Oklahoma City University's Montgomery Wins Silver Medal at SportAccord World Combat Games in China

BEIJING, China - Amberle Montgomery (Kent, Wash./Gator WC/OCU) won a silver medal at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. at the SportAccord World Combat Games on Wednesday.

This unique competition includes elite international competition in a number of combat and martial arts disciplines.

Montgomery lost to Olesya Zamula of Azerbaijan in the gold-medal finals, 2-4, 0-6. Zamula was fifth in the 2008 World Championships, and also competed in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Montgomery went 2-1 in her pool competition, with victories over Olga Kalinina of Kazakhstan and Kayoko Kudo of Japan, and a loss to Panpan Yang of China. Kalinina was seventh in the 2009 World Championships at 59 kg. Yang was a 2010 Asian Junior champion.

Nobody went unbeaten in the pool, and Montgomery advanced to the finals by scoring the most classification points during her matches, bolstered by two pins.

Montgomery is currently a member of Women's Team USA, holding a No. 3 ranking on the national team at her weight class. She was a 2010 WCWA women's college national champions for Oklahoma City University.

Placing fifth in the 55 kg/121 lbs. division was Michaela Hutchison (Soldotna, Alaska/Gator WC/OCU). In her pool, she defeated Katarzyna Krawczyk of Poland, but dropped bouts to Zulfiya Yakhyarova of Kazakhstan and Brittanee Laverdure of Canada. In the fifth-place bout, she stopped Tatiana Debien of France, 4-1, 3-0.

Laverdure, a 2008 World bronze medalist, was the eventual champion at 55 kg/121 lbs.

Hutchison has won the WCWA Women's College Nationals Oklahoma City University for two straight years, and has held a national ranking on the Senior level in her weight class.

Four disciplines of wrestling will be showcased: women's freestyle wrestling; men and women's No-Gi Grappling; Belt Wrestling; Pankration. The wrestling competition is being at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium, which was also the venue for wrestling at the 2008 Olympic Games.

In addition to the women wrestlers, USA Wrestling will be represented by two U.S. No-Gi Grapplers. USA Wrestling has no participants in the other two wrestling disciplines.

Competing on Thursday in the No-Gi Grappling event is Tom LeCuyer (Plano, Ill. (Atlas XT/Torres MA) at the Men's 70 kg/154 lbs. division and Tara LaRosa (Woodstown, N.J./Philadelphia Fight Factory) at the Women's 60 kg/132 lbs.

Both are past Grappling World champions for the United States. LaRosa was a Gi gold medalist at the 2009 Grappling World Championships, and won a No-Gi gold medal in the Grappling competition at the World Wrestling Games in 2007. LeCuyer won a No-Gi gold medal at the 2009 Grappling World Championships.

SPORTACCORD WORLD COMBAT GAMES
At Beijing, China, Sept. 1

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Yanan Sun (China)
Silver - Yana Stadnik (Great Britain)
Bronze - Anna Lukasiak (Poland)
4th -Auriele Basset (France)
5th - Svetlana Mamadova (Azerbaijan)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Brittanee Laverdure (Canada)
Silver - Chikako Matsukawa (Japan)
Bronze - Gui Liu (China)
4th - Zukfiya Yakhyarova (Kazakhstan)
5th - Michaela Hutchison (USA)
6th - Tatiana Debien (France)
7th - Katarzyna Krawczyk (Poland)
8th - Katerina Domrovska (Azerbajain)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold - Olesya Zamula (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Amberle Montgomery (USA)
Bronze - Panpan Yang (China)
4th - Stacie Anaka (Canada)
5th -Kayoko Kudo (Japan)
6th - Paulina Grabowska (Poland)
7th - Irene Garcia (Spain)
8th - Olga Kalinina (Kazakhstan)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold - Xiaoqing Qin (China)
Silver - Hiroe Suzuki (Japan)
Bronze -Leah Callahan (Canada)
4th - Anna Wawrzycka (Poland)
5th - Cynthia Vescan (France)
6th - Galina Ivanova (Bulgaria)
7th - Dacil Lopez (Spain)

U.S. women's freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs. - Michaela Hutchison, Soldotna, Alaska (Gator WC/OCU), 5th
LOSS Zulfiya Yakhyarova (Kazakhstan), 1-0, 1-3, 0-1
WIN Katarzyna Krawczyk (Poland), 1-1, 2-0, 2-2
LOSS Brittanee Laverdure (Canada), 0-1, 0-5
WIN Tatiana Debien (France), 4-1, 3-0

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Amberle Montgomery, Kent, Wash. (Gator WC/OCU), 2nd
WIN Olga Kalinina (Kazakhstan), 0-1, pin
WIN Kayoko Kudo (Japan), pin
LOSS Panpan Yang (China), 0-8, 2-4
LOSS Olesya Zamula (Azerbaijan), 2-4, 0-6
Davis of Oklahoma City University Tapped to Coach U.S. World Team

OKLAHOMA CITY - USA Wrestling has named Oklahoma City University assistant coach Link Davis to the 2010 U.S. Women's Freestyle World Team coaching staff.

Davis will work with USA Wrestling national women's coach Terry Steiner and assistant Keith Wilson of Colorado Springs, Colo., to lead the team that will compete at the 2010 World Wrestling Championships in Moscow on Sept. 6-12. USA Wrestling is the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States.

"Link has been very active with the Oklahoma City program, our premier college program right now," said Steiner of Davis' appointment. "They have had a lot of success there. Because of that, he will feel very comfortable with our World Team athletes. His personality is laid back, and he is easy to get along with. Link is willing to help the team and the program however we need him."

Davis serves as the assistant wrestling coach at Oklahoma City University, where he has helped lead the Stars' women's wrestling program to two consecutive Women's College Wrestling Association national titles and three NWCA National Duals championships in a row. In the three seasons of the OCU women's wrestling program, OCU athletes have won eight individual WCWA national titles. Four OCU women's wrestlers qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials.

Davis' international coaching experience includes coaching the U.S. Senior team, which competed at the 2010 Canada Cup, as well as the 2010 Junior World team, which competed in Hungary. He also helped coach a WCWA college team which competed at the Spanish Grand Prix. Davis has coached a number of other teams that have competed in Canadian tournaments.

"It is a great opportunity to coach with some of the best coaches in the world, and to work with some of the best athletes in the world," Davis said. "Our expectations for the team is that we expect seven medals. I believe that we can do it. We have a good young group of athletes who are hungry for success."

The athletes competing on the 2010 U.S. World Team were determined at the World Team Trials held in Council Bluffs, Iowa on June 11-12. Kristie Davis and Brittney Roberts of OCU have been selected for the U.S. team.

The Stars open their college season with duals against Cumberlands (Ky.) and Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Oct. 2 at Abe Lemons Arena.
Oklahoma City University Adds Wrestling Coaches

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University has named Mitch Brown and Katie Cygan assistant coaches for its men's and women's wrestling programs.

Brown coached alongside OCU coach Archie Randall at prep powerhouse El Reno High School, while Cygan has experienced individual success on the international level.

Both Brown and Cygan will mentor the OCU men's and women's teams and assist Randall and head assistant Link Davis in all aspects of the programs.

"The addition of Katie and Mitch will help our program move forward to another level," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "Mitch Brown has been a longtime assistant of mine and will be able to step into our program and provide immediate impact. Katie with her knowledge of international competition will help our program reach the competitive level we need at the international level."

While at El Reno, Brown became a part of 10 state championship teams and nine dual state championship teams. He earned Oklahoma assistant coach of the year seven times and national assistant coach of the year once. Brown mentored 50 individual state champions.

Brown spent 12 years coaching the Oklahoma team on the national level, bringing five Junior National Duals titles and three cadet national crowns to the state.

During his high school days, Brown won the state championship and became an all-state for Western Heights in Oklahoma City. Brown has since become a 25-year veteran of the Oklahoma City Fire Department, holding the rank of major. Brown has a wife, Sharon, and two children, Presley (5) and Teague (3).
Cygan has accumulated several individual accolades during a distinguished international career:

· Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, inducted 2010
· Three-time Senior Nationals champion
· Three-time World Team member
· Five-time World Team Trials champion
· 2005 and 2007 World Team bronze medalist
· 2001 World Cup championship
· Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame

Cygan had been training in Colorado Springs, Colo., since 2003. She is married to Joe Cygan.

She recently aided OCU's Brittany Roberts in finishing first at 67 kilograms in the Pan American Junior Championships.

"I am excited to work with the athletes, coaches and Oklahoma City University staff in a wrestling program that has attained and maintained an impressive level of success," Cygan said. "I look forward to applying my experiences in postgraduate studies and elite level wrestling to the Oklahoma City University wrestling program. I am honored to work with coaches Randall, Davis and Brown toward cultivating excellence on the mat, in the classroom, and in the lives of our wrestlers."

The Stars have captured the past two Women's College Wrestling Association championships and three NWCA women's national dual titles. On the men's side, OCU had two all-Americans and finished tied for 13th place in the NAIA Championships last season.
Oklahoma City University's Roberts Finishes First in Pan American Junior Women's Wrestling Championships

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Brittney Roberts of Oklahoma City University took the gold medal at 67 kilograms (147.5 pounds) in the Pan American Junior Women's Wrestling Championships on Saturday.

Roberts became one of two U.S. individuals to win the gold. Schuyler Brown won at 59 kilos (130 pounds) to help the United States to a second-place finish as a team. The United States had 53 points, while Canada had a tournament-high 63.

New OCU assistant coach Katie Cygen trained both Brown and Roberts in preparation for the Pan Am Championships.

Roberts capped her freshman season with the Stars with a third-place finish at 72 (158.5) in the Women's College Wrestling Association Championships. The Stars captured the WCWA team title for the second year in a row and the NWCA National Duals championship for the third consecutive year.

OCU teammate Kristie Davis chose Roberts as her training partner on the U.S. team in the World Championships in September in Moscow.

"Brittney Roberts continued our tradition of performing well on the international level," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "We could have as many as five OCU wrestlers on the World Team. This was Katie's first stint representing the Stars, and she helped the United States to the silver medal."
The United States picked up two silver medals in the event - Carlene Sluberski at 48 (105.5), and Tanya Kusse at 55 (121). Sarah Hildebrandt at 51 (112.25) and Jordan Hagerman at 72 each took bronze for the United States.

OCU will open its college season with duals against Cumberlands (Ky.) and Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Oct. 2 at Abe Lemons Arena.
Oklahoma City University Adds State Champion Muskrat, NJCAA all-Americans

OKLAHOMA CITY - State champion Hunter Muskrat of Stilwell, Okla., has signed a letter of intent to continue his wrestling career at Oklahoma City University.

OCU has also signed Jesse and Joey Davis of Stockbridge, Ga., and junior college all-Americans Stanley Lattimore of Athens, Ga., and Ruben Perez of Tampa, Fla.

Muskrat spent three years with Deer Creek (Okla.) before transferring to Stilwell before his senior year. As a junior at Deer Creek, Muskrat went 39-1 and captured the Class 5A state championship at 140 pounds. He also garnered first-team Oklahoman all-city and first-team all-Edmond honors.

Muskrat went 30-3 as a senior for Stilwell, finishing runner-up at the 4A state tournament at 145 pounds. He compiled a 132-17 in his four-year high school career.

Muskrat earned honors playing soccer and football. He was named to the all-Edmond football team as a junior with Deer Creek. In 2010, he earned Oklahoma Coaches Association all-state in soccer for Stilwell.

"Hunter will wrestle at 141-149 pounds," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "We believe he has the potential to make an immediate impact."

Jesse Davis placed the multiple tournament. He was a member of a dual state champion team.
"I wanted to compete with my brother on the wrestling team," Jesse Davis said. "The university has an impressive campus."

Joey Davis was a member of Iowa Central's 2009 NJCAA championship team. Davis compiled a 158-54 career record and took two region championships during his prep career in Stockbridge, Ga.
"I heard good things about the wrestling program and was very impressed with the school on my visit," Joey Davis said.

Perez became an NJCAA all-American as a sophomore for Ellsworth (Iowa). He placed seventh at 157 pounds at the NJCAA Championships.

Lattimore finished fifth at NJCAA Championships as a sophomore for Ellsworth to earn all-American honors.

In high school, Lattimore finished runner-up at state as a senior for Cedar Shoals (Ga.). He was also captain of the football team from 2006-08, earning second-team all-Northeast Georgia accolades.
"Stanley is projected to start at 285 pounds," Randall said. "He is another impact player in the team lineup."

Perez finished 50-2 as a high school senior on his way to the state championship for Armwood (Fla.).
"Ruben will be at 149 pounds, which allows us to move two-time national qualifier Willie Shelton-Delk to 141 and two-time national qualifier Jeremy Garner to 133," Randall said of Perez. "He will change the outlook of our team and make us better as a dual team."
Oklahoma City University Adds Wrestling Recruits Goebel of Lena,IL and McIlwain of Washougal, WA

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University has added state champion Madelynn McIlwain of Washougal, Wash., and Brittany Goebel of Lena, Ill., to its women's wrestling program.

Goebel and McIlwain join Kristi Garr of Goodrich, Mich., as OCU signees for 2010-11. OCU won its second consecutive WCWA national title and third consecutive NWCA National Duals crown this season.

McIlwain won a state championship at 112 pounds as a high school senior. McIlwain put together a record of 31-4 with 28 pins. She qualified for the state tournament as a sophomore and junior. McIlwain placed eighth in the Girls Folkstyle Nationals at OCU.

"Madelynn will make a great addition to our team at 51 kilograms," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "This is a weight that we are trying to increase competition in."

Goebel is a two-time USGWA national champion. She compiled a record of 42-72 in her four-year career in high school.

"Brittany Goebel will be one of the girls challenging for the spot at 67 kilograms," Randall said. "She is already a Junior Nationals runner-up and USAW Folkstyle national champion."
Oklahoma City University's Women's Wrestlers to Receive Sports Headliner Award

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University's women's wrestling team will be among Oklahoma's outstanding athletes honored by the March of Dimes in the 34th Annual Sports Headliner Banquet at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Skirvin Hilton, 1 Park Avenue in Oklahoma City.

Each year the March of Dimes honors athletes and coaches that have made an impact on Oklahoma through achievement and recognition. This year's winners are among Oklahoma's finest, including Oklahoma City Thunder player and NBA All-Star Kevin Durant. The Thunder organization will also be honored with the March of Dimes' Community Spirit Award.

Durant, the second-leading scorer in the NBA has been selected as this year's Sports Headliner. His 29 consecutive games of scoring 25 points or more is a franchise record and the longest streak since Michael Jordan's 40 games in 1986-87.

Oklahoma State football head coach Mike Gundy and OSU cross country coach David Smith will share the award for this year's Headliner Special. A Special Recognition Award will be given to Wayman Tisdale, who passed away May 15, 2009. This award will honor his many accomplishments including three time all-American basketball player at Oklahoma, and second overall selection in '85 NBA draft. Wife Regina and son Wayman Tisdale Jr. will accept the award on his behalf. The family of Leodies Robinson will be accepting the Special

Recognition Award for his work in creating the Millwood Football Program and making it into a state championship contender in Class 2A football. He passed away on Nov. 16, 2009.

The March of Dimes will also honor other talented Oklahoma athletes, with Honoree Awards (in no particular order):

· OSU men's cross country team and German Fernandez
· OCU women's wrestling team
· Shattuck High School Football Team
· Gerald McCoy
· Rick Fowler
· Arnau Bruges
· Wes Welker Foundation

In 2009-10, the Stars collected their second consecutive Women's College Wrestling Association championship and third NWCA National Duals title in a row. OCU went 23-0-1 in duals.

OCU's Brittany Delgado, Michaela Hutchison, Amberle Montgomery and Stephanie Waters captured individual crowns, while Melissa Simmons and Nicole Woody finished as national finalists. The Stars had 13 all-Americans, while OCU coach Archie Randall took home WCWA coach of the year.

The Stars have a 3.3 team grade-point average, and Emma Johnson, Sheila McCabe and Tessa Plana each hold a 3.5 or better overall GPA to earn scholar-athlete awards.

As the recipient of the Community Spirit Award, the Oklahoma City Thunder will be recognized for its tireless efforts to give back to the community. The organization continues to find new and innovative ways to enrich the quality of life in Oklahoma, especially among children in the areas of education and physical fitness.

The event will begin with a special reception for media and sponsors at 6 p.m. followed by the awards dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available. For more information, please contact the March of Dimes at (405) 943-1025 or go to MarchofDimes.com/Oklahoma.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
Oklahoma City University Adds Wrestling Recruits

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University has added five wrestlers to its 2010-11 class, highlighted by former high-school state finalists James Brigance of Talihina, Okla., and Bacone transfer Josh Stewart.

The Stars have also added Jared Steinbach of Tehachapi, Calif., Robert Wilder of Newcastle, Okla., and Sharrone Berry-Davis of Kansas City, Kan.

OCU coach Archie Randall believes this class will add depth to the team and bring competition to each weight class entering next season.

"What I think we have accomplished with this recruiting class is we have brought in students that are academically successful and that will challenge the existing starters on the team," Randall said. "In order for us to be successful, our starters have to be challenged every day. If they are not challenged, then they become complacent. Every single weight class now, we will have a No. 2 or No. 3 guy that can challenge for the starting spot."

Brigance should make an immediate impact at 197 pounds for the Stars. Brigance had a record of 43-4 as a senior and finished as the Class 3A state runner-up at 215 pounds. His three-year record in high school was 103-21.

"He is really athletic and strong," Randall said of Brigance. "He has a chance to be the real deal at 197 pounds next year for us."

Stewart, from Muskogee, Okla., went 32-5 as a high school senior and finished as the Class 6A state runner-up at 145 pounds. Stewart was also a two-time academic all-conference selection.
"Josh Stewart is going to make a difference for our team," Randall said. "He is going to put a challenge on our existing starter Willie Shelton-Delk."

Steinbach, a transfer from Bacone, is expected to challenge at 125 pounds. Steinbach compiled a 140-40 record in high school, where he was a three-time league champion. Steinbach said he chose OCU because of the "opportunity and a chance to be great."

Wilder, a transfer from Bacone, had a record of 78-42 in his high school career. Wilder went 19-7 and earned all-conference honors as a senior.

Berry-Davis went 31-8 as a senior in the heavyweight class for Sumner Academy. Berry-Davis recorded a 66-23 record in his career and was a three-time state qualifier.
OCU will host the Girls Folkstyle Wrestling National Championships March 26-28 at Abe Lemons Arena.
Oklahoma City University's Johnson, Turner Become Two-Time All-Americans

OKLAHOMA CITY - Corey Johnson and Nik Turner became two-time all-Americans for Oklahoma City University on Friday in the 53rd annual NAIA wrestling championships at Abe Lemons Arena.
Johnson and Turner are the Stars' fourth and fifth two-time all-Americans. The tournament concludes Saturday with the placing matches starting at 10 a.m. The championship finals will start at 6:30 p.m. and be available via live video by clicking here<http://www.watchnaia.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?db_oem_id=5901>.

Turner will be gunning for third place at 157 pounds, while Johnson has an opportunity for seventh at 285. Saturday, Turner meets top-ranked Joe Cornejo of Missouri Valley. With a win, Turner advances to the third-place match. With a loss, Turner would compete for fifth. Johnson takes on Jeremy Colbert of Bacone for seventh.

"Corey and Nik will be all-Americans," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "We had six go in this round and four lost. They were all close matches and hard fought, but all-Americans have that inner desire to succeed.

"This is a tough round. This is a meat grinder. You have to be tough and prepared to win."

Turner, a junior from Norman, Okla., fell 7-5 on a last-second takedown to James Casadaban of Cumberland (Tenn.) in the 157 semifinal. Turner had accumulated enough riding time to score a point and break the 5-5 deadlock. Casadaban advanced to the championship final.

"He didn't stay focused on the gameplan," Randall said.

Turner won his quarterfinal bout 11-6 over Brian Heiberger of Northwestern (Iowa). Turner posted five takedowns on Heiberger.

Johnson, a senior from Oologah, Okla., lost to Tyler Porras of Lindenwood (Mo.) 7-4. He became OCU's two-time all-American.

"He wrestled hard, but sometimes you don't get the right matchup," Randall said.

Defending 285-pound champion Arjan Bhullar of Simon Fraser (British Columbia) defeated Johnson of OCU 12-6 in the championship semifinals.

Johnson stayed alive with a 10-0 victory over Jeremiah Fennell of Campbellsville (Ky.). Johnson registered three near falls.

Cameron Ream, OCU's 133-pounder, fell twice by fall Friday to finish his tournament run. Ryan McKenzie of Cumberland pinned Ream, a freshman from Wentzville, Mo., in 1:32.

Tommy Pretty of Campbellsville knocked Ream into the wrestleback matches, pinning Ream in 2:06. Pretty is ranked fifth at 133 pounds.

"We have a great group of freshmen," Randall said. "They will be great kids next year. This tournament is an eye opener for them."
Brandon Porter of Waldorf (Iowa) picked up a late escape and riding time to edge OCU's Mark Meyer 7-5.
Meyer used two reversals and riding time to rally for a 7-6 victory over Pat Nord of Jamestown (N.D.). Meyer, a sophomore 165-pounder from Midwest City, Okla., overcame a 6-2 deficit.

Kidd Gomez won in the consolation bracket 6-2 over Venel Rene of Waldorf. Gomez stayed alive with a 13-9 win over Kevin Klink of Lindsey Wilson (Ky.). Gomez picked up a pair of takedowns and riding time in the third period to advance.

Gomez, a freshman from Noble, Okla., picked up his second loss to Zach Meury of Missouri Baptist by fall in 1:53.

Will Shelton-Delk won by fall over Zach Mullins of Briar Cliff (Iowa) in 2:39. Levi Price of Northwestern (Iowa) eliminated Shelton-Delk by major decision 11-2.

Andrew Pontikes nipped Jobi Hambrick of Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) 3-2. Drae Cox of Lindenwood ousted Pontikes 8-6 in overtime at 174.

Bryce Dicus (125), Jeremy Garner (141), Cole Nelson (165), Jake Mabry (197) and Ronnie Hood (285) also bowed out of the tournament. Hood, a senior from McLoud, Okla., finished his career with 20 wins and five falls.

NAIA Championships
At Oklahoma City
Abe Lemons Arena
Oklahoma City University Results
125
Consolation Second Round
Galen Williams, Lindenwood, dec. Bryce Dicus, OCU, 7-6
Consolation Third Round
Kidd Gomez, OCU, dec. Venel Rene, Waldorf, 6-2
Consolation Fourth Round
Kidd Gomez, OCU, dec. Kevin Klink, Lindsey Wilson, 13-9
Consolation Fifth Round
Kidd Gomez, OCU, pinned Zach Muery, Missouri Baptist, 1:53
133
Championship Quarterfinals
Tommy Pretty, Campbellsville, pinned Cameron Ream, OCU, 2:06
Consolation Fifth Round
Ryan McKenzie, Cumberland, pinned Cameron Ream, OCU, 1:32
141
Consolation Third Round
Timothy Mitchem, Cumberlands, dec. Jeremy Garner, OCU, 5-3
149
Consolation Fifth Round
Will Shelton-Delk, OCU, pinned Zach Mullins, Briar Cliff, 2:39
Consolation Sixth Round
Levi Price, Northwestern (Iowa) maj. dec. Will Shelton-Delk, OCU, 11-3
157
Championship Quarterfinals
Nik Turner, OCU, dec. Brian Heiberger, Northwestern (Iowa), 11-6
Championship Semifinals
James Casadaban, Cumberland, dec. Nik Turner, OCU, 7-5
165
Consolation Third Round
Adrian Gonzales, Menlo, dec. Cole Nelson, OCU, 7-1
Consolation Fourth Round
Mark Meyer, OCU, dec. Pat Nord, Jamestown, 7-6
Consolation Fifth Round
Brandon Porter, Waldorf, dec. Mark Meyer, OCU, 7-5
174
Consolation Fourth Round
Andrew Pontikes, OCU, dec. Jobi Hambrick, Hannibal-LaGrange, 3-2
Consolation Fifth Round
Drae Cox, Lindenwood, dec. Andrew Pontikes, OCU, 8-6 (SV)
197
Consolation Fourth Round
Joe Lockett, Morningside, dec. Jake Mabry, OCU, 11-4
285
Championship Quarterfinals
Arjan Bhullar, Simon Fraser, dec. Corey Johnson, OCU, 12-6
Consolation Third Round
Alexander Evans, California Baptist, dec. Ronnie Hood, OCU, 2-1
Consolation Fifth Round
Corey Johnson, OCU, maj. dec. Jeremiah Fennell, Campbellsville, 10-0
Consolation Sixth Round
Tyler Porras, Lindenwood, dec. Corey Johnson, OCU, 7-4
Oklahoma City University's Johnson, Turner Strive to Repeat as All-Americans in NAIA Wrestling Championships

OKLAHOMA CITY - A year's experience could make a difference for Oklahoma City University's wrestlers entering the 53rd annual NAIA Wrestling Championships.

The Stars stand 13th in the NAIA wrestling rankings entering the national tournament starting Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena. OCU will field returning all-Americans in 285-pounder Corey Johnson and 157-pound Nik Turner.

Seven of OCU's 12 national qualifiers wrestled in last year's national tournament at Abe Lemons Arena, where the Stars finished 15th.

"They are sophomores and juniors this year," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "They're more confident. I think maturity makes a difference for a lot of the kids."

Johnson and Ronnie Hood are the only seniors on OCU's squad, meaning this tournament will also provide the Stars experience that should reap benefits next season.

"This is the hardest working group of athletes I've ever coached," Randall said. "They're really inconsistent. We can beat the No. 1 kid in the nation one week, then lose to an unranked individual the next week. They're young.

"We must work on the mental aspect of the sport. We've changed practice a bunch, and it seems to be working. We have more excitement in the room than last year."

Johnson, Turner, Cameron Ream (133), Jeremy Garner (141) and Mark Meyer (165) comprise OCU's ranked individuals. Those five and Kidd Gomez at 125 and Will Shelton-Delk at 149 were seeded among the top 12 at their respective weights.

Turner, a junior from Norman, Okla., earned one of four No. 1 seeds at 157 by capturing the NAIA Central Qualifying Group championship. Turner, 31-15, picked up a fall in the semifinals.
Turner is one of five returning all-Americans at 157. Three of them are on the other side of the bracket from Turner. Among those three is Southern Oregon's Tommy Hooper, who beat Turner in the fifth-place match last year.

"Winning the regional always puts you in good position," Randall said. "In the semifinals, he could get Tommy Hooper. Nik is a lot different wrestler this year. His work ethic, attitude and mindset are different. He had a 3.75 GPA last semester. He has it all together now. He's only a junior, and that's exciting. Finishing as an all-American made a lot of difference in Nik's career."

Turner said of last year's sixth-place finish, "It felt good having a payoff at the end from all the hard work you've done during the season.

"It's really important to do well in the regional and set yourself up for nationals. You don't want to face a tough guy at the first and catch yourself off guard. I really opened it up and wrestled like I should, like our coaches tell us to every week."

Johnson, a senior from Oologah, Okla., will be one of five returning 285-pound all-Americans. Johnson picked up a second seed with his runner-up finish in the regional. Johnson, who finished sixth last year, will attempt to repeat his national-tournament performance of a year ago.

Last year, Johnson pinned the defending national champion on the first day. Johnson will face 2009 champion Arjan Bhullar of Simon Fraser (British Columbia) on Thursday.

"Corey Johnson has a difficult draw, but he is positive," Randall said. "He is a returning all-American and confident. He has wrestled well the last part of the season. He has wrestled better than we've ever seen him. He attacks more. He is set on winning the national title. Bhullar beat us last year, but Corey is a different wrestler. He never stops working."

Johnson, the first recruit Randall signed at OCU, will be finishing a four-year career with the Stars. Johnson has gone 28-17 this season and 90-72 in his career.

"It's kinda sad to know that I won't be wrestling after this weekend, so I know I've got to give this tournament everything I've got and hold nothing back," Johnson said. "Last year I had so looked forward to being an All-American, that was my goal, but when I finally achieved it, I was dissatisfied. It left a bad taste in my mouth because I knew I could do better. This year I've been training hard and am going into the tournament with a mindset to win it."

Garner, a junior from Oklahoma City, picked up one of the four No. 2 seeds at 141 with his finalist finish Feb. 20 in the regional. Defending national champion Adam Koballa of Notre Dame (Ohio) looms in Garner's bracket.

"Jeremy Garner has almost the same draw he had last year," Randall said. "He is seeded second in his section, and he could see the defending champion in the second round."

Meyer, a sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., finished as a regional runner-up to get a No. 2 seed at 165. Randall said Meyer's bracket favors him, but he could run into second-ranked Chris Chionuma of Lindenwood (Mo.).

"Their styles don't match up," Randall said. "Meyer beat him in high school, but hasn't beaten him in college. We are studying his matches to see if we can correct the errors we've made."

Gomez and Ream garnered No. 3 seeds, and Shelton-Delk became a fourth seed. They may be seeded outside of the top eight at their weights, but with more than 300 wrestlers in the tournament, upsets will happen.
"You don't know what's going to happen," Randall said. "The competition level has grown. It's a dogfight to get to the top eight. Any one of those eight could be the champion on a given day. With six all-Americans, you can be in the hunt. The top two kids could wrestle at any level."

Tournament schedule, ticket information

The tournament will start with opening ceremonies at 1 p.m. on Thursday. There will be two sessions on Friday, the championship quarterfinals at 10 a.m. and the semifinals at 6 p.m.
Then on Saturday, placing matches will be 10 a.m., and the championship finals 6:30 p.m.
Session tickets and ticket packages for all sessions are available. Session tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children and students, and a tournament ticket package is $48.
For information, call Liz Richards at (405) 208-5309 or go <http://www.ocusports.com/sports/2009/11/19/MWREST_1119091930.aspx?id=120>here.

Notre Dame favored to win team title

Notre Dame College enters the NAIA Championships as the top-ranked team. Notre Dame, located in South Euclid, Ohio, boasts of Derek Foore, ranked No. 1 at 197 pounds, and defending 141-pound national champion Adam Koballa among its 14 qualifiers.
Notre Dame's Tyler Savage and Dante Rini are rated second and third, respectively, at 125 pounds.
"They're projected to win the tournament, and rightly so," Randall said. "Notre Dame is the most solid team in the tournament up and down each wrestling class. They have ranked individuals at every weight. Even their two backups are nationally ranked."

Championship finals to be broadcast

The championship finals will be broadcast live from Abe Lemons Arena at 6:30 p.m. Saturday via NeuLion.
The 10 individual championship bouts will be available for viewing at a cost of $7.95. To purchase a viewing package, go <http://www.watchnaia.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?db_oem_id=5901>here. Your computer must have the latest version of Windows Media Player, which you can <http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp>download for free here.

"Once again, the NAIA is proud to work with its digital media partner NeuLion to stream men's and women's basketball championships and, for the second year, to broadcast our wrestling championships event live over the Internet. This is an exciting opportunity for NAIA fans across the country," said NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr. "This service allows the NAIA to broaden its fan base and bring new attention to the competition and quality of play going on in the NAIA."

Mark Van Paaschen and former NAIA all-American John Wilcox will call the action.

"We are pleased to provide the NAIA with streaming services for their men's and women's basketball championships for a fourth consecutive year and are excited about adding the wrestling championships to the NAIA's streaming schedule," said Chris Wagner, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of NeuLion. "We pride ourselves in being able to connect fans to these high profile tournaments and deliver a best-in-class service."

Eddie Griffin to speak at awards banquet

Eddie Griffin, executive director and chief operating officer of the Jim Thorpe Association will be the keynote speaker for the NAIA Wrestling National Championships Awards Banquet on Saturday at Oklahoma City University prior to the championship finals.

Griffin was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and was given the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award Class of 2001. He coached Central Oklahoma, then known as Central State (Okla.), to NAIA national championships in 1979, '81 and '82.

For information on the tournament or banquet, contact the OCU athletic department (405) 208-5309 or www.ocusports.com. For additional information on the Jim Thorpe Association call (405) 427-1400 or www.jimthorpeassoc.org.
Oklahoma City University Takes Third in NAIA Central Qualifier

OSKALOOSA, Iowa - Nik Turner of Oklahoma City University captured the NAIA Central National Qualifying Group wrestling tournament championship at 157 pounds Saturday at the Penn Gymnasium.

The Stars' Jeremy Garner at 141, Corey Johnson at 285 and Mark Meyer at 165 finished as runners-up within their brackets. OCU took third place in the team standings.

Kidd Gomez at 125 and Cameron Ream at 133 of OCU finished third in the tournament. Will Shelton became an NAIA Championships qualifier through his performance in the 149-pound bracket. Shelton finished fourth Saturday.

Shelton brought the Stars' number of national qualifiers to nine. Garner, Gomez, Johnson, Meyer, Ream, Turner, Bryce Dicus and Andrew Pontikes had already qualified for the NAIA Championships on March 4-6 at Abe Lemons Arena.

"We wanted to make sure we got better each weekend," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "We wrestled lights out. That's what you want to do leading up to the national tournament.

"We wrestled pretty well. We upset people all the way through. It's important that they wrestle well at this time. What's most important is what they do in two weeks."

Randall expects to field three additional national qualifiers via host team berths.

"All 12 of them will go to the national tournament," Randall said. "Nine of them could be in good position when the brackets come out."

Turner, a junior from Norman, Okla., won 7-4 over Trae Reed of Grand View (Iowa) for the 157-pound title. Turner, ranked fifth among NAIA 157-pounders, will be expected to be one of four No. 1 seeds at his weight in the NAIA Championships.

"He had a great tournament," Randall said of Turner.

Garner, a junior from Oklahoma City, fell 3-0 to Eric Graham of Missouri Valley in the 141-pound final. Garner is ranked ninth at his weight nationally.

"He had an excellent semifinals match," Randall said of Garner. "He had the No. 1 seed in this tournament. He wrestled a great match in the final."
Johnson, a senior from Oologah, Okla., dropped a 5-3 decision to Travis Ewart of Missouri Valley in the 285-pound championship match. Johnson picked up a pin over Ryan Groom of William Penn (Iowa) in 4:29 in the first round.
Ewart took a 4-2 lead over Johnson.

"He has always had trouble with the kid from Missouri Valley," Randall said of Johnson. "Once he got down 4-2, he chased him the rest of the match. You can't be down two points like that in a heavyweight match. Corey will be in a good slot anyway."

Meyer, a sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., stuck two falls before falling victim to a pin in the final. Grand View's Brad Lower won the 165-pound title.

Meyer beat D.W. Bradshaw of Missouri Valley in 8:26 during the sudden-victory period in the semifinals. Meyer finished off Jakob Price of Baker (Kan.) in 5:46.

"He had an exceptional match in the semifinals," Randall said of Meyer.

For ticket information for the NAIA wrestling championships, call Liz Richards at (405) 208-5309
Oklahoma City University Overwhelms Newman 40-10

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University benefited from three forfeits and two pins in a 40-10 rout of Newman (Kan.) on Friday afternoon at Abe Lemons Arena.

OCU's Cole Nelson and Nik Turner recorded falls. The Stars, ranked 13th in NAIA wrestling, completed the season 5-10 in duals.

"We wrestled really well with the exception of two juniors," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "We need them this time of year. That inconsistency will hurt us at the national tournament. We have a week to get the bugs out before regionals. It was nice to finish with a win. We have all our starters in our lineup."

At 157 pounds, Turner picked up five takedowns and an escape before putting Ryan Spencer to his back with 22 seconds left in the second period. Turner, a junior from Norman, Okla., finished him off four seconds later to complete the fall in 4:42.

"Nik did a good job," Randall said. "He pinned his opponent by snaking him. We had been working on that all week long. Nik doesn't normally pin people, so he was fired up."

Nelson flipped Jacob Weaver over his head to finish off the pin at 184. Nelson, a freshman from Lakeside, Ariz., ended his match in 6:02.

"Weaver got too high over the top, and we scooped his head," Randall said. "Their error, our luck. It's stuff that we work on. There was nowhere for Weaver to go on top."

Mark Meyer cruised to a 7-2 win at 165 for OCU. Meyer, a sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., took the lead in the second period after giving up a first-period takedown. Meyer recorded an escape and a takedown, then turned Austin Workman to his back.

Meyer started working for a fall at 1:08 left in the second period, and after briefly letting Workman off the mat, settled for the near fall with 36 seconds remaining in the period.

At 174, Andrew Pontikes rolled to an 8-0 victory. Pontikes, a sophomore from Elgin, Okla., had just a first-period takedown through two periods, then exploded for a reversal and near fall out of the down position to start the third.

"Andrew hit a Stand-up Peterson," Randall said. "That's one of the techniques he brought from high school. That was the difference in the match. He put the match out of reach."

Jake Mabry finished the dual for OCU with a 10-9 victory at 197. Mabry, a junior from Gig Harbor, Wash., edged Tyler Hasenbank on riding time. Mabry took the lead 7-5 on a second-period takedown, then fell behind 9-8 on an escape in the third.


In the third, Mabry tied the match 9-9 with 1:10 remaining then avoided giving up a score to close out the match.

"Mabry did a good job finishing the match, but we weren't sure what he was doing," Randall said.
OCU will compete in the NAIA Central Qualifying Group Tournament on Feb. 19 in Oskaloosa, Iowa looking to qualify more individuals for the NAIA Championships on March 4-6 at Abe Lemons Arena.

OKLAHOMA CITY 40
NEWMAN 10
285: Corey Johnson, OCU, by forfeit
125: Kidd Gomez, OCU, by forfeit
133: Cameron Ream, OCU, by forfeit
141: Brent Fisher, NU, maj. dec. Jeremy Garner, 11-3
149: Mitch Arnold, NU, pinned Will Shelton, 2:57
157: Nik Turner, OCU, pinned Ryan Spencer, 4:42
165: Mark Meyer, OCU, dec. Austin Workman, 7-2
174: Andrew Pontikes, OCU, maj. dec. Blake Fullbright, 8-0
184: Cole Nelson, OCU, pinned Jacob Weaver, 6:02
197: Jake Mabry, OCU, dec. Tyler Hasenbank, 10-9
Oklahoma City University Hosts NAIA Wrestling Championships March 4-6

OKLAHOMA CITY - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics will crown its wrestling team national champion and 10 individual national champions in the 53rd annual NAIA wrestling championships on March 4-6 at Abe Lemons Arena inside the Freede Center on the campus of Oklahoma City University.

The tournament will start with opening ceremonies at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 4. There will be two sessions on March 5, the championship quarterfinals at 10 a.m. and the semifinals at 6 p.m. Then on Saturday, March 6, placing matches will be 10 a.m., and the championship finals 6:30 p.m.
Session tickets and ticket packages for all sessions are available. Session tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children and students, and a tournament ticket package is $48.
OCU will be in need of volunteers during the tournament. For information, call Liz Richards at (405) 208-5309

The NAIA wrestling championships took place on the campus of Oklahoma City University in 2009.
"We're proud to host this important championship event in the heart of wrestling country," Oklahoma City University athletic director Jim Abbott said. "The 2009 NAIA Championships at OCU were a huge success, and we received numerous compliments from visiting teams and fans. We expect to build on that success this year."

Oklahoma City University worked in conjunction with the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau to submit a bid for the NAIA wrestling championships. The event will bring more than 300 athletes along with their coaches and fans to the Oklahoma City area.

The estimated direct spending in the Oklahoma City area generated by last year's event totaled $2.1 million. Attendance for the 2009 tournament added up to nearly 12,000.

"The feedback I got from most of the coaches from around the nation was that last year's tournament was run efficiently and smoothly," Oklahoma City University wrestling coach Archie Randall said. "They liked the facility and the weather. Hopefully it will open doors for OCU to host other NAIA national events."

There will be a Champions of Character wrestling clinic offered at 2 p.m. Wednesday March 3 prior to the NAIA Championships at Abe Lemons Arena. For information on the clinic, contact Link Davis at (405) 606-4826 or ldavis@okcu.edu.

"The Champions of Character event went better than ever before," Randall said. "It was received by the coaches and most importantly, the kids loved it."

The Stars have qualified six individuals for the NAIA Championships. Jeremy Garner, Corey Johnson and Andrew Pontikes placed in the Cumberland Open on Jan. 16 to join Mark Meyer, Cameron Ream and Nik Turner as national tournament qualifiers from OCU.
Oklahoma City University Inks Davis' Bailey

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University has signed state champion Christian Bailey of Davis, Okla., to its men's wrestling program.

Bailey becomes the second wrestler to sign with the Stars for the 2010-11 season. OCU earlier added Greg Delk of Skiatook, Okla., for next season.

Bailey has compiled a record of 93-15 in his high school career, including a state championship.
Bailey went 30-2 as a junior and won the Class 2A state championship at 125 pounds. He also earned all-conference, all-district and all-city honors.

As a sophomore, Bailey went 37-9 and finished fourth in the state championships. Bailey went 25-4 and was a state qualifier as a freshman.

"Christian comes from a family with wrestling tradition," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "His father is the coach at Davis where he wrestles. His techniques and work habits will be an asset to our program."

The Stars compete next in the Briar Cliff Open on Feb. 6 in Sioux City, Iowa. OCU hosts the NAIA Championships on March 4-6.
Oklahoma City University Win Second Straight Women's Wrestling National Title

MARSHALL, Mo. - Oklahoma City University repeated as Women's College Wrestling Association national champion on the strength of four national individual champions and two runner-up finishes Saturday at the Burns Athletic Center.

Stephanie Waters at 44 kilograms, Michaela Hutchison at 55, Amberle Montgomery at 67 and Brittany Delgado at 95 each captured national titles for the Stars. Nicole Woody at 48 and Melissa Simmons at 82 made the finals at their weights as OCU outscored Cumberlands (Ky.) 124-76.

The Stars had 13 all-Americans as Taylor Busboom at 44, Na'Tasha Umemoto at 51, Ashley Hudson at 59, Sheila McCabe at 63 and Brittney Roberts at 72 each took third.

OCU's other all-Americans were Ashley Morehouse, sixth at 59; and Tessa Plana, fifth at 63.

"We're pretty excited," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "We wrestled pretty well. We had a couple of exceptional matches from the girls. The most important thing is we have everyone coming back. A lot of the girls are disappointed in their finishes."

The Stars benefited from having five individuals take third. While those didn't finish in the championship round, they scored the maximum amount of points they could in that situation.

"After we lost those semifinals, the way we wrestled those third-place matches, that's where we won the tournament," Randall said. "We needed everyone to come back through the consolations. To win, you've got to battle back. They had to come right back up to the mat after losing in the semifinals."

Waters, a junior from Joliet, Ill., knocked off Lisa Martinez of Cumberlands 5-0, 5-2 in the 44-kilo championship bout. Waters pulled off a five-point move to win the first period.

"She hit a five-point move to end the period in the first period in the first 40 seconds of the match," Randall said. "It was exceptional."

Hutchison, a sophomore from Soldotna, Alaska, edged Shauna Isbell of Lindenwood (Mo.) 1-0, 2-0 to win her second consecutive national title at 55.

"Michaela wrestled conservatively and cautiously," Randall said. "She did enough to win, but we could have gotten more from her."

Montgomery, a freshman from Orting, Wash., caught Veronica Carlson of Missouri Baptist in a headlock and finished her off a pin in 1:05. Montgomery, 22, joined the Stars at the start of the spring semester and became the 67-kilogram national champion.

"She had a perfect matchup," Randall said. "Montgomery is a headlocker, and Carlson pushes and shoves.

"She's amazing. She didn't get in until Christmas. She came to Oklahoma City to get her degree and wrestle. She packed everything up and gave everything up to compete for us. Usually it takes those girls from the Olympic Training Center a year to get used to our style, but she works so hard."

Delgado, a sophomore from Simpsonville, S.C., beat Jessica Scott of Cumberlands 1-0, 2-1 at 95. Delgado overcame an illness to erase the sting of finished third at 82 last year.

"Brittany Delgado had the flu, but she shook the curse and won the national title," Randall said. "She finished third last year, and that was tough. She's so mentally tough. She was so sick she didn't get her award."

Woody, a junior from Gambrills, Md., fell 0-2, 1-0, 3-0 to Simon Fraser's Victoria Anthony in the 48-kilo title match. Hilary Greening of Simon Fraser nipped Simmons 1-0, 2-0 for the 82-kilo national crown.
To overcome Karon Scott's injury at 95, Roberts moved from 82 to 72, Simmons from 72 to 82 and Delgado bumped from 82 to 95.

"The whole tournament was tougher," Randall said. "We've added quality coaches and teams. Link Davis and I had to work our butts off. Coach Davis does a great job."

WCWA Championships

Team Standings
1. Oklahoma City, 124; 2. Cumberlands (Ky.), 76; 3. Simon Fraser (British Columbia), 70; 4. Missouri Baptist, 60; 5. Jamestown (N.D.), 38; 6. Missouri Valley, 23; 7. Lindenwood (Mo.), 21; 8. Menlo (Calif.), 19; 9. Regina (Saskatchewan), 14; 10. King (Tenn.), 13; 11. U.S. Olympic Education Center, 12; 12. Wisconsin-River Falls, 5.
Championship Finals
44: Stephanie Waters, Oklahoma City, dec. Lisa Martinez, Cumberlands, 5-0, 5-2
48: Victoria Anthony, Simon Fraser, dec. Nicole Woody, Oklahoma City, 0-2, 1-0, 3-0
51: Katherine Fulp-Allen, Menlo, dec. Amy Whitbeck, Missouri Baptist, 2-2, 1-0
55: Michaela Hutchison, Oklahoma City, dec. Shauna Isbell, Lindenwood, 1-0, 2-0
59: Helen Maroulis, Missouri Baptist, dec. Randi Beltz, Missouri Valley, 2-2, 2-1, 3-0
63: Danielle Lappage, Simon Fraser, pinned Schuyler Brown, Missouri Baptist, 5-0, 3:06
67: Amberle Montgomery, Oklahoma City, pinned Veronica Carlson, Missouri Baptist, 1:05
72: Lauren Knight, Cumberlands, dec. Taylor Dick, Simon Fraser, 6-2, 4-4
82: Hilary Greening, Simon Fraser, dec. Melissa Simmons, Oklahoma City, 1-0, 2-0
95: Brittany Delgado, Oklahoma City, dec. Jessica Scott, Cumberlands, 1-0, 2-1
Oklahoma City University Falls to Neosho County 28-15


CHANUTE, Kan. - Oklahoma City University struggled in a 28-15 loss to Neosho County (Kan.) on Monday at Neosho County Community College.

The Stars went to 3-9 in duals this season. OCU is ranked 15th in NAIA wrestling.

OCU held all-Americans Corey Johnson and Nik Turner out of its lineup. Several Stars gave up weight to Neosho County.

"We didn't wrestle very well at all," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "We put the younger kids in the dual to give them a chance. We beat them well earlier in the season. They have to perform better to get into our lineup. They gave up three falls. The kids have to perform."

Kidd Gomez edged Derek Steeley 11-10 at 125 pounds to give the Stars the early 3-0 edge. Neosho County led 9-3 after back-to-back wins at 133 and 141.

OCU's Jeremy Garner answered by nipping Justin Ringgold 3-2 at 149. Neosho County came back with a pin, then Mark Meyer earned a fall over Cody Eaton at 165.

Jake Mabry provided OCU its only victory in the final four matches of the dual. Mabry won 5-2 over Jon Arnold at 197.

The Stars face sixth-rated McKendree (Ill.) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Lebanon, Ill.

NEOSHO CITY 28
OKLAHOMA CITY 15
125: Kidd Gomez, OCU, dec. Derek Steeley, 11-10
133: Montana Carson, NC, dec. Bryce Dicus, 5-4
141: Joshua Wolfe, NC, pinned Allen Lea, 1:58
149: Jeremy Garner, OCU, dec. Justin Ringgold, 3-2
157: Shawn Thomas, NC, pinned Jacob Keah-tigh, 4:27
165: Mark Meyer, OCU, pinned Cody Eaton, 4:20
174: Aaron Butler, NC, maj. dec. Cole Nelson, 13-5
184: Ralph Manous, NC, pinned Andrew Pontikes, 3:08
197: Jake Mabry, OCU, dec. Jon Arnold, 5-2
285: Jake Kober, NC, dec. Ronnie Hood, 3-1
Oklahoma City University Picks Up Third NWCA National Duals Title in a Row

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Oklahoma City University captured its third consecutive NWCA National Duals women's wrestling championship with a 27-15 victory over Simon Fraser (British Columbia) on Sunday at the UNI Dome.
OCU, also the defending WCWA national champion, moved to 21-0-1 on the season in duals. The Stars also won 36-7 over Missouri Valley to finish pool play and advance to the championship dual.
"The girls have stayed focused and worked hard the complete season," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "Winning the national dual title gives us the momentum to win the WCWA Nationals on Jan. 30 to make a complete season."
OCU's Michaela Hutchison at 55 kilograms and Sheila McCabe at 67 picked up falls against Simon Fraser. Hutchison, a sophomore from Soldotna, Alaska, picked up the fall over Laura Gordon in 1:26 to put the Stars ahead 13-4.
Then Ashley Hudson won in a technical fall over Raissa Dickinson at 59. Simon Fraser answered with Danielle Lappage's win in the 63-kilogram bout, cutting OCU's lead to 18-7.
McCabe, a senior from El Cajon, Calif., ended her match against Sidney Morrison in 1:06, giving OCU a 23-7 advantage.
OCU prevailed even though Simon Fraser won two of the final three matches.
Against Missouri Valley, Na'Tasha Umemoto and Tessa Plana recorded falls, while Brittany Delgado won in a technical fall to lead OCU.
The Stars finish their dual season by facing King (Tenn.) at 5 p.m. and Lindenwood (Mo.) at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22 in Moore, Okla.

OKLAHOMA CITY 27
SIMON FRASER 15
44: Stephanie Waters, OCU, dec. Michiko Araki, 8-2,3-0 (OCU leads 3-1)
48: Victoria Anthony, SFU, dec. Nicole Woody, 4-5,1-1,0-0,2-0 (Tied 4-4)
51: Na'Tasha Umemoto, OCU, tech. fall Tessa Ma, 6-1,10-0 (OCU leads 8-4)
55: Michaela Hutchison, OCU, pinned Laura Gordon, 1:26 (OCU leads 13-4)
59: Ashley Hudson, OCU, tech. fall Raissa Dickinson, 6-0,4-0 (OCU leads 17-4)
63: Danielle Lappage, SFU, dec. Tessa Plana, 2-1,2-0,2-0 (OCU leads 18-7)
67: Sheila McCabe, OCU, pinned Sidney Morrison, 1:06 (OCU leads 23-7)
72: Stacie Anaka, SFU, tech. fall Brittney Roberts, 10-0,2-0 (OCU leads 23-11)
82: Taylor Dick, SFU, dec. Melissa Simmons, 1-0,0-1,1-0 (OCU leads 24-14)
95: Brittany Delgado, OCU, dec. Hillary Greening, 1-0,3-3 (OCU wins 27-15)

OKLAHOMA CITY 36
MISSOURI VALLEY 7
44: Stephanie Waters, OCU, by forfeit (OCU leads 5-0)
48: Nicole Woody, OCU, by forfeit (OCU leads 5-0)
51: Na'Tasha Umemoto, OCU, pinned Brittany Bertolani, 0:39,4-0 (OCU leads 15-0)
55: Michaela Hutchison, OCU, dec. Rachel Pike, 2-1,1-0 (OCU leads 18-1)
59: Ashley Hudson, OCU, dec. Summer Sistad, 2-1,3-0 (OCU leads 21-2)
63: Randi Beltz, MVC, pinned Sheila McCabe, 0-5,1:53 (OCU leads 21-7)
67: Tessa Plana, OCU, pinned Samantha Richardson, 1:07 (OCU leads 26-7)
72: Brittney Roberts, OCU, dec. Venus Barron, 0-0,0-0 (OCU leads 29-7)
82: Melissa Simmons, OCU, dec. Tamara Hartfield, 1-1,3-0 (OCU leads 32-7)
95: Brittany Delgado, OCU, tech. fall Morgan Touhey, 7-0,6-0 (OCU wins 36-7)
Oklahoma City University Student-Athletes Post 3.211 GPA in Fall

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University student-athletes achieved an overall grade-point average of 3.211 with 14 teams eclipsing the 3.0 mark during the fall semester of 2009. It is the second consecutive semester OCU teams have combined for a 3.2 GPA.

OCU's new competitive pom squad made a 3.493 cumulative GPA. The OCU women's rowing team compiled a 3.438 GPA, while the baseball team had a 3.410 and the women's wrestling team posted a 3.395. Seventy percent of OCU student-athletes made a 3.0 or higher GPA this past semester.

Sixteen student-athletes posted a 4.0 GPA. Six teams had 80 percent of their members make a 3.0 or higher GPA.

OCU athletes have combined for a 3.0 or better GPA each semester over at least the past seven years.

"We take pride in the academic accomplishments of our student-athletes while also recognizing the commitment of our coaches and faculty," OCU athletic director Jim Abbott said. "Oklahoma City University is an academically rigorous institution. Our student-athletes balance the challenges of practice and competition with the requirements of coursework and academia very well."

Other academic highlights for OCU in the 2009 fall semester:
·
Nine OCU student-athletes became NAIA scholar-athlete award winners. Each were upperclassmen who have put together a 3.5 or better cumulative grade-point average. Men's soccer players Brandon Hull and Tyler Morrissey became three-time winners.
·
Alex Gang became a third-team college-division CoSIDA ESPN the Magazine academic all-American. Gang, a junior from Seoul, South Korea, has a 3.95 GPA. CoSIDA academic all-Americans are selected from all-district teams by sports information directors from across the country.
·
Five soccer players became CoSIDA academic all-district selections. Gang and Sarah Burnett earned the all-district selection for the second year in a row. All-district picks have a 3.30 or better GPA and are chosen by vote of sports information directors within the district.

The Stars excel in competition also. OCU has won 36 national crowns in all sports.
Oklahoma City University Athletes Collect Nearly 2,000 Food Goods for Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee collected 1,995 food items for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma during its annual holiday food drive held recently by the athletic department.

The OCU softball team collected the most items with 640, while the women's wrestling team came in second with 323 items.

The OCU athletic department has made bringing donations to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma an annual tradition.

"We emphasize servant leadership and community service at Oklahoma City University, and I am tremendously proud of the response of our student-athletes to the needs of our community," OCU athletic director Jim Abbott said. "We talk to our student-athletes often about the privilege they have of playing sports and getting a great education. We are all privileged in so many ways compared to some in our community. There really isn't anything better in life than giving, and our students embrace that idea."

Established in 1980, the Regional Food Bank is the largest private hunger-relief organization in the state of Oklahoma. In Fiscal Year 2009, the Regional Food Bank distributed 28.5 million pounds of food through a network of more than 700 charitable feeding programs and elementary schools, in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties.
Oklahoma City Prevails 32-7 Over Neosho County

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma City University picked up its first match wins in a dual against Oklahoma in a 30-16 loss Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center.

John Lynch and Will Shelton recorded pins, and Kidd Gomez added a major-decision win as the Stars avoided a fourth consecutive shutout against Oklahoma, ranked 11th in the NCAA by the coaches. OCU, ranked ninth in the NAIA, went to 2-3 after falling to North Carolina State 36-8.

"Our style is continuous wrestling and attacking," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "That is what you have to do. They wore them down. "We're wrestling a lot better as far as competing against NCAA Division I competition. We wrestled a little flat against N.C. State, and that's because we wrestled so well against OU. N.C. State wrestles differently on top, and we don't see that style. It's East-Coast wrestling. We have to be ready to face anybody. If we want to win on our level, we have to compete against any level."

Lynch held a 5-1 advantage in the third period of the 141-pound bout against OU's Richard Immel. Lynch, a freshman from Lakin, Kan., had takedowns towards the end of the first period and early in the second. Lynch rode Immel to earn a stalling point, then caught Immel and put him to his back. Lynch finished Immel off at 6:38.

"Lynch is our backup 141 pounder, and he's stepped in with Jeremy Garner hurt," Randall said. "Lynch is wrestling unbelievably. He is in every single match."

Shelton grabbed Nick Burnham by the head and pressured him into the fall at 6:03. Shelton, a junior from Sperry, Okla., recorded two takedowns and an escape in the first period, then added a second-period escape at 149.

"Willie Shelton has had problems in our past couple of duals," Randall said. "He would be the outstanding wrestler. He's come out of his shell. He is one of our best athletes, and he let it go today. He did an outstanding job."

At 125, Gomez rolled to a 12-4 win using four takedowns and a near fall. Gomez, a freshman from Noble, Okla., put Greg Cannon on his back as time was running out on the first period.
"Our freshmen wrestle hard," Randall said. "They don't understand the difference between Division I and NAIA. Our older guys have to start performing."

Cameron Ream, ranked No. 1 at 133 in the NAIA, forced overtime against Alex Ekstrom with four third-period points. Ream, a freshman from Wentzville, Mo., nailed a takedown with 1:31 left in regulation, then earned a stalling point with 59 seconds remaining. Ream stayed on top of Ekstrom through most of the third to pick up riding time and make the score 9-9.
Ekstrom responded with a takedown 29 seconds into the sudden-victory period for the 11-9 win.

Ream kept himself alive, avoiding the fall and squirming out of danger with 14 seconds left in the first period.

At 157, Shane Vernon of Oklahoma beat Nik Turner 14-6. Turner, ranked second at 157 in the NAIA, kept working for a takedown late in the match, but failed to finish off a shot to keep from giving up a major decision.

At 165, Mark Meyer increased the action in the final period by scoring three third-period points, but Oklahoma's Derek Peperas ended with a 7-4 win.

Corey Johnson, ranked sixth at 285 in the NAIA, fell 7-3 to Nathan Fernandez, ranked 14th in NCAA Division I.

Oklahoma had beaten OCU 49-0, 44-0 and 47-0 in the previous meetings between the two teams.

Against N.C. State, Shelton used two takedowns and an escape to take the lead in the second period of his 149-pound match. Shelton tacked on a takedown and two-point near fall in the third to finish off a 15-6 major-decision win over Brett Farina.

At 165, Meyer notched an 8-0 win over Kasey Young. Meyer had two takedowns, a near fall, an escape and riding time.

At 125, Taylor Cummings of N.C. State used a second-period three-point near fall to key a 10-1 victory.
The Stars take on Colorado State-Pueblo at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Mountain time) Wednesday in Pueblo, Colo.

OKLAHOMA 30
OKLAHOMA CITY 16
133: Alex Ekstrom, OU, dec. Cameron Ream, 11-9 (SV)
141: John Lynch, OCU, pinned Richard Immel, 6:38
149: Will Shelton, OCU, pinned Nick Burnham, 6:03
157: Shane Vernon, OU, maj. dec. Nik Turner, 14-6
165: Derek Peperas, OU, dec. Mark Meyer, 7-4
174: Jeff James, OU, pinned Andrew Pontikes, 2:15
184: Erich Schmidtke, OU, tech. fall Jake Mabry, 19-4
197: Eric Lapotsky, OU, by forfeit
285: Nathan Fernandez, OU, dec. Corey Johnson, 7-3
125: Kidd Gomez, OCU, maj. dec. Greg Cannon, 12-4

NORTH CAROLINA STATE 36
OKLAHOMA CITY 8
133: Darrius Little, NCSU, tech. fall Cameron Ream, 19-4
141: Dale Shull, NCSU, maj. dec. John Lynch, 13-5
149: Will Shelton, OCU, maj. dec. Brett Farina, 15-6
157: Bobby Ward, NCSU, tech. fall Nik Turner, 19-2
165: Mark Meyer, OCU, maj. dec. Kasey Young, 8-0
174: Quinton Godley, NCSU, dec. Andrew Pontikes, 9-5
184: Jonathan Becker, NCSU, pinned Jake Mabry, 1:54
197: Andrew Tumlin, NCSU, pinned Marvin Lewis, 1:23
285: Eloheim Palma, NCSU, dec. Corey Johnson, 9-4
125: Taylor Cummings, NCSU, maj. dec. Kidd Gomez, 10-1
Oklahoma City Wrestling Adds Skiatook's Delk

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University has signed Greg Delk of Skiatook, Okla., to its men's wrestling program.

Delk is the first recruit to sign with the Stars for the 2010-11 season.

"Greg is a great student and, on the mat, a very hard-nosed wrestler," OCU assistant wrestling coach Mikel Delk said. "I think he is a great fit here because he fits our style of wrestling, which is hard-nosed, in-your-face wrestling. He will be another tough young guy with a lot of potential in the room."

Entering his senior year, Greg Delk had a 79-21 career record with two all-Metro Lakes Conference finishes.

Delk finished his junior season with a 32-4 record and a third-place finish in the Class 5A state championships at 135 pounds. He was also the regional runner-up at 135.

As a sophomore, Delk went 29-9 and finished fourth at state. In his freshman season, Delk had a record of 18-8 and was a state qualifier.

The Stars face Neosho County (Kan.) at 8 p.m. Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena. OCU hosts a high-school dual between Harrah and McLoud at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Also, times for the duals Nov. 28 in Norman, Okla., have been set. OCU meets Oklahoma at 9 a.m., and then takes on North Carolina State at 11 a.m. All the action will happen at McCasland Field House on the University of Oklahoma campus.
Central Oklahoma 31, Oklahoma City 3

OCU scores three pins in ranking matches

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University managed only one match win a 31-3 loss to traditional wrestling power Central Oklahoma on Tuesday at Abe Lemons Arena.
The Stars, ranked 14th in the NAIA, went to 1-1 in duals, while Central Oklahoma, sixth-ranked in NCAA Division II, evened its record at 1-1.

Turner, a junior from Norman, Okla., made his move in the second period. Turner, ranked third among NAIA 157-pounders, picked up an escape and a takedown before turning Bernstein to his back towards the end of the period. Turner earned a three-point near fall and got a riding-time point for the 7-2 victory.

At 285, Dustin Finn recorded an 8-3 decision over the Stars' Corey Johnson. Finn entered the match as the top-ranked 285-pounder in NCAA Division II, while Johnson is rated No. 2 in the NAIA at 285.

At 133, Cameron Ream of OCU trailed 4-3 entering the final period. Trison Graham closed out a 10-4 win with two third-period takedowns.

In the dual's opening match, OCU's Will Shelton and Austin Standage were tied at 1-1 going into the third period. Standage recorded a takedown with 1:33 remaining and added riding time to secure a 4-1 win at 149.

Mark Meyer of the Stars managed only a first-period escape against Derrick Adkins at 165. Meyer is ranked 12th at 165 in the NAIA.

The Stars meet Neosho County (Kan.) at 8 p.m. Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena. Harrah and McLoud will square off prior to the dual at 6:30 p.m. Thursday also at Abe Lemons Arena.

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 31
OKLAHOMA CITY 3
149: Austin Standage, UCO, dec. Will Shelton, 4-1
157: Nik Turner, OCU, dec. Eden Bernstein, 7-2
165: Derrick Adkins, UCO, dec. Mark Meyer, 7-1
174: Cody Rowell, UCO, dec. Andrew Pontikes, 11-4
184: Kenny Meredith, UCO, pinned Marvin Lewis, 2:11
197: Jarrett Edison, UCO, maj. dec. Jake Mabry, 13-4
285: Dustin Finn, UCO, dec. Corey Johnson, 8-3

125: Casy Rowell, UCO, dec. Kidd Gomez, 7-1
133: Trison Graham, UCO, dec. Cameron Ream, 10-4
141: Scott Berens, UCO, dec. John Lynch, 7-2
Oklahoma City University's Ream Takes Runner-up Honors in Oklahoma City University Open

OKLAHOMA CITY - Cameron Ream of Oklahoma City University advanced to the 133-pound final of the Oklahoma City University Open on Sunday at Abe Lemons Arena.

Ream, a freshman from Wentzville, Mo., lost to Jordan Oliver of Oklahoma State by fall in 36 seconds. Nik Turner, a junior from Norman, Okla., took fourth place at 157.

En route to the championship match, Ream knocked off Trison Graham 12-9 in the semifinals. Ream also pinned Apollo Harris of St. Louis-Meramec in the quarterfinals.

"Cameron Ream had another great performance," OCU coach Archie Randall said. "He beat Trison Graham, who he will face on Nov. 17, in the semis. He wrestled Jordan Oliver, OSU's No. 1 kid. He now has experience against one of the top kids in the nation."

In the 157-pound third-place bout, Turner dropped an 18-1 technical fall to Oklahoma's Matt Lester. Turner advanced to the third-place match by edging Bobby Williams of Oklahoma 1-0.

Turner beat Tylar Michaelis of Bacone 17-2 in a technical fall and Joe Snedden of Central Oklahoma 4-1.

"With the pool of athletes at the tournament, we had a phenomenal effort from our team," Randall said. "They wrestled hard. We are steadily improving, and that's most important."

At 174, Andrew Pontikes of the Stars fell short of the third-place match, losing to Patrick Finn of Central Oklahoma 5-4. Pontikes, a sophomore from Elgin, Okla., picked up a fall in 2:27 over James Robbins.

At 149, Central Oklahoma's Austin Standage knocked OCU's Will Shelton off 4-2 to advance to the third-place match. Shelton, a junior from Sperry, Okla., pinned Christian Schuler of Bacone in 28 seconds.

At 285, Corey Johnson of OCU was beaten by Chas Maloch of McKendree (Ill.) 5-3 a match shy of the third-place match. Johnson, a senior from Oologah, Okla., was pinned by Oklahoma State's Jared Rosholt in 1:08.

The Stars compete next in the Central Missouri Open at 10 a.m. Saturday in Warrensburg, Mo.

Oklahoma City University Open
At Oklahoma City
Abe Lemons Arena
Championship Finals
125: Chris Notte, Oklahoma State-unattached, maj. dec. Jarrod Patterson, Oklahoma-unattached, 15-3
133: Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State-unattached, pinned Cameron Ream, Oklahoma City, 0:36
141: Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Kendric Maple, Oklahoma-unattached, 5-2
149: Albert White, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Jake Peck, Oklahoma State-unattached, 5-2
157: Neil Erisman, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Kyle Detmer, Oklahoma-unattached, 6-5
165: Alex Meade, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Tyler Caldwell, Oklahoma-unattached, 5-2
174: Mike Benefiel, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Chris McNeil, Oklahoma State-unattached, 3-2
184: Clayton Foster, Oklahoma State-unattached, pinned Erich Schmidke, Oklahoma-unattached, 3:59
197: Alan Gelogaev, Oklahoma State-unattached, pinned Jarrett Edison, Central Oklahoma, 1:40
285: Nathan Fernandez, Oklahoma, dec. Jared Rosholt, Oklahoma State-unattached, 9-7
Oklahoma City University Knocks off Bacone 31-6

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University won all but one match on the way to a 31-6 victory over Bacone on Friday at Abe Lemons Arena.
The Stars picked up the win in their first dual of the season.

Corey Johnson, a senior 285-pounder from Oologah, Okla., finished off the win for OCU by netting a 10-9 victory over Jeremy Colbert. Colbert tied the match 9-9 with an escape, but Johnson secured the win based on riding time.

The Stars' Andrew Pontikes, a sophomore from Elgin, Okla., took a 5-3 decision from Travis Rogers at 184. Pontikes picked up a takedown in the third period to take a 4-3 lead, then added a riding-time point.

Cameron Ream, a freshman from Wentzville, Mo., held a 16-8 lead on Charles Chatman heading into the final period of the 133-pound bout. Ream won despite giving up three takedowns in the third. Ream scored on two escapes and riding time in the last period.

Tied at 3-3 entering the last period, Jeremy Garner, a junior from Oklahoma City, secured a 10-4 win over Jewel Jackson using a reversal, takedown and three-point near fall in the third.

Will Shelton, a junior from Sperry, Okla., beat Ryan Smith by fall in 3:48 for OCU's only pin of the dual.

OCU hosts the Oklahoma City Open at 9 a.m. Sunday at Abe Lemons Arena.

OKLAHOMA CITY 31
BACONE 6
125: Kidd Gomez, OCU, maj. dec. Jared Steinbach, 15-7
133: Cameron Ream, OCU, dec. Charles Chatman, 18-15
141: Jeremy Garner, OCU, dec. Jewel Jackson, 10-4
149: Will Shelton, OCU, pinned Ryan Smith, 3:48
157: Nik Turner, OCU, dec. Calib Rought, 9-3
165: Cole Nelson, OCU, dec. Mark Burkhart, 9-4
174: Cornelius Sutton, BC, pinned John Daugherty, 6:20
184: Andrew Pontikes, OCU, dec. Travis Rogers, 5-3
197: Jake Mabry, OCU, dec. Nate Lemings, 9-5
285: Corey Johnson, OCU, dec. Jeremy Colbert, 10-9

OCU stays unbeaten after two women's wrestling wins

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University earned a couple of victories 29-12 over Missouri Baptist and 40-3 over Missouri Valley on Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena.
The Stars went to 9-0-1.

Against Missouri Baptist, Na'Tasha Umemoto gave OCU a 15-0 advantage in the dual with a fall over Caitlyn Chase in 1:06 at 51 kilograms. The Stars led 18-1 after Michaela Hutchison won 2-0, 2-3, 3-0 over Amy Whitbeck at 55.
Brittany Roberts picked up a pin for OCU over Courtney Kinimaka 17 seconds into the second period.

At 95, Brittany Delgado finished off the win for OCU with a fall over Desiree Memea.
Against Missouri Valley, the Stars scored five pins en route to the victory. Stephanie Waters sparked OCU with a fall in 55 seconds over Keeya Skyes at 44.
Umemoto added a second-period fall over Brittany Bertolani, and Sheila McCabe ended her match against Samantha Richardson 38 seconds into the third period with a pin.
Roberts pinned Zinna Anyanwuh in the second period, and Brittany Delgado ended her match in 28 seconds by fall.

OCU will have rematches against Missouri Baptist and Missouri Valley on Nov. 13 in St. Louis and St. Charles, Mo., respectively.

OKLAHOMA CITY 29
MISSOURI BAPTIST 12
44: Stephanie Waters, OCU, by forfeit (OCU leads 5-0)
48: Nicole Woody, OCU, by forfeit (OCU leads 10-0)
51: Na'Tasha Umemoto, OCU, pinned Caitlyn Chase, 1:06 (OCU leads 15-0)
55: Michaela Hutchison, OCU, dec. Amy Whitbeck, 2-0, 2-3, 3-0 (OCU leads 18-1)
59: Helen Marcoulis, MBU, dec. Ashley Hudson, 3-0, 2-0 (OCU leads 18-4)
63: Schuyler Brown, MBU, pinned Sheila McCabe, 1:40 (OCU leads 18-9)
67: Brittany Roberts, OCU, pinned Courtney Kinimaka, 5-0, 0:17 (OCU leads 23-9)
72: Vonnie Carlson, MBU, dec. Melissa Simmons, 5-1, 5-0 (OCU leads 24-12)
82: Double forfeit
95: Brittany Delgado, OCU, pinned Desiree Memea, 1:44 (OCU wins 29-12)

OKLAHOMA CITY 40
MISSOURI VALLEY 3
44: Stephanie Waters, OCU, pinned Keeya Skyes, 0:55 (OCU leads 5-0)
48: Nicole Woody, OCU, dec. Britney Heatherly, 5-0, 6-0 (OCU leads 8-0)
51: Na'Tasha Umemoto, OCU, pinned Brittany Bertolani, 7-0, 1:25 (OCU leads 13-0)
55: Michaela Hutchison, OCU, dec. Summer Sistad, 7-0, 3-0 (OCU leads 16-0)
59: Randi Beltz, MVC, dec. Ashley Hudson, 6-2, 2-3, 2-2 (OCU leads 17-3)
63: Sheila McCabe, OCU, pinned Samantha Richardson, 1-1, 2-0, 0:38 (OCU leads 22-3)
67: Brittany Roberts, OCU, pinned Zinna Anyanwuh, 2-0, 1:07 (OCU leads 27-3)
72: Melissa Simmons, OCU, dec. Jordan Hagerman, 3-0, 6-0 (OCU leads 30-3)
82: Brittany Delgado, OCU, pinned Morgan Touhey, 0:28 (OCU leads 35-3)
95: Karon Scott, OCU, by forfeit (OCU wins 40-3)
Oklahoma City University signs Busboom, Koenen to women’s wrestling team

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University has added Taylor Busboom of Spring, Texas and Chelsea Koenen of Killeen, Texas to its women’s wrestling program.
Busboom and Koenen were each four-time state qualifiers. Busboom captured the girls folkstyle national championship at 109 pounds in March at OCU.

The Stars won the WCWA national championship and their second consecutive NWCA National Duals championship last season.

Busboom won four district championships for Spring Klein High School (Texas). Busboom placed third at 110 pounds as a senior and fifth as a junior. She went 96-4 her final two years of high school.

“She’s pretty tenacious,” OCU coach Archie Randall said of Busboom. “She wrestles really hard. She is an outstanding student and proved herself an outstanding wrestler because she won the folkstyle national championship.”

Busboom said of OCU, “It’s everything I’m looking for.”

Koenen won four district titles for Killeen Shoemaker High School (Texas). She advanced to the state tournament and the regional final all four years of her high-school career.
Koenen competed at 120 pounds as a senior.

“She really wants to develop and mature as a wrestler,” Randall said. “She believes OCU is the best place for her. She wanted a school like ours where she could develop as a wrestler and achieve her academic goals. She is pretty tough.”

OCU hosts the Junior National Duals on June 24-28. The event annually features the nation’s top youth wrestlers.

Oklahoma City University names Delk assistant wrestling coach

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University has hired Mikel Delk as an assistant wrestling coach.

Delk brings experience coaching on the college, high school and youth levels. Delk earned all-American honors and won state championships as a wrestler.

“He will be a great addition to our staff,” OCU coach Archie Randall said. “He has extensive experience as a competitor. He is young and full of energy and wants to establish himself as a college coach.”

The past two seasons Delk coached at Catoosa High School (Okla.) as an assistant. He also guided the Catoosa Freestyle Club.

Prior to that, Delk was a student assistant with Fort Hays State (Kan.). He also coached with the Kansas USA Schoolboy National Team and Kansas USA Kids Wrestling.

Delk became a two-time NCAA Division II all-American and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champion with Fort Hays State. Delk also won two NJCAA West Region titles and became an all-American competing for Labette (Kan.).

In high school, Delk became a two-time Class 3A state champion with Skiatook (Okla.).

The Stars begin the 2009-10 season with the Black-Blue Ranking Matches on Oct. 22, then open the regular season with the Lindenwood Open on Oct. 30. OCU’s first home duals will be against Bacone and Missouri Baptist on Nov. 7.

OCU hosts the NAIA Championships on March 3-6, 2010 at Abe Lemons Arena.

Oklahoma City University adds 10 wrestling recruits

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University signed state champions Ryan Garrett of Claremore, Okla., and Cole Nelson of Lakeside, Ariz., and state finalists Jacob Keah-tigh of Fort Defiance, Ariz., and Josh Van Holland of Shawnee, Kan., among nine recruits to its wrestling team.

Other OCU wrestling signees were Adam Goodchild of Dallas, Mikey and Shawn Keating of Ponca City, Okla., Cameron Ream of Wentzville, Mo., Robert Turrentine of Tulsa, Okla., and Ryan Umbarger of Sand Springs, Okla.

Garrett went 36-4 with the Class 5A 171-pound state title as a senior and 122-20 in his high-school career. Garrett helped Claremore to the Class 5A state championship as a senior and twice made honorable-mention Tulsa World all-metro.

“We have an open weight at 174 for us,” OCU coach Archie Randall said. “Hopefully he will be in the mix to start.”

Nelson went 60-0 with the 160-pound Class 3A Arizona state championship as a senior for Lakeside Blue Ridge. Nelson captured the 145-pound state title, going 35-5 as a junior. Nelson, who was 147-36 in his career, was named honorable-mention all-state and earned all-region and all-conference honors twice each.

Randall said, “He is a pinner. He pinned everybody at the state tournament two years in a row. A six-point swing is huge in a college dual. He will give us an opportunity to redshirt either him or Nik Turner at 157.”

Keah-tigh went 44-7 with 33 falls as a senior for Fort Defiance Window Rock (Ariz.) and finished as Class 3A runner-up at 160 pounds in the Arizona state tournament. Keah-tigh posted a career record of 130-50 with 77 pins. He was named a Navajo Times all-area outstanding wrestler.

“He is a very solid, talented kid,” Randall said. “His only losses were to Cole Nelson. The room will get a little tougher.”

Van Holland finished as Class 5A runner-up at 171 pounds for Shawnee Mill Valley (Kan.) in the Kansas state tournament. Van Holland went 39-7 as a senior and 80-45 in his career.
“He is a talented kid,” Randall said. “He is extremely tough and athletic. He is a quality athlete and will bid for that 174-pound spot.”

Goodchild led his team in takedowns as a senior and posted a 28-21 record as a junior for Dallas Jesuit Preparatory.

“OCU is a faith-based university that made me feel welcome from the first time I visited the campus,” Goodchild said. “It felt like this was where I needed to be.”

Mikey Keating spent last season redshirting at Dana (Neb.). Keating was a two-time state placer at Ponca City, recording a third-place finish as a senior at 189 and finishing third at 152 as a sophomore.

“He is projected at 184 and has talked to me about being at 174, which would make that weight really tough,” Randall said. “He beat two all-Americans last year.”

Shawn Keating lost in the 160-pound consolation finals of the Class 5A state tournament as a senior for Ponca City. Keating also won the regional championship and made first-team all-Centennial Conference.

“He’s a pretty solid wrestler who wrestled up a weight most of the year,” Randall said. “Ponca City traditionally has a great program. They typically produce hard-nosed kids.”

Ream won four Gateway Athletic Conference championships and placed in the state tournament three times. Ream made honorable-mention St. Louis Post Dispatch all-metro after placing third at 130 pounds in the state tournament and going 49-7 with 39 pins as a senior. Ream went 165-29 with 100 falls in his career.

“He was recruited heavily, and we’re fortunate to have him,” Randall said. “He has an incredible record. He should have won state a couple of times. He is a pinner and an outstanding student.”
Turrentine won the district title at 112 pounds as a senior for Bishop Kelley High School (Okla.). He also placed third at regionals and fourth in the Class 5A state tournament.
“He will add to our depth at 125,” Randall said. “He never had an opportunity to wrestle Kidd Gomez, and he is looking forward to that chance.”

Umbarger was a three-time state qualifier and a two-time state placer for Charles Page High School (Okla.). Umbarger qualified for the 6A state tournament at 171 pounds as a senior.
“He is an excellent athlete from a traditionally good program,” Randall said. “He wrestled with a hurt knee all year. He could vie for the spot at 165 pounds.”