University of Oklahoma Athletics

2023-24 Wrestling Roster

Cael Carlson

Cael Carlson

  • Class:
    Redshirt Senior
  • Height:
    5-10
  • Weight:
    165
  • High School:
    Willmar HS
  • Hometown:
    Willmar, Minn.
  • Prev School:
    Minnesota
Year Overall Duals Big 12/Big TenĀ Finish Major Decisions Tech Falls Pins
2019-20 5-4 0-0 DNC 1 1 1
2020-21 5-0 0-0 DNC 1 1 0
2021-22 14-17 2-6 7thĀ  4 0 4
2022-23 10-7 2-2 DNC 1 0 2
2023-24 15-12 4-6 7th 4 3 0
Totals 49-40 8-14 ... 11 5 7


2023-24
Compiled a 18-12 record (15-12 against D1 opponents) as a starter at 165 pounds in first season with the Sooners … Posted aĀ 4-6 dual record ... Secured first dual win with Oklahoma in season-opener (Nov. 9), defeating Central Michigan’s Tracy Hubbard via 11-3 major decision … Knocked off Northwestern’s No. 9 Maxx Mayfield, 3-1, in the third-place match at the Michigan State Open (Nov. 11) … Also placed at the Reno Tournament of Champions (third place) and Southern Scuffle (seventh place) ... Started for the Sooners at the Big 12 Championships, wrestling as the No. 6 seed in the 165-pound bracket while picking up two wins for a podium finish (seventh place) … Selected as an alternate for the NCAA Championships but did not compete … Tallied eight bonus point wins, including three tech falls on the year … NWCA Scholar All-American.

2022-23 (At Minnesota)
Went 3-2 in his five starts on the season, going 2-2 in Big Ten duals for the Gophers … Stepped into the lineup and upset #19 Danny Braunagel by 2-1 decision against Illinois (1/28) … Defeated Nick South (Indiana) by 5-1 decision in first start of the season (1/20) … Placed sixth at the Southern Scuffle, earning a ranked win over #21 Wyatt Sheets to reach semifinals … UNI Open champ with a 3-0 record, including two bonus-point victories … Took 4th at the Bison Open with a 2-2 record … Academic All-B1G Selection.Ā 


2021-22 (At Minnesota)
Went 19-17 on the year in his first season as a starter … Was an NCAA Qualifier at 165 pounds, and went 0-2 at the Championships … Took 7th Place at the Big Ten Championships in his first conference tournament appearance … Pinned fifth-seed Caleb Fish (Michigan State) in the 7th Place Match and Big Tens to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships … Held a 2-6 dual record, all against Big Ten competition … Earned his first career dual victory by pinning Northwestern's Erich Byelich on Jan. 9 … Made his starting lineup debut against #1 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, falling by 6-5 decision … Placed 3rd at 2022 Southern Scuffle, going 6-1 on the weekend … Earned two top-15 victories at the Southern Scuffle, defeating #11 Luke Weber (North Dakota State) and #24 William Formato (Appalachian State) … Took 2nd Place at the UNI Open, falling to Iowa's Patrick Kennedy in the finals … Went 3-2 at the Daktronics en route to fifth place finish … Took 3rd Place at Bison Open with 4-1 record … Academic All-Big Ten selectionĀ 


2020-21 (At Minnesota)
Finished 5-0 at 157pounds in dual meet "extra" matches … Made Gopher debut with 17-2 technical fall over Kevon Davenport … Defeated Iowa's Bretli Reyna by 5-4 decision … Academic All-Big Ten selectionĀ 


2019-20 (At Minnesota)Ā 
Earned a 17-5 record during his redshirt season … Went 4-2 at the National Collegiate Open … Placed 3rd at the Iowa State Last Chance Open … Won the Don Parker Open with a 6-0 record on the day … Went 5-1 at the Buena Vista OpenĀ 


HIGH SCHOOLĀ Ā 
Two-time MSHSL State Champion … Four-time Minnesota state finalist (2nd, 2nd, 1st, 1st) … Five-time letterwinner in wrestling … 2018 US Marine Corps Greco-Roman National Champion (2019 Runner-Up) … National Honor Society member, graduating with high honors … Attended Willmar high schoolĀ 


PERSONALĀ 
Son of Chad and Kindra Carlson … Has two brothers: Caden and Conlan … Father, Chad, and Uncle, Carl both wrestled for Minnesota in the 1990s … Cousin, Clay currently wrestles for South Dakota StateĀ 

WR Highlights: Big 12 Championships (Day Two)
Sunday, March 09
WR Highlights: Big 12 Championships (Day One)
Saturday, March 08
WR Highlights: OU 32, Arizona State 6
Sunday, February 16
WR Highlights: OU 23, Missouri 13
Saturday, February 01