2x All-American Hamiti to Transfer to Oklahoma State

Only four days removed from the end of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the transfer season is already heating up!

Yesterday, we mentioned how two-time All-American Dean Hamiti had entered the transfer portal. Hamiti had earned All-American honors twice in three years for Wisconsin; however, he was seeking a new home and was labeled as “Do Not Contact.” in the portal. That means schools were not able to initiate contact and Hamiti likely had a school or schools in mind to pursue. 

That proved to be the case as Hamiti announced today that he would be transferring to Oklahoma State University. That seems like a logical fit as the Cowboys will lose two-time All-American Izzak Olejnik. Olejnik earned All-American honors in 2023 for Northern Illinois, then joined OSU as a graduate transfer in 2023-24. 

Hamiti is linked to Oklahoma State by his matches with their previous starter, Olejnik. The two met in the 2023 NWCA All-Star Match and Olejnik shocked the reigning Big Ten champion, 8-2. The pair clashed again, in Kansas City, in the NCAA bloodround and Olejnik prevailed in sudden victory. 

In his social media announcement, Hamiti states how “it’s been a dream of mine since I was little, I wanted to wrestle as a Cowboy!” 

Oklahoma State loses two of their three 2024 All-Americans; however, the bulk of a lineup that went 14-1 in 2023-24 returns. Sliding into the 165 lb spot vacated by Olejnik makes the most sense; however, Hamiti did briefly bump up to 174, so that may be an option in Stillwater. Oklahoma State’s returning starter is true freshman Brayden Thompson, who does have a redshirt year available. 

In three years with the Badgers, Hamiti amassed an 81-14 record with two NCAA sixth-place finishes, a Big Ten title, and two B1G finals appearances.