Windsor's Dom Serrano leads UNC Bears wrestling to Big 12 Conference Championships

Serrano, the defending Big 12 champion at 133 pounds, is the top seed for the Bears at the conference tournament.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Dominick Serrano, a four-time Colorado high school champion from Windsor, is the top seed for the University of Northern Colorado wrestling team at the Big 12 Conference Championships this weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Serrano, the defending champion at 133 pounds, is the Bears' best chance to earn a spot in the NCAA Championships next month in Cleveland.

Why it matters

Serrano's performance at the Big 12 tournament will be crucial for the UNC wrestling team's chances of sending multiple wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, which is the pinnacle of college wrestling. As the top seed, Serrano is expected to contend for another conference title and automatic NCAA bid.

The details

Serrano (15-1 record this season) is the fourth seed at 133 pounds, and the highest seed among UNC wrestlers at the conference championships. He earned a bye into the quarterfinals and will face either No. 5 Gunner Andrick from West Virginia or unseeded Carter Schmidt of Oklahoma in his first match. Serrano's only loss this season came against Iowa State's Evan Frost, the second seed at 133 pounds.

  • The Big 12 Conference Championships will be held on Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
  • The NCAA Championships are scheduled for March 19-21, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The players

Dominick Serrano

A four-time Colorado high school champion from Windsor who is the defending Big 12 champion at 133 pounds and the top seed for the University of Northern Colorado wrestling team at the conference tournament.

Teyon Ware

The first-year head coach of the University of Northern Colorado wrestling team.

Earl Hall

An assistant coach for the University of Northern Colorado wrestling team.

Evan Frost

The second seed at 133 pounds from Iowa State, the only wrestler to defeat Serrano this season.

Jax Forrest

The top seed at 133 pounds from Oklahoma State.

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What they’re saying

“Now I'm grateful and I'm excited. At the end of the day, I'm going to be Dom Serrano and the rest will take care of itself.”

— Dominick Serrano (greeleytribune.com)

“No one cares what you've done in the regular season. This tournament determines if you're going to Cleveland or not.”

— Teyon Ware, First-year head coach, University of Northern Colorado wrestling (greeleytribune.com)

What’s next

The winners of the Big 12 Conference Championships will earn automatic bids to the NCAA Championships on March 19-21 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The takeaway

Dominick Serrano, a four-time Colorado high school champion, is the top seed and defending champion at 133 pounds for the University of Northern Colorado at the Big 12 Conference Championships. As the Bears' best chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships, Serrano's performance will be crucial for UNC's postseason aspirations.