his head and began to laugh when he figured out where the question was headed.
Did you know going into the year that basically every match Alex has is going to be against a top-10 dude?
“I remember looking and being like, ‘Man, he’s going to have a pretty fun year this year — a lot of challenges,’” Taylor said. “That’s just part of it sometimes. Sometimes you really can’t control that stuff.”
It became apparent early in the season that Facundo wasn’t going to get many pushovers this season. He wrestled four bouts at the National Duals Invitational. His opponents: #2 Patrick Kennedy, #3 Simon Ruiz, #4 Christopher Minto and #5 Matthew Singleton.
That was the start of what’s become a recurring theme — Facundo getting challenged against a high-caliber opponent.
Seventh-ranked Facundo is 10-4 this season and 9-1 since facing the gauntlet in Tulsa.
“Alex is doing a good job,” Taylor said. “Again, you think about — he hasn’t competed frequently in the last three or four years, so this is his first real season in quite a long time. He’s almost approaching it like a freshman. I think that’s where his progression has been this year.
“His last couple of matches, just the way he’s starting to carry himself, he’s starting to hit a little bit of growth. You gotta run with those things. When you’re getting (a) growth (stretch) in wrestling … you gotta make the most of them. He’s going through that right now, and it’s fun to watch.”
Since the National Duals Invitational, Facundo won a rematch with Minto, downed #8 Carter Schubert and knocked off returning All-American Cam Steed in his last outing. He’ll face two more tests this weekend when the Cowboys take on Northern Iowa and Iowa State and 13th-ranked Panther Jared Simma and #12 Cyclone M.J. Gaitan come to Stillwater.
Big Test’On Deck For Merrill
Cody Merrill’s stingy style lends itself to tight, low-scoring matches and he’s won his fair share of them this season. Although the freshman 197-pounder has the lowest bonus-point percentage among Oklahoma State starters at 18.2 percent, Merrill owns a 10-1 record.
The degree of difficulty increases for Merrill this weekend when he tangles with second-ranked Rocky Elam of Iowa State. Elam, a four-time All-American at Missouri, is 11-0 this season with the Cyclones.
“The Elam kid is pretty good, been around a long time,” Taylor said. “He’s got a good takedown, he’s tough on top, you know, similar matchup. I think it’s gonna be a good test, and I know he’s looking forward to the opportunity.”
Merrill has been difficult to take down and he’s been tough on top, too. Those qualities have helped him win five matches this yar by two points or fewer.
“He has a patience about him,” Taylor said. “A lot of guys on top, they get a little anxious and they make a mistake and their hand comes over top. He just has really good patience and he’s willing to stick with it. He has a really good, strong, committed ride on top. I think that’s kind of an art that’s been lost in college wrestling, and it’s because it’s hard. Riding someone’s hard, a lot of people don’t want to put that work in. We put a lot of effort in there.”
Down A Dual
After Oklahoma State’s Friday trip to Missouri, the Cowboys were slated to take on Utah Valley in Stillwater on Sunday. However, Winter Storm Fern had other plans in store. Due to inclement weather, the dual was cancelled, and a statement from Oklahoma State Athletics said both programs would look to reschedule at a later date.
“A little disappointing that we lost our Sunday home match last week,” Taylor said. “We really value our home matches and the experience that it gives to the state.”
With less than a month remaining in the regular season, Taylor acknowledged that the dual might not get rescheduled.
“I would love to get it back on this schedule, but it doesn’t look promising,” he said.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.
The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.
The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wants the State Superintendent of Education to be a governor-elected position instead of an elected one. Political analyst Scott Mitchell examines what this would mean for the state.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging lawmakers to send a state question to voters that would make the state superintendent an appointed position, as he named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to the role and announced a turnaround team to help implement his education agenda.
Is the State Superintendent an elected role?
Yes, the State Superintendent of Education is still an elected role. Elections are scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Cons of making the superintendent an appointed position
Mitchell said making this position appointed could cause distrust among some Oklahomans
“Over the years, we’ve seen that capture of regulatory sort of is easy to do when you have term limits, then lobbies become more powerful, and they have all the history. It’s very complicated.
He also said if the position were to be elected, they would likely have the same agenda as the governor.
“Yes, and I think the governor would be absolutely saying, ‘Yes, they’re going to do what I want them to do.’”
Changing how the superintendent is chosen changes what the founding fathers set.
“Voters are going to have to say yay or nay if it gets to them, is whether or not we want to change the way that the founding fathers set up the way that we make sure that power is not concentrated in Oklahoma,” he said.
Is Ryan Walters’ term the reason Stitt wants to make this position appointed?
Mitchell said he believes the former State Superintendent played a role in the government wanting to appoint this position.
During his time as superintendent, Walters was known to have multiple controversies. He resigned in 2025, allowing Stitt to appoint Lindel Fields.
“His impact on this, even though he’s gone, is certainly evident,” said Mitchell. “Walters left midstream, right? And so the governor had a chance to appoint someone. Well, it wasn’t just an appointment; it was chaos before and relative calm and competency after. And that has given the governor an opening for people to see with their own eyes. Yeah, you can put somebody in, we’re talking about Lindel Fields, that appears to get up every day, not trying to find some, get a click on social media, but rather to do his job. And across the board, for the most part, this guy’s getting thumbs up.
Stitt said electing Fields has already given him some leverage since he has been well perceived so far.
“That allows a governor to say, Look, I’ve got some standing, some leverage to go to the voters and say, let’s put expertise as the main reason that a person’s there, not because they were able to win an election because they had some sort of populist or dramatic ideas.”
Who is running for Oklahoma State Superintendent?
Republican Ballot
- Sen. Adam Pugh
- John Cox
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck
- Ana Landsaw
Democrat Ballot
- Craig Mcvay
- Jennettie Marshall
Independent
To learn more about each candidate, click here.
A full breakdown of candidates in the 2026 Oklahoma State Superintendent race, including party affiliation, background and key education priorities.
An Oklahoma highway could soon be named after the late country superstar, Toby Keith, pending new legislation.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 would rename a proposed turnpike project the “Toby Keith Expressway.” This roadway is set to be built from Interstate 44 East to Interstate-35, continuing East and North to Interstate 40. This road is a part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Long-Range Plan, which is meant to update and expand the state’s turnpike system.
This resolution was adopted by the House on Wednesday.
“Toby Keith was more than a country music star. He was a proud Oklahoman who never forgot where he came from,” said Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore. “Naming this turnpike in his honor is a fitting way to recognize a man who represented our state with ultimate patriotism and generosity.”
Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, raised in Moore and resided in Norman. He died on February 5, 2024, in a battle with cancer.
“Over the course of his legendary career, Toby Keith never forgot where he came from or what he stood for,” said Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman. “His Oklahoma roots shaped him, and his love of America defined him. He was a country music superstar and a true patriot. I can think of no better way to honor his memory than by naming this future stretch of Norman turnpike in his honor, creating a lasting tribute to the legacy he leaves behind.”
During his career, Keith sold over 40 million records and more than 20 number-one singles
Legislation authors believe this would commemorate the life and legacy of Toby Keith.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
To read the full House Resolution, click here.
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