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Maple Secures Third Big 12 Honor this Season

Kendric Maple was awarded his third Big 12 honor of the year on Monday.
Kendric Maple earned his third Big 12 accolade of the year on Monday. NORMAN, Okla. - Kendric Maple of the 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team has been chosen as the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Week for matches from Jan. 23-29, announced Monday by the league office. Throughout that span, he helped the Sooners upend No. 23 Virginia Tech on Friday, Jan. 27, and rally to defeat 14th-ranked Lehigh on Sunday, Jan. 29, by downing two ranked opponents. It marks the third career conference honor for the redshirt-sophomore from Wichita, Kan., who also won the award on Jan. 2 and was named the Wrestler of the Month for November. He is the first wrestler to take home three honors in one season since Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) accomplished the feat in 2010-11. "We are very proud of Kendric Maple," Mark Cody said. "He has made a major contribution in every dual meet win that we've accumulated this year. We look forward to his continued success throughout the rest of the season." Maple has accrued a 22-1 overall record and is 13-1 in dual action on the year. The nation's third-ranked 141-pounder opened action over the weekend with the first of his two major decision victories against Virginia Tech's 19th-ranked Zach Neibert. En route to earning OU's only bonus against the Hokies, he acquired three takedowns, five nearfall points, an escape and 3:25 of riding time to earn the 13-1 win and helped secure a 19-12 team victory over Virginia Tech. Against Lehigh, the Sooners fell behind 16-0 after dropping the first five bouts of the day. Maple earned OU its third-straight bonus-point victory after he fought for a 14-5 major over the Mountain Hawks' No. 15-ranked Steve Dutton. Maple's five takedowns, two escapes and 4:29 of riding time put the Sooners within two of Lehigh at 16-14. OU eventually completed the comeback for a 22-16 win. Over the course of the season, Maple has amassed a team-best 61 dual points, 11 major decisions, four technical falls and four falls. Additionally, his 54 takedowns and 21 nearfalls in dual action are tops among the squad.
Maple and the Sooners will be in action on Sunday, Jan. 5, when they travel to Columbia, Mo., to battle No. 15 Missouri.
Oklahoma Rallies to Overtake No. 14 Lehigh

The Sooners' seven bonus-points secured the win over Lehigh, 22-16.
(12-2, 3-1 Big 12) 165 174 184 197 Hwt 125 133 141 149 157 Team Oklahoma 5 2 3 6 3 23 2:59 14 6 16 22 Lehigh 11 11 7 7 5 8 - 5 1 0 16 (9-5) Quick Stats OU LH Decisions 1 4 Majors 1 1 Tech Falls 2 0 Pins 1 0 Total Takedowns 20 15 Total Escapes 17 17 Total Near Falls 4 1 NORMAN, Okla. - Trailing 16-0 after five bouts versus No. 14 Lehigh, the 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (12-2) mounted a furious comeback by winning the final five bouts to steal the victory, 22-16. "It was a big comeback for us against one of the better teams that we have competed against this year," Mark Cody said. "Pat Santoro (Lehigh head coach) is a personal friend of mine and he is one of the best out there, so anytime we can come out with a win against one of his teams I feel really good about it. Particularly, considering how far down we were." Despite dropping the upper weight-classes to start the dual, the Sooners earned seven bonus-points in the final five bouts to come away with the come from behind victory over the Mountain Hawks. "Going into 125 I thought, 'having to bring the match back is something that the lightweight guys usually aren't used too'," Cody expounded. "Usually that goes down to heavyweight, but they handled it well mentally. We knew we needed technical falls, majors and pins." The dual began at 165 pounds where Lehigh's Sean Bilodeau defeated the Sooners' Bubby Graham, 11-5. Bilodeau ran out to a 7-1 lead after he earned two takedowns and a 3-point nearfall. After a scoreless second, Graham had a quick reversal and followed that with a takedown to close the lead to 8-5. However, Bilodeau earned an escape and takedown with 0:33 remaining to give Lehigh a 3-0 advantage. "I was a little disappointed about the upset at 165, but then again I would rather have that happen now then at the end of the year at NCAAs," Cody explained. "Anytime a guy like Bubby Graham works his tail off and gets in a situation like that it will make him better. He will come back and be better because of it." Lehigh's Nate Brown extended the Mountain Hawk's lead, 7-0, following an 11-2 major decision victory over OU's Marcus Armato in the 174 pound bout. Brown acquired three takedowns, a 3-point nearfall, escape and added 2:58 of riding time, while Armato's only points came off an escape and Brown penalty. The Sooners fell behind 10-0 after OU's Erich Schmidtke dropped the 184 pound bout to the Mountain Hawk's Robert Hamlin, 7-3. Schmidtke trailed, 2-1, going into the second period where he evened the score after he earned an escape, but Hamlin added two takedowns to finish out the match. The 197-pound bout came down to the final seconds, but OU's Keldrick Hall was unable to secure a final takedown and eventually fell to Lehigh's Kadeem Samuels, 7-6. Hall trailed, 5-2, heading into the third period where Hall had an escape and was awarded a point for stalling against Samuels. Samuels countered with a takedown, which Hall escaped from. Samuels was again penalized for stalling, which left Hall trailing by only one. However, Hall was unable to score and dropped the match. Lehigh added its fifth-straight win of the day when the Mountain Hawk's third-ranked Zach Rey downed OU's Kyle Colling in the heavyweight bout, 5-3. Ray began the bout with a takedown and added an escape in the second to lead, 3-1. In the final period, Colling earned two escapes but was taken down by Rey to give Lehigh a 16-0 lead in the dual. The Sooners' Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 7, put Oklahoma on the board after he earned a 4-point technical fall victory over Lehigh's Alex Abreu, 23-8. In the 125 pound bout, Patterson acquired ten takedowns, a reversal and an escape to tally four team points for OU. At 133 pounds, OU's 11th-ranked Jordan Keller earned a fall in 2:59 over Lehigh's Mason Beckman to put OU in position to take the dual despite trailing, 16-10. Kendric Maple, ranked No. 3, earned OU its third-straight bonus-point victory at the conclusion of the 141 pound bout. Maple ran away with a 14-5 major decision win over Lehigh's 15th-ranked Steve Dutton. Maple tallied five takedowns, two escapes and 4:29 of riding time to earn his 11th major of the season. With the Sooners in striking distance, OU's No. 9-ranked Nick Lester earned a 6-1 win over Lehigh's Kyle Rosser in the 149 pound bout. Lester trailed, 1-0, after being penalized for an illegal hold in the first, but ended up with two takedowns, an escape and 2:31 of riding time to give the Sooners a 17-16 lead going into the final bout of the day. The winner-take-all 157 pound bout, pitted OU's Matt Lester, ranked No. 15, against the Mountain Hawk's Brian Tanen. Lester was able to secure the technical fall victory in 5:16 after he collected three takedowns, 9-points off nearfalls and an escape. Following this weekend's action, Cody's squad travels to Columbia, Mo., to battle No. 15 Missouri on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. No. 10 Oklahoma 22, No. 14 Lehigh 16
165 - Sean Bilbodeau (Lehigh) dec. Bubby Graham (OU), 11-5 174 - Nate Brown (Lehigh) MD Marcus Armato (OU), 11-2 184 - Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 7-3 197 - Kadeem Samuels (Lehigh) dec. Keldrick Hall (OU), 7-6 285 - Zach Rey (Lehigh) dec. Kyle Colling (OU), 5-3 125 - No. 7 Jarrod Patterson (OU) Tech. Fall4 Alex Abreu (Lehigh), 23-8; 5:55 133 - No. 11 Jordan Keller (OU) Fall Mason Beckman (Lehigh), 2:59 141 - No. 3 Kendric Maple (OU) MD. Steve Dutton (Lehigh), 14-5 149 - No. 9 Nick Lester (OU) dec. Anthony Salupo (Lehigh), 6-1 157 - No. 15 Matt Lester (OU) Tech. Fall5 Brian Tanen (Lehigh), 5:16; 16-0
OU Takes Down No. 23 Virginia Tech, 19-12

The Sooners will host No. 14 Lehigh at McCasland Field House on Sunday.
(11-2, 3-1 Big 12) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma 8 4 13 3 8 10 1 13 15 2 19 Va. Tech 2 8 1 5 2 3 5 10 8 4 12 Bout-By-Bout | Photos (6-4, 4-1 ACC) Quick Stats OU VT Decisions 5 4 Majors 1 0 Tech Falls 0 0 Pins 0 0 Total Takedowns 23 11 Total Escapes 15 16 Total Near Falls 3 0 NORMAN, Okla. - The No. 10 Oklahoma wrestling squad tallied a win over No. 23 Virginia Tech, 19-12, at the fifth annual "Beauty and the Beast" event held at the Lloyd Noble Center on Friday. Wrestling alongside the fifth-ranked OU women's gymnastics team in front of a Beauty and the Beast record crowd of 2,492 fans, Oklahoma improved to 11-2 on the year after taking six bouts over the Hokies (6-4). "Beating a top 25 team is always good," Mark Cody said. "I think we came out a little flat and maybe the day off yesterday didn't do us well. We did that last week too before we wrestled Iowa State and I felt like we wrestled flat in that match too. The good news is that I think we will wrestle better on Sunday. Every time we have come out flat like that, then the next dual we come out and fight." The Sooners opened the dual with a battle at 125 pounds between OU's seventh-ranked Jarrod Patterson and Virginia Tech's Erik Spujt. Patterson had three takedowns, an escape and added 1:12 of riding time to earn an 8-2 win. Virginia Tech's top-ranked Devin Carter evened the score after he earned an 8-4 decision over OU's 11th-ranked Jordan Keller. Carter tallied four takedowns, while Keller was only able to score on four escapes. With the score tied, 3-3, third-ranked Kendric Maple earned the only bonus point of the night after he fought for a major decision over VT's No. 19-ranked Zach Neibert, 13-1. In the bout, Maple acquired three takedowns, five nearfall points, an escape and 3:25 of riding time. The Hokie's Nick Brascetta took the 149 pound bout over the Sooners' No. 9-ranked Nick Lester. Lester held a 3-0 lead after he earned a quick escape in the third, but he was penalized for stalling and was taken down by Brascetta with 0:14 remaining. In overtime, Lester gave up a takedown with 0:17 remaining to drop the bout, 5-3. OU held a 7-6 advantage over VT heading into the 157 pound which pitted OU's 15th-ranked Matt Lester against the Hokie's Cameron Hurd. Lester held a 2-0 lead going into the second period where he added a reversal and 3-point nearfall before giving up a reversal to Hurd. Lester closed out scoring by adding 1:10 of riding time to earn the 8-2 decision. Bubby Graham gave OU a 13-6 lead after he earned a 10-3 victory by decision over Virginia Tech's Matt Stephens in the 165 pound bout. Graham earned four takedowns, an escape and added 2:44 of riding time, while Stephen's only points came on escapes. Virginia Tech's Chris Moon gave the Hokie's its third win of the night after he defeated OU's Nolan McBryde 5-1 in the 174 pound bout. Moon held a 2-0 lead after the first before McBryde earned an escape to start the second. Moon added a takedown in the second and an escape in the third to take the match. In the 184 pound bout, OU's Erich Schmidtke never trailed VT's John Dickson where he earned a 13-10 victory. Schmidtke held a 5-3 advantage following the first period. In the second, Schmidtke had a quick escape and added a takedown before getting reversed by Dickson. Schmidtke escaped and was taken down again. Schmidkte closed out the period with a point for an illegal hold called on Dickson. In the third, Schmidkte gave up an escape and reversal, but added a takedown and escape of his own to earn the victory. OU extended its lead, 19-9, after Keldrick Hall handed the Hokie's Angelo Malvestuto a 15-8 loss. Hall tallied two takedowns and an escape in the first period and an escape in the third. In the final period, Hall added four takedowns and 1:24 of riding time. Virginia Tech claimed the final bout of the night in the heavyweight showdown between OU's Kyle Colling and VT's Chris Penny. Penny had two takedowns in the first two periods, while Colling's points came on a Penny stalling penalty and 1:27 of riding time. "The event was awesome," Cody said of his first Beauty and the Beast. "It was a really neat atmosphere and I hope that we can draw some fans from this event and that gymnastics can draw some wrestling fans. Both sports are a lot alike and are very technical." Following Beauty and the Beast, OU will host No. 14 Lehigh (8-4) on Sunday at noon. No. 10 Oklahoma 19, No. 23 Virginia Tech 12 125 - No. 7 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Erik Spujt (VT), 8-2 133 - No. 1 Devin Carter (VT) dec. No. 11 Jordan Keller (OU), 8-4 141 - No. 3 Kendric Maple (OU) MD. No. 19 Zach Neibert (VT), 13-1 149 - Nick Brascetta (VT) dec. No. 9 Nick Lester (OU), 5-3 157 - No. 15 Matt Lester (OU) dec. Cameron Hurd (VT), 8-2 165 - Bubby Graham (OU) dec. Matt Stephens (VT), 10-3 174 - Chris Moon (VT) dec. Nolan McBryde (OU), 5-1 184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. John Dickson (VT), 13-10 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) dec. Angelo Malvestuto (VT), 15-8 285 - Chris Penny (VT) dec. Kyle Colling (OU), 4-2
OU- Beauty and the Beast, Lehigh Next for Wrestling

The wrestling squad will take on No. 23 Virginia Tech on Friday and No. 14 Lehigh on Sunday.
Kendric Maple No. 10 Oklahoma vs. No. 23 Virginia Tech & No. 14 Lehigh Virginia Tech Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. CT Lehigh Sunday, Jan. 29 at 12 p.m. CT Beauty and the Beast (Lloyd Noble Center) Website | Tickets | Webcast | Live Stats Lehigh (McCasland Field House) Webcast | Live Stats | Radio Oklahoma Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff | Stats Promotions Friday (Beauty and the Beast) * 1,000 commemorative posters * 250 Fan Banners * 250 Sooner Kids Club wristbands * Movie passes from the Warren Theater * (1) $100 Circle K Gas Gift Card * (1) Pickleman's Gift Card * (2) Ping Pong tables * (3) Autographed Team Items Sunday (Oklahoma Day) * 250 Ice Cream Cups NORMAN, Okla. -- The 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad will host a pair of top 20 opponents this weekend, beginning with No. 23 Virginia Tech in the fifth annual "Beauty and the Beast" event at the Lloyd Noble Center on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. Following Friday's dual, the Sooners return to the McCasland Field House to battle 15th-ranked Lehigh on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 12 p.m.
On Friday, the wrestlers will compete alongside the No. 5-ranked Oklahoma women's gymnastics team who will take on No. 20 North Carolina State, while the Sooners' (10-2, 3-1) wrestling squad will take on Virginia Tech (6-3) for the first time in program history.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to compete in the same gym as our women's gymnastics team," Mark Cody said. "They have a great program and are coming off a third-place finish at NCAA's last year. It will be a lot of fun for our fans to come out because they have the opportunity to watch very technical individual sports side-by-side."
"Virginia Tech is going to be a tough opponent and will be a great match for our fans to watch," Cody explained. Following Beauty and the Beast, OU turns its attention to No. 14 Lehigh (8-4) on Sunday. "We are expecting a very competitive dual against Lehigh, which is what we are looking for this time of the year," Cody said. "I think the more we challenge ourselves at this time of the year the better off we will be in March at the NCAA tournament. Lehigh is going to bring a good solid team and it will be a very competitive dual and will be a lot of fun for the fans to come out and watch." Oklahoma is 7-1 since the holiday break and is riding a seven match win-streak that includes wins over Arizona State (33-7), Iowa State (19-16), Harvard (28-9), Appalachian State (41-0), Utah Valley (43-0, then-No. 24 Binghamton (20-15) and Navy (26-10). Following this weekend's action, Cody's squad will travel to Columbia, Mo., to battle No. 15 Missouri on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Five Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by the nation's No. 3-ranked 141-pounder in Kendric Maple. Reigning All-American Jarrod Patterson is ranked No. 7 at 125 pounds. Nick Lester sits ninth among 149 pounders. Three Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Matt Lester checks in at No. 15 among 157-pounders. Jordan Keller is No. 11 at 133 pounds. Two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, fell out of the 184 pound rankings. Keldrick Hall (197) is No. 19 in the Amateur Wrestling News rankings, while Bubby Graham is No. 17. Virginia Tech counters with three ranked wrestlers of their own and are led by the top-ranked 133 pounder in Devin Carter. Zach Neibert is the No. 19 ranked wrestler at 141 pounds. At 165 pounds, the Hokes have seventh ranked Peter Yates.
The Lehigh Mountain Hawks have five ranked by InterMat and are led by nation's third ranked heavyweight, Zack Rey. At 184 pounds, Robert Hamlin is No. 4. Lehigh's Joe Kennedy (197 pound) is No. 10, while Brandon Hatchett is 11th among 165 pounders. Stephen Dutton (141) is the final ranked Mountain Hawk at No. 15. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 19-3 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 18-3 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 20-1 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 16-6 Justin DeAngelis (149) Tulsa, Okla. (RFr.) 12-8 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 14-7 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 13-9 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 4-11 Marcus Armato (174) Kansas City, Mo. (RJr.) 6-10 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 14-8 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 16-6 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 12-7 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES BEAUTY AND THE BEAST PROMOTIONS Prizes for the event include a $100 Circle K Gas Card, movie passes from the Warren Theater, a Pickleman's gift card, two ping pong tables and autographed team items.
LAST ACTION The Sooners downed Iowa State (19-16) and Arizona State (33-7) this past weekend to extend their winning streak to seven. Between the two duals, the Sooners collected eight major decision victories, a technical fall and a fall totaling 13 bonus-points.
SERIES RECORD VS. VIRGINIA TECH Friday's dual marks the first meeting ever between the Sooners and Hokies.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH The Hokies are 6-3 in dual competition this year and are coming off a 29-12 win over North Carolina and 30-6 victory over Duke. VT has won three straight with its last loss coming at the hands of Iowa State (20-14) on Jan. 13. The Hokies are 2-2 on the road this year. Sooner to Watch: Jordan Keller Jordan Keller | Sr. | 133 pounds Keller, a 2011 NCAA qualifier, will take on Virginia Tech's top-ranked Devin Carter on Friday. The 11th-ranked 133 pounder from Wichita, Kan., is currently riding an eight match winning streak. SERIES RECORD VS. LEHIGH Oklahoma holds a 12-3 all-time advantage over the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh took the previous meeting, 18-16, in the semifinals of the Virginia Duals on Jan. 9, 2010.
SCOUTING LEHIGH Lehigh is 8-4 on the year and are winners of their last three duals, including wins over Rutgers and Bucknell last weekend. Each of the Mountain Hawk's four losses (Pittsburgh, Illinois, Penn State and Cornell) came at the hands of opponents ranked in the top 20.
LEHIGH DUAL ON TAKEDOWN RADIO Takedown Wrestling Radio will broadcast the Lehigh dual LIVE from Norman, Oklahoma. Two of the nation's toughest teams are set to square off at 12 noon CT. The pre-match broadcast starts at 11:30 am CT on theMat.com.
Sunday marks the return of former Sooner Head Coach Jack Spates. The "Coach" joins Takedown Wrestling's Scott Casber and Steve Foster for all the action of this dual in Norman. "We're excited for the return of Jack Spates and Takedown Wrestling Radio. Spates has been a leader for our sport for years and we all know what Takedown Wrestling has done in promoting our sport. We welcome the opportunity to compete in front of their national audience," said Sooner Head Coach Mark Cody.
MAPLE EARNS TWO BIG 12 ACCOLADES Redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month and Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) this season.
He earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 2, after he claimed the 141 pound title at the Midlands Championships. Over the course of the tournament, Maple posted a 6-0 record and defeated the nation's top ranked wrestler in Iowa's Montell Marion, 5-3.
SOONERS TAKE THIRD AT MIDLANDS The Oklahoma wrestling squad finished third overall and Kendric Maple claimed the 141 pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University, Dec. 29-30. Oklahoma finished the tournament taking home the third place trophy with 94.5 points. Iowa ran away with the title after tallying 152 points. Northwestern placed second with 105.5 points. Virginia Tech (76.5) and Edinboro (74.5) rounded out the top five. Leading the way for Oklahoma was redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple who won the 141 pound title to remain unbeaten (12-0) on the year. The Wichita, Kan., native entered Friday's semifinal matchup having earned bonus points in each of his last seven bouts. In the semifinals Maple defeated Iowa State's Luke Goetti, 13-1. In the championship bout, Maple downed Iowa's No. 1-ranked Montell Marion, 5-3. In addition to OU's 141 pound champion, five other Sooners - Jarod Patterson (fifth), Nick Lester (fourth), Matt Lester (fifth), Bubby Graham (sixth) and Erich Schmidtke (fifth) - claimed top six finishes among their respective weight classes.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... Following this weekend's action, Cody's squad will travel to Columbia, Mo., to battle No. 15 Missouri on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.
OU- Sunday's Lehigh Dual Moved to Noon
The University of Oklahoma's wrestling dual against Lehigh scheduled for this Sunday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. CT has been moved to a 12 p.m. CT start. Sunday's dual will be webcast live on SoonerSports.com and live stats will also be available. Prior to the Lehigh dual, the Sooners will embark on the fifth annual Beauty and the Beast, which pits the Sooners' wrestling team against Virginia Tech. The wrestlers will compete alongside the 10th-ranked Oklahoma women's gymnastics team, who is set to take on 18th-ranked North Carolina State, inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27.
OU Wrestling Crushes Arizona State, 33-7

The Sooners earned bonus points in seven of their eight victories on Sunday.
(10-2, 3-1 Big 12) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma 19 10 16 11 1:24 22 3 3 10 4 33 Iowa State 8 1 6 1 - 8 12 4 2 3 7 Bout-By-Bout | Photos (5-9, 1-1 Pac 10) Quick Stats OU ASU Decisions 1 1 Majors 6 1 Tech Falls 0 0 Pins 1 0 Total Takedowns 30 11 Total Escapes 14 21 Total Near Falls 6 0 OU Wrestling Central NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma earned bonus points in seven of its eight victories on Sunday as the Sooners crushed Arizona State, 33-7, inside the McCasland Field House. "I think dual meets are very important as far as working on what we are trying to accomplish in March," Mark Cody said. "The good thing is that we scored a lot of points, but we are stopping short of getting majors and technical falls. That is where we really need to challenge ourselves and commit to scoring. That is what I was a little bit disappointed about." The 11th-ranked Sooners won the first six bouts and eight out of ten overall to improve against the Sun Devils (5-9) to improve to 10-2 on the year. Jarrod Patterson started the dual with a 19-8 major decision victory over ASU's David Prado. Patterson, ranked No. 7, had five takedowns, two nearfalls, two escapes and added 1:55 of riding time to give Oklahoma the 4-0 advantage. In the 133 bout, OU's Jordan Keller gave OU an 8-0 lead over the Sun Devils after he earned a major over Shane Mcgough . Keller, ranked No. 11, had a takedown in the first period and a quick reversal 0:16 into the second. Keller added two more takedowns, a stalling penalty against Mcgough and 3:24 of riding time to run away with the 10-1 win. OU's top-ranked Kendric Maple bounced back after he sustained his first loss of the year on Friday with a 16-6 major decision victory over ASU's Nathan Hoffer. Maple acquired four takedowns, 5-points off nearfalls, two escapes and 3:01 of riding time. The Wichita, Kan., native has nine major decision victories on the year and has earned bonus points in 16 of his 20 bouts. The Sooners' Nick Lester earned the fourth major in a row in the 149 pound matchup. Lester had two takedowns and a 3-point nearfall in the first and added an escape and takedown in the second. Lester's final point came on 2:09 of riding time. Matt Lester earned his third fall of the year after he pinned ASU's Hans Rasmusson 1:24 into the bout. Lester's fall gave the Sooners a 22-0 lead in the dual. Patrick "Bubby" Graham continued OU's string of victories with bonus points as he downed ASU's Rush Hall, 22-8. Graham collected nine takedowns, a reversal and had 3:47 of riding time on his way to the major. ASU's Eric Starks gave the Sun Devils their first win of the day after he defeated OU's Nolan McBryde, 12-3. McBryde gave up five takedowns to Starks and his only points came on three escapes. With the Sooners holding a 26-4 advantage, OU's Erich Schmidtke gave up a 4-3 match to the Sun Devil's Kevin Radford in the 184 pound bout. After a scoreless first, Schmidtke had two escapes, but Radford countered with a takedown. Radford got the reversal and 4-2 advantage in the third after Schmidtke was trying for back points. Schmidtke earned the escape with 0:25 seconds left in the bout, but was unable to secure a takedown. Keldrick Hall gave OU a 30-7 lead after he earned a 10-2 major decision victory over ASU's Chace Eskam. Hall tallied four takedowns, an escape and 2:34 of riding time in the 197 pound bout. Oklahoma heavyweight Kyle Colling earned the biggest win of his career on Sunday as the Sooner upset Arizona State's No. 9-ranked Levi Cooper, 4-3. Colling held a 1-0 lead going into the third period and added a 2-point nearfall before Cooper could tally the escape. Cooper took down Colling to knot the score, 3-3, but Colling fought to escape with 0:28 remaining. "We are improving all the time," Cody explained. "Kyle Colling just knocked off the guy that beat the No. 1-ranked guy in the country, which was a huge win. He was ready to go today. He went out there and fought today. We are really excited about his win and hopefully this will sink in and he will start to buy-in and believe that he is very capable of beating some very good wrestlers." Next weekend, Cody will embark on his first "Beauty and the Beast" event, which pits the Sooners' wrestling team against Virginia Tech. The wrestlers will compete alongside the 10th-ranked Oklahoma women's gymnastics team, who is set to take on 18th-ranked North Carolina State, inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27 No. 11 Oklahoma 33, Arizona State 7 125 - No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (OU) MD. David Prado (ASU), 19-8 133 - No. 11 Jordan Keller (OU) MD. Shane Mcgough (ASU), 10-1 141 - No. 1 Kendric Maple (OU) MD. Nathan Hoffer (ASU), 16-6 149 - No. 7 Nick Lester (OU) MD. Joel Smith (ASU), 11-1 157 - No. 14 Matt Lester (OU) Fall Hans Rasmusson (ASU), 1:24 165 - Bubby Graham (OU) MD. Rush Hall (ASU), 22-8 174 - Eric Starks (ASU) MD. Nolan McBryde (OU), 12-3 184 - Kevin Radford (ASU) dec. No. 20 Erich Schmidtke (OU), 4-3 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) MD. Chace Eskam (ASU), 10-2 285 - Kyle Colling (OU) dec. No. 9 Levi Cooper (ASU), 4-3
OU- Sooners Survive Cyclones, 19-16

The Sooners earned bonus points in three of their five victories over the Cyclones.
(9-2, 3-1) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma 4 14 9 15 2 1 3 10 11 1 19 Iowa State 0 0 11 0 3 3 9 1 5 10 16 Blow-By-Blow | Photos (2-10, 0-5) Quick Stats OU ISU Decisions 2 4 Majors 2 1 Tech Falls 1 0 Pins 0 0 Total Takedowns 13 9 Total Escapes 7 8 Total Near Falls 9 1 OU Wrestling Central NORMAN, Okla. - The 11th-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad picked up its ninth win of the year after defeating Iowa State, 19-16, inside the McCasland Field House Friday night.
Oklahoma (9-2, 3-1) earned bonus points in three of its five wins to help overcome the Iowa State (2-10, 0-5) rally.
"A win is a win and we will take it," Mark Cody said. "I'm definitely disappointed in the fact that several individuals on our team could have wrestled harder. It is never easy to come out and beat somebody twice. I think a lot of times guys will hang their hats on the fact they beat them one time and think they don't have to wrestle as hard. When you go out and wrestle someone you've already beaten it is that much harder to beat them the next time."
The dual began with a top-12 matchup between OU's Jarrod Patterson and the Cyclone's Ryak Finch. Patterson, ranked No. 7, took an early 3-0 lead after an escape and takedown in the second. Finch, No. 12, chose the bottom position in the third, but was unable to escape the grasp of Patterson who rode out the period to gain the 4-0 victory.
In the 133 pound bout, OU's 11th-ranked Jordan Keller gave the Sooners their first bonus points of the night after he downed ISU's RJ Hallman, 14-0. Keller acquired a takedown, reversal, nine nearfall points and added 4:25 in riding time.
Oklahoma's top-ranked Kendric Maple suffered his first loss of the season at the hands of Iowa State's Luke Goettl in sudden victory overtime, 11-9. The Sooner had beaten the Cyclone on two different occasions this year; both by way of major decision, but gave up a takedown 0:33 into overtime.
"As a coach I have been here several times," Cody said of Maple's loss. "I have been here several times with every national champion I have ever set in the corner with and have never taken a guy to the NCAA Tournament that was undefeated. I have been fortunate enough to sit with six of them at the NCAA finals. I expect him to be no different by the end of the year."
Leading 7-3, OU's eighth-ranked Nick Lester earned a technical fall victory over ISU's Luke Swalla in the 149 pound bout. Lester had a 10-0 lead after the first and chose the bottom position to start the second where he quickly reversed Swalla and added the 3-point nearfall.
Iowa State earned its second win of the night in the 157 pound bout, which pitted OU's No. 14 Matt Lester against ISU's Michael Moreno. Lester earned a takedown in the first to lead 2-0, but gave up a takedown and 2:59 of riding time to Moreno to drop the bout, 3-2.
For the second time in the dual, a bout was decided in overtime, this time in the 165 pound bout. After a scoreless first, OU's Bubby Graham chose the bottom position where he earned a quick escape and held a 1-0 lead. Sorenson returned the favor in the third period and the bout was knotted at 1-1. In overtime, Sorenson earned a takedown 0:35 into the bout to take the 3-1 win.
Iowa State evened the score, 12-12, after taking the 174 pound matcht. ISU's Mikey England downed Oklahoma's Nolan McBryde, 9-3, after he posted three takedowns, three escapes and added 1:12 in riding time.
OU regained the lead, 16-12, after the Sooners' Erich Schmidtke earned the final bonus points of the night following his 10-1 win over ISU's Tyler Christensen. Schmidtke, ranked No. 20, had three takedowns, an escape, 2-points off Christensen stalling penalties and 2:11 in riding time.
Keldrick Hall clinched the match for OU in the 197 pound bout. Hall defeated ISU's Cole Shafer by a final of 11-5. Hall never trailed in the bout and posted four takedowns, two escapes and 1:23 in riding time.
With the dual clinched, ISU's 16th-ranked Matt Gibson earned the first bonus points for the Cyclones after he handled OU's redshirt freshman Kyle Colling, 10-1.
OU steps out of conference to battle Arizona State on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m., inside the McCasland Field House. Next weekend, Cody will embark on his first "Beauty and the Beast" event, which pits the Sooners' wrestling team against Virginia Tech. The wrestlers will compete alongside the 10th-ranked Oklahoma women's gymnastics team, who is set to take on 18th-ranked North Carolina State, inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27. No. 11 Oklahoma 19, Iowa State 16 125 - No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 12 Ryak Finch (ISU), 4-0 133 - No. 11 Jordan Keller (OU) MD. RJ Hallman (ISU), 14-0 141 - No. 19 Luke Goettl (ISU) dec. No. 1 Kendric Maple (OU), 11-9 149 - No. 7 Nick Lester (OU) Tech. Fall Luke Swalla (ISU), 4:15 157 - Michael Moreno (ISU) dec. No. 14 Matt Lester (OU), 3-2 165 - No. 4 Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. Bubby Graham (OU), 3-1 174 - Mikey England (ISU) dec. Nolan McBryde (OU), 9-3 184 - No. 20 Erich Schmidtke (OU) MD. Tyler Christensen (ISU), 10-1 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) dec. Cole Shafer (ISU), 11-5 285 - No. 16 Matt Gibson (ISU) MD Kyle Colling (OU), 10-1
OU will host Iowa State on Friday and Arizona State on Sunday
Jordan Keller No. 11 Oklahoma vs. Iowa State & Arizona State Iowa State Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. CT Arizona State Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. CT Location Norman, Okla., | McCasland Field House Internet Live Stats | Webcast Oklahoma Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff | Stats Promotions Friday (OU Student Night) * First 250 fans receive a free plastic mug * 50 cent hotdogs and coke (while supplies last) Sunday (OU Faculty/Staff Day) * First 250 fans receive free memo boards * Pre-match Youth Clinic NORMAN, Okla. -- The 11th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team returns to Norman to take on Iowa State on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m., and Arizona State on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. "Against Iowa State I think it is going to be important for our team to pick up some more individual wins," Mark Cody said. "They are going to be a different team than they were last semester. They just wrestled Virginia Tech and beat-up on them. I know Kevin Jackson and he is a very close friend of mine. He is very passionate about coaching and wrestling. So, I know they are going to come in here looking for a win." In order for the Sooners (8-2, 2-1) to earn their third straight win over the Cyclones (2-9, 0-4), Cody believes his Sooners need to win some battles they lost in their first meeting.
"I'm hopeful we can turn 165 around," Cody explained. "Bubby Graham has lost to him (Andrew Sorenson) twice this year. He lost the dual meet pretty substantially, but at Midlands he only lost by a point. At 184, it's the same thing. We lost to a good, young guy (Boaz Beard) but he is somebody I think we are capable of beating. Then at heavyweight we have a different wrestler in Kyle Colling and I'm hoping he can reverse the loss we sustained to Matt Gibson last time." The Sooners turn around on Sunday and step out of conference to take on the 5-7 Sun Devils. "Arizona State is a match we are looking at to improve," Cody continued. "Because we had been on the road for so long this will be the first time that we have actually had some time off and will be rested going into a dual. Now we are really going to find out what we are capable of doing. We need to really focus on scoring points and against them we are looking for major decisions and we are hoping to accomplish that in as many matches as possible against Arizona State. Oklahoma is 5-1 since the holiday break and is riding a five match win-streak that includes wins over Harvard (28-9), Appalachian State (41-0), Utah Valley (43-0, then-No. 24 Binghamton (20-15) and Navy (26-10). Following this weekend's action, Cody will embark on his first "Beauty and the Beast" event, which pits the Sooners' wrestling team against Virginia Tech. The wrestlers will compete alongside the 10th-ranked Oklahoma women's gymnastics team, who is set to take on 18th-ranked North Carolina State, inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by the nation's top-ranked 141-pounder in Kendric Maple. Reigning All-American Jarrod Patterson is ranked No. 7 at 125 pounds. Nick Lester sits eighth among 149 pounders. Three Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Matt Lester checks in at No. 14 among 157-pounders. Jordan Keller is No. 11 at 133 pounds. Two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, is No. 20 among 184 pounders. Bubby Graham (165) fell out of InterMat's rankings after debuting at No. 20 two weeks ago. Keldrick Hall (197) is No. 19 in the Amateur Wrestling News rankings, while Graham is No. 17. Iowa State counters with six ranked wrestlers of their own and are led by fourth ranked Andrew Sorenson at 165 pounds. Chris Spangler is the No. 6 ranked wrestler among 165 pounders. At 125 pounds, Ryak Finch checks in at No. 12. Two wrestlers, Boaz Beard (184) and Matt Gibson (HWT), are 16th among their respective weight classes. Luke Goettl rounds out ranked Cyclones at No. 19 in the 141 pound weight class.
The Sun Devils have one ranked wrestler in heavyweight Levi Cooper, ranked No. 9 nationally. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 17-3 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 16-3 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 19-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 14-6 Justin DeAngelis (149) Tulsa, Okla. (RFr.) 12-8 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 13-6 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 12-8 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 5-9 Marcus Armato (174) Kansas City, Mo. (RJr.) 5-10 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 13-7 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 14-6 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 11-6 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION The Sooners, who never trailed, went 3-0 at the Lone Star Duals and began the day with a decisive victory over Utah Valley (43-0) and followed that by overpowering the likes of Appalachian State (41-0) and Harvard (28-9). Oklahoma won each dual by an average score of 37-3 and claimed 28-of-30 total bouts.
SERIES RECORD VS. IOWA STATE OU has won the last two meetings against the Cyclones. Iowa State leads the all-time series by a 48-35-3 margin. The Sooners defeated the Cyclones 22-13 on Nov. 27 in Ames, Iowa. Last season, OU snapped an eight-match skid that dated back to 2003 after dominating then-No. 15 Iowa State, 33-7, in Ames.
In the first dual this season, OU handed ISU their fifth straight loss after taking the first five bouts of the night and tallying three decisions, two major decisions and one technical fall.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE The Cyclones are 2-9 in dual competition this year and are coming off a 20-14 win over Virginia Tech. The Cyclones other victory came against Arizona State (25-14) on Jan. 3 in Tempe, Ariz. InterMat ranks ISU as the 16th best team in the country. Sooner to Watch: Kendric Maple Kendric Maple | RSo. | 141 pounds Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier and Big 12 champion, will take on ISU's No. 19-ranked Luke Goettl. The top-ranked 141 pound redshirt sophomore from Wichita, Kan., was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) and looks to remain unbeaten (19-0) on the year. SERIES RECORD VS. ARIZON STATE Oklahoma owns an impressive 27-13-1 overall record against Arizona State. Last season, OU never trailed in the dual against ASU and defeated the Sun Devils 32-7 in Tempe, Ariz, after taking eight out of the ten bouts. Five current Sooners - Jarrod Patterson, Jordan Ke ller, Matt Lester, Erich Schmidtke and Keldrick Hall- posted wins a year ago.
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE The Sun Devils are 5-7 on the year and will take on Oklahoma State on Friday, Jan. 20, before traveling to Norman. ASU has lost four straight, with their last win coming against Boise State (27-9) on Dec. 29.
MAPLE EARNS TWO BIG 12 ACCOLADES Redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month and Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) this season.
He earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 2, after he claimed the 141 pound title at the Midlands Championships. Over the course of the tournament, Maple posted a 6-0 record and defeated the nation's top ranked wrestler in Iowa's Montell Marion, 5-3.
SOONERS TAKE THIRD AT MIDLANDS The Oklahoma wrestling squad finished third overall and Kendric Maple claimed the 141 pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University, Dec. 29-30. Oklahoma finished the tournament taking home the third place trophy with 94.5 points. Iowa ran away with the title after tallying 152 points. Northwestern placed second with 105.5 points. Virginia Tech (76.5) and Edinboro (74.5) rounded out the top five. Leading the way for Oklahoma was redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple who won the 141 pound title to remain unbeaten (12-0) on the year. The Wichita, Kan., native entered Friday's semifinal matchup having earned bonus points in each of his last seven bouts. In the semifinals Maple defeated Iowa State's Luke Goetti, 13-1. In the championship bout, Maple downed Iowa's No. 1-ranked Montell Marion, 5-3. In addition to OU's 141 pound champion, five other Sooners - Jarod Patterson (fifth), Nick Lester (fourth), Matt Lester (fifth), Bubby Graham (sixth) and Erich Schmidtke (fifth) - claimed top six finishes among their respective weight classes.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... Cody will embark on his first "Beauty and the Beast" event, which pits the Sooners' wrestling team against Virginia Tech. The wrestlers will compete alongside the 10th-ranked Oklahoma women's gymnastics team, who is set to take on 18th-ranked North Carolina State, inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m.
OU defeated Utah Valley, Appalachian State and Harvard on Saturday.

Kendric Maple earned two falls and a technical fall on Saturday.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- The 12th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team coasted through the Lone Star Duals in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Saturday by dominating three opponents to improve its season dual record to 8-2-0.

The Sooners, who never trailed, began the day with a decisive victory over Utah Valley (43-0) and followed that by overpowering the likes of Appalachian State (41-0) and Harvard (28-9). Oklahoma won each dual by an average score of 37-3 and claimed 28-of-30 total bouts.

Sooner starters that went undefeated at the event include: Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Kendric Maple (141), Bubby Graham (165), Erich Schmidtke (184), Keldrick Hall (197) and Kyle Colling (HWT).

Redshirt freshman Justin DeAngelis saw his first action as a Sooner at 149 pounds where he downed ASU's Savva Kostis, 8-5.

The competition gets stiffer as Oklahoma returns to Norman, Okla., where OU will host Iowa State on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.
No. 12 Oklahoma 28,  Harvard 9 125 - No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (OU) Tech. fall Joe Barbato (HAR), 18-3 133 - No. 11 Jordan Keller (OU) dec. No. 13 Steven Keith (HAR), 3-1 141 - No. 1 Kendric Maple (OU) fall Patrick Hogan (HAR), 2:26 149 - No. 12 Corey Jantzen (HAR) dec. No. 7 Nick Lester (OU), 7-6 157 - No. 5 Walter Peppelman (HAR) dec. No. 14 Matt Lester (OU), 2-0 165 - Bubby Graham (OU) MD. Paul Liguori (HAR), 13-4 174 - Josh Popple (HAR) dec. Marcus Armato (OU)10-3 184 - No. 20 Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Cameron Croy (HAR), 6-1 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) dec. James Fox (HAR), 7-3 285 - Kyle Colling (OU) MD. David Ng (HAR), 12-3 No. 12 Oklahoma 41,  Appalachian State 0 125 - No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (OU) Tech. fall Tony Gravely (ASU), 17-2 133 - No. 11 Jordan Keller (OU) MD. Brett Boston (ASU), 10-2 141 - No. 1 Kendric Maple (OU) Tech. fall Mike Kessler (ASU), 17-2 149 - Justin DeAngelis (OU) dec. Savva Kostis (ASU), 8-5 157 - No. 14 Matt Lester (OU) Tech. fall Chip Powell (ASU), 15-0 165 - Bubby Graham (OU) dec. No. 13 Kyle Blevins (ASU), 8-2 174 - Nolan McBryde (OU) dec. Jake Johnson (ASU), 6-2 184 - No. 20 Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. No. 9 Austin Trotman (ASU), 4-3 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) fall Paul Weiss (ASU), 1:04 285 - Kyle Colling (OU) MD. Joe Cummings (ASU), 10-0 No. 12 Oklahoma 43,  Utah Valley 0 125 - No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Colby Christensen (UVU), 6-1 133 - No. 11 Jordan Keller (OU) MD. Derek Malan (UVU), 9-0 141 - No. 1 Kendric Maple (OU) fall Avery Garner (UVU), 2:36 149 - No. 7 Nick Lester (OU) dec. Glenn Terrano (UVU), 6-0 157 - No. 14 Matt Lester (OU) fall Napoleon Aniciete (UVU), 2:35 165 - Bubby Graham (OU) dec. Ethan Smith (UVU), 6-2 174 - Marcus Armato (OU) dec. Monte Schmalhaus (UVU), 8-7 184 - No. 20 Erich Schmidtke (OU) MD. David Prieto (UVU), 11-2 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) tech. fall Brian Chamberlain (UVU), 16-1 285 - Kyle Colling (OU) fall Dustin Dennison (UVU), 4:56 Exhibition - Nolan McBryde (OU) fall Dominic Borelli (UVU), 2:52
OU-Lone Star Duals Up Next for Wrestling

The 12th-ranked Sooners will battle four opponents at the Lone Star Duals on Saturday.
Jarrod Patterson No. 12 Oklahoma at Lone Star Duals Date & Time Saturday, Jan. 14 Location Grand Prairie, Texas Event Info Official Site Internet Live Stats | OU Blog Updates Oklahoma Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff | Stats Opponents * Harvard (11 a.m. CT) * Utah Valley State (1 p.m. CT) * Appalachian State (3 p.m. CT) * UT-Chattanooga (5 p.m. CT) NORMAN, Okla. -- The 12th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (5-2, 2-1) hits the road this Saturday, Jan. 14, to compete in the Lone Star Duals at the South Grand Prairie High School Coliseum in Grand Prairie, Texas. Set to challenge the Sooners are Harvard (3-1), Utah Valley State (2-2), Appalachian State (6-2) and UT-Chattanooga (4-3). This marks the final road contest for the Sooners in January as Oklahoma is set to host four-straight duals to close out the month. "I have attended the Lone Star duals many times throughout my coaching career," Mark Cody said. "It is a very well-run tournament. We will wrestler four duals on Saturday and anytime you can weigh-in and wrestle multiple matches it helps in your preparation for the NCAA tournament."
Oklahoma is 2-1 since the holiday break and is fresh off back-to-back wins over No. 24 Binghamton (20-15) and a 26-10 trouncing of Navy.
Following the Lone Star Duals, The Sooner return to Norman, Okla., where OU will host Iowa State on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by the nation's top-ranked 141-pounder in Kendric Maple. Reigning All-American Jarrod Patterson is ranked No. 8 at 125 pounds. Nick Lester sits seventh among 149 pounders. Three Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Matt Lester checks in at No. 14 among 157-pounders. Jordan Keller is No. 11 at 133 pounds. Two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, is No. 20 among 184 pounders. Bubby Graham (165) fell out of the rankings after debuting at No. 20 last week. Keldrick Hall (197) fell one spot to No. 19 in the Amateur Wrestling News rankings, while Graham is No. 16. Harvard counters with three ranked wrestlers in the top 15 of their respective weight classes. Fifth ranked Walter Peppelman leads Harvard. Steven Keith (133) and Corey Jantzen (149) are No. 13 and 12, respectively.
The three other institutions each have one ranked wrestler. UT-Chattanooga is led by 133 pounder Nick Soto who checks in at No. 14. Utah Valley State's Josh Wilson, ranked No. 8, leads the charge for the Wolverines. Appalachian State's only ranked wrestler is at 165 pounds where Kyle Blevins competes. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 14-3 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 13-3 Derek Geiges (133) Charleston, S.C. (RFr.) 3-6 Scott Chene (133) Irvine, Calif. (RJr.) 8-7 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 16-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 13-5 Justin DeAngelis (149) Tulsa, Okla. (RFr.) 11-8 Chase Gordon (149) Oviedo, Fla. (RFr.) 7-4 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 11-5 Parker Madl (157) Stillwell, Kan. (RFr.) 4-2 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 9-8 Kyle Detmer (165) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 6-3 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 3-9 Marcus Armato (174) Kansas City, Mo. (RJr.) 4-9 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 10-7 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 11-6 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 8-6 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION Oklahoma is 2-1 since the holiday break and is fresh off back-to-back wins over No. 24 Binghamton (20-15) and a 26-10 trouncing of Navy.
LAST YEAR AT LONE STARS Oklahoma, who never trailed throughout the event, went 3-0 at the Lone Star Duals, topping then-No. 8 American (22-14) and followed that by overpowering the likes of The Citadel (31-3) and Harvard (33-8). OU won 25 of 30 possible matches and won by an average margin of 29-8. Sooner to Watch: Kendric Maple Kendric Maple | RSo. | 141 pounds Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier and Big 12 champion. The top-ranked 141 pound redshirt sophomore from Wichita, Kan., was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) and looks to remain unbeaten (16-0) on the year. MAPLE EARNS TWO BIG 12 ACCOLADES Redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month and Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) this season.
He earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 2, after he claimed the 141 pound title at the Midlands Championships. Over the course of the tournament, Maple posted a 6-0 record and defeated the nation's top ranked wrestler in Iowa's Montell Marion, 5-3.
SOONERS TAKE THIRD AT MIDLANDS The Oklahoma wrestling squad finished third overall and Kendric Maple claimed the 141 pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University, Dec. 29-30. Oklahoma finished the tournament taking home the third place trophy with 94.5 points. Iowa ran away with the title after tallying 152 points. Northwestern placed second with 105.5 points. Virginia Tech (76.5) and Edinboro (74.5) rounded out the top five. Leading the way for Oklahoma was redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple who won the 141 pound title to remain unbeaten (12-0) on the year. The Wichita, Kan., native entered Friday's semifinal matchup having earned bonus points in each of his last seven bouts. In the semifinals Maple defeated Iowa State's Luke Goetti, 13-1. In the championship bout, Maple downed Iowa's No. 1-ranked Montell Marion, 5-3. In addition to OU's 141 pound champion, five other Sooners - Jarod Patterson (fifth), Nick Lester (fourth), Matt Lester (fifth), Bubby Graham (sixth) and Erich Schmidtke (fifth) - claimed top six finishes among their respective weight classes.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... The Sooner return to Norman, Okla., where OU will host Iowa State on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.
No. 12 OU Downs Binghamton 20-15

The Sooners earned a 20-15 win over No. 24 Binghamton on Tuesday.
(5-2, 2-1) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma 19 7 1:42 2 6 14 7 8 7 6 20 Binghamton 6 2 7 8 4 13 9 6 7 15 (8-1, 0-0) Quick Stats OU BU Decisions 2 5 Majors 2 0 Tech Falls 0 0 Pins 1 0 Total Takedowns N/A N/A Total Escapes N/A N/A Total Near Falls N/A N/A OU Wrestling Central VESTAL, N.Y. - Oklahoma, ranked No. 12 nationally, downed 24th-ranked Binghamton 20-15 inside the West Gym in Vestal, N.Y., on Tuesday night. The Sooners (5-2-0, 2-1-0) earned five wins on the night, three of which led to bonus points, as Oklahoma handed the Bearcats (8-1) their first loss of the season. "This dual came down to exactly what I thought it would," Mark Cody said. "I'm happy with the win, but definitely not satisfied. There were a few matches that we had, but we lost them with seconds to go." OU's eighth ranked Jarrod Patterson gave the Sooners their first bonus points of the night after he devastated Binghamton's Derek Steeley, 19-6. Patterson led 10-2 after the first period and added nine additional points due to a reversal, three takedowns and 3:39 of riding time. With the Sooners leading 4-0 Jordan Keller, ranked No. 11, collected a 7-2 win over Patrick Hunter in the 133 pound matchup. Keller had a takedown and nearfall in the first and ended with an escape and riding time. Kendric Maple racked up his second-consecutive pin in dual action after he earned a fall in 1:42 against the Bearcat's Joe Bonaldi. Prior to the fall, Maple earned three quick takedowns. The fall gave OU a commanding 13-0 lead over the Binghamton going into the 149 pound bout. The Bearcats got on the board after fourth-ranked Donnie Avery defeated OU's Nick Lester, ranked No. 7. Avery earned three takedowns and riding time, while Lester's only points came on two escapes. Twin brother Matt Lester suffered the Sooners' second loss of the night after he dropped an 8-6 decision to Binghamton's eighth-ranked Justin Lister. Lister opened the bout with a takedown, but Lester earned an escape and takedown to lead 3-1 going into the second. Lister earned a takedown, which Lester later reversed. Leading 5-4, Lester gave up a reversal and a 2-point nearfall. The Sooners led 13-6 when Bubby Graham earned the Sooners final bonus points of the night after he earned a major decision victory over Binghamton's Joe Chamish, 14-4, at 165 pounds. In the bout, Graham had six takedowns, an escape and riding time to run away with the victory. Binghamton earned a win in the 174 pound bout after Nate Schiedel downed OU's Marcus Armato, 13-7. Schiedel had four takedowns, while Armato had four escapes. The Bearcat added two more takedowns and riding time in the third. Armato finished with six escapes. OU led 17-9 heading into the 184 pound matchup between OU's 20th-ranked Erich Schmidtke and Binghamton's Nate Schiedel. Schiedel took a 7-5 lead into the third period where Schmidtke posted an escape and earned a takedown with 0:30 remaining to take an 8-7 lead; however, Schiedel earned a reversal with 0:07 remaining to take the match, 9-8. Keldrick Hall clinched the match for the Sooners after he downed Binghamton's Cody Reed, 7-6. In the bout, Hall earned two takedowns, two escapes and a point via a stalling penalty to give OU a 20-12 advantage. OU's Kyle Colling fell shy of his third straight win Tuesday when Binghamton's Nick Gwiazdowski defeated him, 7-6. Colling trailed 4-2 after the first period, but had three escapes and a 2-point nearfall to bring the bout within one. However, the Bearcat hung on for the win. "It has been a long road trip, but I am proud of the way the guys competed," Cody said. "Now we are ready to move forward." Up next, the Sooners head down I-35 to take part in the Lone Star Duals on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Arlington, Texas. No. 12 Oklahoma 20, No. 24 Binghamton 15 125 -No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (Okla.) major dec. Derek Steeley (BU), 19-6 133 -No. 11 Jordan Keller (Okla.) dec. Patrick Hunter (BU), 7-2 141 -No. 1 Kendric Maple (Okla.) pinned Joe Bonaldi (BU), 1:42 149 - No. 4 Donnie Vinson (BU) dec. No. 7 Nick Lester (Okla.), 7-2 157 - No. 8 Justin Lister (BU) dec. No. 14 Matt Lester (Okla.), 8-6 165 - Buddy Graham (Okla.) major dec. Joe Chamish (BU), 14-4 174 - Matt Kaylor (BU) dec. Marcus Armato (Okla.), 13-7 184 - Nate Schiedel (BU) dec. No. 20 Erich Schmidtke (Okla.), 9-8 197 - Keldrick Hall (Okla.) dec. Cody Reed (BU), 7-6 Hwt - Nick Gwiazdowski (BU) dec. Kyle Colling (Okla.), 7-6
OU- Sooners Battle No. 23 Binghamton Tuesday

OU will take to the mats Tuesday against No. 23 Binghamton.
Erich Schmidtke No. 9 Oklahoma at Binghamton Date & Time Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 7:00 p.m. Location Vestal, N.Y. Internet Live Stats TBA Oklahoma Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff | Stats Schedule 2011-12 Sooner wrestling schedule NORMAN, Okla. -- The ninth-ranked wrestlers from Oklahoma will battle No. 23 Binghamton on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m., in Vestal, N.Y.
"I think competitively Binghamton will be a lot like Wyoming," Mark Cody said. "On paper this match will come down to bonus points. At this point, a couple of our guys need to step up and wrestle at the level they are capable of. If they do that we could come out with a decisive victory and if not it will be a tight match."
Oklahoma (4-2, 2-1) is 1-1 since the holiday break and is fresh off a 26-10 trouncing of Navy that took place in Annapolis, Md., on Jan. 7. Prior to that, OU lost an 18-17 contest at No. 18 Wyoming.
Binghamton (8-0-0) is perfect on the year and recently downed Buffalo, 27-12, after finishing fourth at the Reno Tournament of Champions where they produced four placewinners.
Tuesday's matchup marks the first showdown ever between the Sooners and Bearcats.
"Binghamton is now undefeated and are on a roll at this point," Cody continued. "Hopefully, we can stop that momentum."
Up next, the Sooners head down I-35 to take part in the Lone Star Duals on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Arlington, Texas. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Seven Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by the nation's top-ranked 141-pounder in Kendric Maple. Reigning All-American Jarrod Patterson is ranked No. 8 at 125 pounds. Nick Lester sits tenth among 149 pounders. Four Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Matt Lester checks in at No. 12 among 157-pounders. Jordan Keller is No. 11 at 133 pounds. Two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, is No. 20 among 184 pounders, along with Bubby Graham (165). Keldrick Hall (197) debuts at No. 18 by Amateur Wrestling News. Binghamton counters with three ranked wrestlers. Donnie Vinson is ranked No. 6 among 149 pounders and at 157 pounds the Bearcats have eighth-ranked Justin Lister. Heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski is the final ranked Bearcat at No. 20. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 13-3 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 12-3 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 15-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 13-4 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 11-4 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 8-8 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 3-9 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 10-6 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 10-6 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 8-5 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION Oklahoma is 1-1 since the holiday break and is fresh off a 26-10 trouncing of Navy that took place in Annapolis, Md., on Jan. 7. Prior to that, OU lost an 18-17 contest at No. 18 Wyoming.
SERIES AGAINST BINGHAMTON Tuesday's matchup marks the first showdown ever between the Sooners and Bearcats. Sooner to Watch: Kendric Maple Kendric Maple | RSo. | 141 pounds Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier and Big 12 champion, takes on Binghamton's Joe Bonaldi. The top-ranked 141 pound redshirt sophomore from Wichita, Kan., was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) and looks to remain unbeaten (15-0) on the year. MAPLE EARNS TWO BIG 12 ACCOLADES Redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month and Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) this season.
He earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 2, after he claimed the 141 pound title at the Midlands Championships. Over the course of the tournament, Maple posted a 6-0 record and defeated the nation's top ranked wrestler in Iowa's Montell Marion, 5-3.
SOONERS TAKE THIRD AT MIDLANDS The Oklahoma wrestling squad finished third overall and Kendric Maple claimed the 141 pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University, Dec. 29-30. Oklahoma finished the tournament taking home the third place trophy with 94.5 points. Iowa ran away with the title after tallying 152 points. Northwestern placed second with 105.5 points. Virginia Tech (76.5) and Edinboro (74.5) rounded out the top five. Leading the way for Oklahoma was redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple who won the 141 pound title to remain unbeaten (12-0) on the year. The Wichita, Kan., native entered Friday's semifinal matchup having earned bonus points in each of his last seven bouts. In the semifinals Maple defeated Iowa State's Luke Goetti, 13-1. In the championship bout, Maple downed Iowa's No. 1-ranked Montell Marion, 5-3. In addition to OU's 141 pound champion, five other Sooners - Jarod Patterson (fifth), Nick Lester (fourth), Matt Lester (fifth), Bubby Graham (sixth) and Erich Schmidtke (fifth) - claimed top six finishes among their respective weight classes.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... The Sooners head down I-35 to take part in the Lone Star Duals on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Arlington, Texas.
No. 9 OU Takes Aim at Navy Saturday

The Sooners look to rebound after suffering a loss at No. 18 Wyoming on Tuesday.
Jarrod Patterson No. 9 Oklahoma at Navy Date & Time Saturday, Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. CT Location Annapolis, Md. | Wesley Brown Field House Internet Live stats not available | Oklahoma Notes Oklahoma Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff | Stats Schedule 2011-12 Sooner wrestling schedule NORMAN, Okla. -- The ninth-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad will take on Navy this Saturday, Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. CT, inside the Wesley Brown Field House in Annapolis, Md. Oklahoma (3-2, 2-1) is coming off a loss at No. 18 Wyoming, 18-17, where the Sooners earned just two bonus points to the Cowboy's three, which proved to be the difference in the dual. Prior to the Wyoming dual, OU finished third at the Midlands Championships where Kendric Maple took home the 141 pound title and five other Sooners finished in the top six of their respective weight classes. Navy (2-2) is fresh off an 11th-place finish (out of 22 teams) at the Southern Scuffle held this past week at UT Chattanooga where 50-plus nationally-ranked wrestlers were in action. Two-time NCAA qualifiers and nationally-ranked Navy seniors Aaron Kalil (Salem, N.H.) and Luke Rebertus (Gloucester, Va.) both placed sixth in the event among their respective weight classes. The Sooners are 9-0 in the all-time series against Navy. The two squared off in Norman last year where the Sooners rallied to trounce the Midshipmen, 28-9, at the fourth annual "Beauty and the Beast" event held at the Lloyd Noble Center. Up next, the Sooners travel to New York to take on No. 23 Binghamton on Tuesday, Jan. 10. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Seven Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by the nation's top-ranked 141-pounder in Kendric Maple. Reigning All-American Jarrod Patterson is ranked No. 8 at 125 pounds. Nick Lester sits tenth among 149 pounders. Four Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Matt Lester checks in at No. 12 among 157-pounders. Jordan Keller is No. 11 at 133 pounds. Two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, is No. 20 among 184 pounders, along with Bubby Graham (165). Keldrick Hall (197) debuts at No. 18 by Amateur Wrestling News. Navy counters with two ranked wrestlers. The Midshipmen are led by 184-pounder Luke Rebertus, ranked No. 14. Aaron Kalil (133), ranked No. 20, is the only other ranked wrestler for Navy. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 12-3 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 11-3 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 14-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 12-4 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 11-3 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 7-8 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 3-8 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 10-5 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 9-6 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 7-5 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION Oklahoma is coming off a loss at No. 18 Wyoming, 18-17, where the Sooners earned just two bonus points to the Cowboy's three, which proved to be the difference in the dual. Prior to the Wyoming dual, OU finished third at the Midlands Championships where Kendric Maple took home the 141 pound title and five other Sooners finished in the top six of their respective weight classes.
SERIES AGAINST NAVY The Sooners are 9-0 in the all-time series against Navy. The two squared off in Norman last year where the Sooners rallied to trounce the Midshipmen, 28-9, at the fourth annual "Beauty and the Beast" event held at the Lloyd Noble Center. Sooner to Watch: Kendric Maple Kendric Maple | RSo. | 141 pounds Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier and Big 12 champion, takes on Navy's Raymond Borja. The top-ranked 141 pound redshirt sophomore from Wichita, Kan., was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) and looks to remain unbeaten (14-0) on the year. MAPLE EARNS TWO BIG 12 ACCOLADES Redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month and Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) this season.
He earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 2, after he claimed the 141 pound title at the Midlands Championships. Over the course of the tournament, Maple posted a 6-0 record and defeated the nation's top ranked wrestler in Iowa's Montell Marion, 5-3.
SOONERS TAKE THIRD AT MIDLANDS The Oklahoma wrestling squad finished third overall and Kendric Maple claimed the 141 pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University, Dec. 29-30. Oklahoma finished the tournament taking home the third place trophy with 94.5 points. Iowa ran away with the title after tallying 152 points. Northwestern placed second with 105.5 points. Virginia Tech (76.5) and Edinboro (74.5) rounded out the top five. Leading the way for Oklahoma was redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple who won the 141 pound title to remain unbeaten (12-0) on the year. The Wichita, Kan., native entered Friday's semifinal matchup having earned bonus points in each of his last seven bouts. In the semifinals Maple defeated Iowa State's Luke Goetti, 13-1. In the championship bout, Maple downed Iowa's No. 1-ranked Montell Marion, 5-3. In addition to OU's 141 pound champion, five other Sooners - Jarod Patterson (fifth), Nick Lester (fourth), Matt Lester (fifth), Bubby Graham (sixth) and Erich Schmidtke (fifth) - claimed top six finishes among their respective weight classes.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... The Sooners travel to New York to take on No. 23 Binghamton on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
OU- Sooners Fall to No. 18 Wyoming, 18-17

The Sooners gave up three bonus points to Wyoming Tuesday night.
(3-2, 2-1) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma 2 2 6 8 16 3 2 3 5 13 17 Wyoming 4 1 1 1 4 7 15 18 6 3 18 Play-by-Play (1-2, 0-0) Quick Stats OU WYO Decisions 3 3 Majors 2 1 Tech Falls 0 1 Pins 0 0 Total Takedowns 10 9 Total Escapes 10 9 Total Near Falls 6 9 OU Wrestling Central LARAMIE, Wyo. - The ninth-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad fell to No. 18 Wyoming 19-18 on Tuesday night inside the Arena-Auditorium.
The Sooners (3-2-0, 2-1-0) won five bouts, but earned just two bonus points to the Cowboy's (1-2-0) three, which proved to be the difference in the dual. OU led 17-14 going into the night's final match where Wyoming's Patrick Martinez earned a major decision victory over Nolan Mcbryde to push Wyoming ahead.
"We got outcoached, outhustled and outwrestled," head coach Mark Cody said. "I'm hoping this is a wakeup call for some of the individuals in our program. We lost a close one and where we should have earned majors, we didn't. That's basically what cost us the match." The dual began at 184 pounds with a showdown between OU's 16th-ranked Erich Schmidtke and Wyoming's No. 3 Joe LeBlanc. Schmidtke gave up two takedowns , five nearfalls and one reversal to drop the opening bout 18-3.
Wyoming jumped out to an 8-0 advantage after Wyoming's Alfonso Hernandez, ranked No. 12, edged the Sooners Keldrick Hall, 6-5. In the 197 pound bout, Hall led 5-3 late in the third period but gave up a stalling penalty and late takedown.
The Sooners' Kyle Colling put OU on the board after the redshirt freshman earned a major decision victory over the Cowboy's L.J. Helbig, 13-3, in the heavyweight bout. Colling tallied two nearfalls, two takedowns, an escape, added 3:16 of riding time and was awarded two points off penalties.
OU's fifth-ranked Jarrod Patterson dropped his first dual match of the season at the hands of Wyoming's No. 17-ranked Michael Martinez, 4-2, in the 125 pound matchup. The match was knotted at 1-1 to end regulation. Patterson lost in the second overtime due to a caution penalty and late escape.
Trailing the Cowboy's 11-4, OU's No. 12 ranked Jordan Keller gave the Sooners their second win of the night in the 133 pound match. Keller earned an escape and 1:17 of riding time to earn the 2-1 win over Wyoming's Zach Zehner, ranked No. 14.
The reigning Big 12 Wrestler of the Week, Kendric Maple, kept his perfect season intact after earning a 6-1 win over the Cowboy's Michael Hamel. Maple, ranked No. 7, tallied two takedowns, an escape and 1:29 of riding time in the 141 pound bout.
Nick Lester gave OU its first lead of the night, 13-11, after he claimed an 8-1 victory by decision over Wyoming's Brandon Richardson. The Sooners 12th-ranked 149 pounder posted a takedown and 3-point nearfall in the first period. In the third, Lester had a takedown and added 1:02 of riding time. Richardson's only point came on a stalling penalty given to Lester with 0:05 remaining.
OU's lead grew to 17-11 at the conclusion of the 157 pound bout via a Matt Lester victory by major decision over UW's Dakota Friesth, 16-4. Lester, ranked No. 11, acquired two takedowns, seven-points off nearfalls, two escapes, a reversal and 2:56 of riding time.
Wyoming's sixth-ranked Shane Onufer tallied two takedowns, two escapes and 1:43 of riding time on his way to a 7-3 win over the Sooners' Bubby Graham who had a takedown and escape of his own.
The Sooners dropped the final bout of the night, giving the Cowboy's a one-point win over the Sooners after Wyoming's Martinez, ranked No. 15 by AWN, downed OU's McBryde, 15-2, in the 174 pound matchup.
"My hope is that we can learn from this and go forward," Cody explained. "I hope they will take this loss to heart."
Up next, The Sooners head to Annapolis, MD., to take on Navy on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m., and Binghamton on Sunday, Jan. 10. No. 18 Wyoming 18, No. 9 Oklahoma 17 184 - Joe LeBlanc (WYO) tech. fall Erich Schmditke (OU), 6:16 18-3 197 - Alfonso Hernandez (WYO) dec. Keldrick Hall (OU), 6-5 285 - Kyle Colling (OU) maj. dec. LJ Helbig (WYO), 13-3 125 - Michael Martinez (WYO) dec. OT Jarrod Patterson (OU), 4-2 133 - Jordan Keller (OU) dec. Zach Zehner (WYO), 2-1 141 - Kendric Maple (OU) dec. Michael Hamel (WYO), 6-1 149 - Nick Lester (OU) dec. Brandon Richardson (WYO), 8-1 157 - Matt Lester (OU) maj. dec. Dakota Friesth (WYO), 16-4 165 - Shane Onufer (WYO) dec. Patrick Graham (OU), 7-3 174 - Patrick Martinez (WYO) maj. dec. Nolan McBryde (OU), 15-2
OU Wrestling Travels to No. 20 Wyoming Ninth-ranked Oklahoma will take on No. 20 Wyoming on Tuesday
NORMAN, Okla. -- The ninth-ranked Oklahoma wrestling team travels to Laramie, Wyo., to take on No. 20 Wyoming on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.
Oklahoma (3-1, 2-1) is coming off a third place finish at the Midlands Championships where Kendric Maple took home the 141 pound title and five other Sooners finished in the top six of their respective weight classes.
"I watched Wyoming against Oklahoma State last night and I think this dual meet will probably come down to bonus points," head coach Mark Cody said. "This is going to be a very tight match, but we are very excited to get this road trip started and hopefully we get out of Laramie with a win."
Wyoming (0-2) is coming off a 24-17 loss to Oklahoma State and prior to that the Cowboys fell to Nebraska, 19-15.
The Sooners hold a 14-0-2 overall advantage over Wyoming, with the last meeting on Feb. 11, 2011 going in favor of OU, 22-10.
Up next, The Sooners head to Annapolis, MD., to take on Navy on Saturday, Jan. 7, and Binghamton on Sunday, Jan. 10. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 5 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 7 at 141 pounds. Five Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Matt Lester checks in at No. 11 among 157-pounders. Jordan Keller is No. 12 at 133 pounds along with Nick Lester (149 pounds). Two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, is No. 16 among 184 pounders, while Bubby Graham (165) enters the rankings for the first time this year at No. 16.
Wyoming counters with six ranked wrestlers and are led by third-ranked Joe LeBlanc at 184 pounds. At 165 pounds Shane Onufer checks in at No. 6. Alfonos Hernandez is ranked No. 11 among 197 pounders. Michael Martinez (125) and Zach Zehner (133) are ranked No. 17 and 14, respectively. Patrick Martinez (174) is not ranked by InterMat but is No. 15 by AWN. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 12-2 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 10-3 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 13-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 11-4 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 10-3 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 7-7 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 3-7 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 10-4 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 9-5 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 6-5 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION Oklahoma (3-1, 2-1) is coming off a third place finish at the Midlands Championships where Kendric Maple took home the 141 pound title and five other Sooners finished in the top six of their respective weight classes.
SERIES AGAINST WYOMING The Sooners are 14-0-2 against Wyoming with the last meeting in 2011 going in favor of the Sooners, 22-10, in Norman, Okla. Sooner to Watch: Kendric Maple Kendric Maple | RSo. | 141 pounds Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier and Big 12 champion, takes on Wyoming's McCade Ford. The No. 7-ranked 141 pound redshirt sophomore from Wichita, Kan., was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) and looks to remain unbeaten (13-0) on the year. MAPLE EARNS TWO BIG 12 ACCOLADES Redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month and Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (1/2/12) this season.
He earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 2, after he claimed the 141 pound title at the Midlands Championships. Over the course of the tournament, Maple posted a 6-0 record and defeated the nation's top ranked wrestler in Iowa's Montell Marion, 5-3.
SOONERS TAKE THIRD AT MIDLANDS The Oklahoma wrestling squad finished third overall and Kendric Maple claimed the 141 pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University, Dec. 29-30. Oklahoma finished the tournament taking home the third place trophy with 94.5 points. Iowa ran away with the title after tallying 152 points. Northwestern placed second with 105.5 points. Virginia Tech (76.5) and Edinboro (74.5) rounded out the top five. Leading the way for Oklahoma was redshirt sophomore Kendric Maple who won the 141 pound title to remain unbeaten (12-0) on the year. The Wichita, Kan., native entered Friday's semifinal matchup having earned bonus points in each of his last seven bouts. In the semifinals Maple defeated Iowa State's Luke Goetti, 13-1. In the championship bout, Maple downed Iowa's No. 1-ranked Montell Marion, 5-3. In addition to OU's 141 pound champion, five other Sooners - Jarod Patterson (fifth), Nick Lester (fourth), Matt Lester (fifth), Bubby Graham (sixth) and Erich Schmidtke (fifth) - claimed top six finishes among their respective weight classes.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... The Sooners travel to Annapolis, MD., to take on Navy on Saturday, Jan. 7.
OU- Maple Earns Second Big 12 Honor

Kendric Maple's Midlands Championship title and 12-0 record earned him Big 12 Wrestler of the Week honors.
Kendric Maple NORMAN, Okla. - Kendric Maple of the ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team has been chosen as the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Week, announced Monday by the league office.
It marks the second career conference honor for the redshirt-sophomore from Wichita, Kan., both of which have come this season. Maple was honored earlier this season after his efforts in November earned him the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month award.
The 141 pound standout is currently ranked No. 7 and recently claimed the 141 pound title at the Midlands Championships, which took place in Evanston, Ill., on Dec. 29-30. Over the course of the tournament, Maple posted a 6-0 record and defeated the top ranked wrestler in Iowa's Montell Marion.
"Kendric is much deserving of this honor and we are very proud of him," Mark Cody said. "Kendric is not only an outstanding wrestler and athlete, but he is a model student-athlete in the way he conducts himself on and off the mat. The future is very bright for Kendric Maple."
Heading into that tournament Maple posted seven victories by way of major decision or technical fall. Maple extended his consecutive streak to seven after earning four majors and one technical fall to open the tournament. The redshirt sophomore ended his bonus point streak after he defeated Iowa's No. 1-ranked Marion in the championship bout, 5-3. Big 12 Wrestler of the Month Release | OU Season Statistics | Kendric Maple Bio On the year, Maple holds a 12-0 record and is the only Sooner to remain unbeaten this season. Maple leads OU in nearly every statistical category including major decision (7) and technical fall (3) wins. Additionally, his 23 takedowns in dual action is tops among all Sooners and he ranks second on the team with four nearfalls. In bouts this year, Maple has earned bonus points in all but two of his matches, with both of those matches coming against wrestlers ranked in the top 10.
Maple and the Sooners will be in action tomorrow, Jan. 3 when they travel to Laramie, Wyo., to take on the 20th-ranked Wyoming Cowboy's at 7 p.m.
OU- Sooners Stand Third after Day One of Midlands

Five Sooners remain in contention to take home titles.
Kendric Maple No. 9 Oklahoma at Midlands Date & Time Dec. 29-30, All Day Location Evanston, Ill. | Welsh-Ryan Arena Television Big Ten Network (Finals to air on tape-delay at 9:30 p.m. CT Dec. 30) Internet Radio | Webcast (Thursday's quarterfinals) Updates Championship Central | Brackets | @NU_Wrestle Oklahoma Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff Schedule 2011-12 Sooner wrestling schedule EVANSTON, ILL. - Oklahoma stands third after day one of the Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern University, with five Sooners in contention to take home individual crowns and three more remaining in wrestleback action. After the first day, Oklahoma sits at No. 3 with 69 points and is just shy of Northwestern with 71 points. Iowa leads the pack with 79.5 points. Edinboro (56) and Illinois (47.5) round out the top five. Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Kendric Maple (141), Nick Lester (149), Matt Lester (157) and Bubby Graham (165) remain alive in the championship brackets. OU is tied with Iowa for the most championship contenders remaining among a talented field. Patterson won three straight bouts by decision on the day and will face the No. 2 seed, Iowa's Matt McDonough, in the semifinals on Friday. Maple continued his to earn bonus points for the Sooners after he won three matches by major decision and one via a technical fall. Maple takes on Bebeto Yewah in the semifinals on Friday. At 149 pounds Nick Lester cruised to the semifinals by winning four bouts (one fall, one technical fall and two decisions) on Thursday. Lester faces a stiff challenge on Friday when he takes on Rutgers' top-seeded Mario Mason. Matt Lester earned three victories on the day after earning bonus points in each of his bouts. Lester earned two major decision wins and a pin in route to the semifinals where he will face Jason Welch, the No. 1 seed from Northwestern. Graham became OU's final wrestler to advance to semifinal action after he upset Rutgers' second seeded Scott Winston in overtime, 3-1. Prior to that, Graham earned two victories by decision. Three Sooners - Jordan Keller (133), Erich Schmidtke (184) and Keldrick Hall (197) -- remain alive in wrestleback action and will continue competition on Friday. Keller dropped his third round match to Iowa's Tyler Clark, the No. 9 seed, by a 7-2 decision. In the wrestlebacks Keller won two straight and will face Stanford's seventh-seeded Ryan Mango on Friday. Schmidtke earned two victories by decision before falling to PU's Braden Atwood, the No. 5 seed. Schmidtke faces Edinboro's Vic Avery on Friday. OU's final wrestler in the wrestlebacks, Hall, went 3-1 on the day and posted one major decision victory. Hall faces fourth-seeded Christian Boley of Maryland on Friday. Action begins Friday at noon with semifinal action, consolation rounds and 7th place matches inside the Welsh-Ryan Arena. Friday's Semifinal Matchups 125 - (3) Jarrod Patterson (OU) vs. (2) Matt McDonough (Iowa) 141 - (3) Kendric Maple (OU) vs. (11) Bebeto Yewah (UW LaC) 149 - (4) Nick Lester (OU) vs. (1) Mario Mason (Rutgers) 157 - (4) Matt Lester (OU) vs. (1) Jason Welch (Northwester) 165 - (10) Bubby Graham (OU) vs. (6) Pete Yates (VA Tech)
Sooners Return to Action at Midlands Championships

The ninth-ranked Sooners return to action at the Midlands Championships Dec. 29-30.
Jarrod Patterson No. 9 Oklahoma at Midlands Championships Date & Time Dec. 29-30, All Day Location Evanston, Ill. | Welsh-Ryan Arena Television Big Ten Network (Finals to air on tape-delay at 9:30 p.m. CT Dec. 30) Internet Radio | Webcast (Thursday's quarterfinals) Updates Championship Central | Brackets | @NU_Wrestle Oklahoma Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff Schedule 2011-12 Sooner wrestling schedule NORMAN, Okla. -- The ninth-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad will travel to Evanston, Ill., to compete in the 49th-annual Midlands Championships, Dec. 29-30 at the Welsh-Ryan Arena, hosted by Northwestern University. The Sooners (3-1-0, 2-1-0) will be well represented at the prestigious tournament with seven nationally-ranked wrestlers set to participate. Competition is expected to be stiff, as 13 of the NWCA/USA Today's top-25 teams will be on hand to participate in the tournament format. Six of the aforementioned teams are ranked in the top-15 and include: No. 1 Iowa, No. 7 Illinois, No. 12 Lehigh, No. 13 Maryland and No. 15 Virginia Tech with No. 9 OU. Last year the Sooners finished sixth against a talented field at the 2010 Midlands Championships despite resting All-American Zack Bailey and Cliff Keen Champion Nathan Fernandez. OU is coming off their first dual loss of the season which came at the hands of second-ranked Oklahoma State, 25-13, inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Sunday, Dec. 11. Prior to that the Sooners earned a 22-13 victory in Ames, Iowa, on Nov. 27, and defeated then-No. 9 Missouri, 19-18, in Norman. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 5 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 7 at 141 pounds. Five Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Matt Lester checks in at No. 11 among 157-pounders. Jordan Keller is No. 12 at 133 pounds along with Nick Lester (149 pounds). Two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, is No. 16 among 184 pounders, while Bubby Graham (165) enters the rankings for the first time this year at No. 16. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 8-0 Jordan Keller / Derek Geiges (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.)/Charleston, S.C. (RFr.) 6-1/3-4 Scott Chene (133) Irving, Calif. (RJr.) 6-5 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 7-0 Nick Lester / Chase Gordon (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.)/Oviedo, Fla. (RFr.) 6-2/7-1 Justin DeAngelis (149) Tulsa, Okla. (RFr.) 11-6 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 6-1 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 4-4 Nolan McBryde / Marcus Armato (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.)/Kansas City, Mo. (RJr.) 1-5/4-6 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 5-2 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 6-3 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 6-2 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION The Sooners dropped their first dual of the season to the second-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, 25-13, inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Sunday, Dec. 11.
LAST YEAR AT MIDLANDS Despite resting reigning All-American Zack Bailey and Cliff Keen Champion Nathan Fernandez, the Sooners finished sixth against a talented field at the 2010 Midlands Championships. Leading the way for Oklahoma was sophomore Chase Nelson who won the 157 pound title. Fellow sophomore Tyler Caldwell, who dropped to 165, earned a third-place finish after going 7-1 over the two day tournament. Jarrod Patterson secured fifth over a talented field of 125 pounders at the Midlands Championships. Jordan Keller (133 pounds) and Nick Lester (149) each finished seventh overall. Sooner to Watch: Kendric Maple Kendric Maple | RSo. | 141 pounds Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier and Big 12 champion, will take on a talented field of 141-pounders that includes three of the top-five ranked wrestlers. The No. 7 ranked 141 pound redshirt sophomore from Wichita, Kan., looks to remain unbeaten (7-0) on the year. MAPLE EARNS BIG 12 ACCOLADE Redshirt Sophomore Kendric Maple earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple leads OU in major decision and technical fall wins. Additionally, his 19 takedowns in dual action is tops among all Sooners and he ranks second on the team with three near falls. Maple has earned bonus points in all but one of his bouts this season.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... The Sooners travel to Laramie, Wyo., to take on No. 20 Wyoming on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.
OU- Sooners Drop Bedlam Showdown, 25-13

Kendric Maple remained unbeaten on the year after posting a 13-3 victory on Sunday.
(3-1, 2-1) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma 4 0 13 3 8 6 3 1 - 2 13 OSU 0 1:30 3 4 3 2 5 7 6:41 15 25 Play-by-Play (3-0, 2-0) Quick Stats OU OSU Decisions 3 3 Majors 1 1 Tech Falls 0 0 Pins 0 2 Total Takedowns 7 13 Total Escapes 16 8 Total Near Falls 3 2 OU Wrestling Central STILLWATER, Okla. -- The 11th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad dropped its first dual of the season to the second-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, 25-13, inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Sooners (3-1-0, 2-1-0) jumped out to a 6-3 lead before their in-state foes from Stillwater retaliate by taking the next four bouts and six-out-of-ten overall. "Again, we found out what we need to work on going forward," head coach Mark Cody said. "Our preparation is right on the money at this point of the season. We were right in there. Coming into this dual I thought it was going to be very close and certainly much closer than it was. You can't go out and give up pins and takedowns. We have a lot to work on and I look forward to the next time that we see Oklahoma State." OSU's second-ranked Jamal Parks gave the Cowboy's the early lead after he narrowly defeated the Sooner's 13th-ranked Nick Lester, 4-3. Parks earned a takedown in the first and second, while Lester earned three escapes. Lester, who leads OU with seven in dual nearfalls, rode out Parks in the third. Matt Lester, ranked No. 11 among 157 pounders, evened the score after he earned two 3-point near falls in the second period to defeat OSU's No. 9 ranked Albert White, 8-3. Lester trailed 2-1 after the first period, but knotted six points in the second and two in the third off an escape and 3:05 of riding time. OU took a 6-3 lead after OU's Bubby Graham upset the Cowboy's 16th-ranked Dallas Bailey in the 165 pound matchup. Graham took the early 2-1 advantage in the first after earning a takedown at the 1:20 mark. In the second, Graham gave up an early escape, but added a penalty point and a takedown to lead 5-2. The Sooner from Annapolis, Md., added an escape in the third to take the bout, 6-2. In the 174 pound matchup, OSU's Chris McNeil defeated Oklahoma's Nolan McBryde, 5-3. McBryde opened up the scoring with a takedown in the first, but McNeil added two escapes a takedown and 2:37 of riding time to close out the match. Oklahoma State regained the lead after No. 9-ranked Chris Perry handed OU's 18th-ranked only his second loss of the year at 184 pounds. Perry tallied two takedowns, an escape, 2:37 of riding time and a point via a Schmidtke stalling penalty to claim the 7-1 win. Cayle Byers, ranked No. 4, held a 2-0 lead over OU's Keldrick Hall, but Byers earned the fall with 0:19 remaining in the bout to acquire the first bonus points of the night. The Cowboy's second-ranked Alan Gelogaev rolled over OU's Kyle Colling, 15-2, in the heavyweight bout. In the match, Gelogaev tallied three takedowns, two nearfalls, a reversal and 2:15 of riding time to Colling's two escapes. Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 4 at 125 pounds, gave the Sooner's their third win of the night after he beat OSU's Jon Morrison, 4-0. After a scoreless first period, Patterson rode-out Morrison in the second. In the third period, Patterson added an escape and takedown to improve to 2-1 all-time against Morrison. OSU's top-ranked Jordan Oliver gave OSU a 25-9 advantage after he pinned the Sooner's Derek Geiges in the 133 pound bout. Kendric Maple, the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month, remained unbeaten on the year after he earned a major decision victory over the Cowboy's 11th-ranked Josh Kindig. Maple opened the bout strong with a quick takedown and nearfall. In the second and third periods he added three more takedowns, an escape, 4:04 of riding time and was awarded a point for Kindig stalling. Next up, The Sooners have two weeks off before traveling to Chicago, Ill., to compete in the Midlands Championships from Dec. 29-30. Last year OU finished sixth at the event and claimed one champion in Chase Nelson. No. 2 Oklahoma State, 25, No. 11 Oklahoma 13 149: No. 2 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. No. 11 Nick Lester (OU); 4-3 157: No. 11 Matt Lester (OU) dec. No. 9 Albert White (OSU); 8-3 165: Bubby Graham (OU) dec. No. 16 Dallas Bailey (OSU); 6-2 174: Chris McNeil (OSU) dec. Nolan McBryde (OU); 5-3 184: No. 6 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 13 Erich Schmidtke (OU); 7-1 197: No. 4 Cayle Byers (OSU) fall Keldrick Hall (OU); 6:41 285: No. 3 Alan Gelogaev (OSU) MD Kyle Colling (OU); 15-2 125: No. 4 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Jon Morrison (OSU); 4-0 133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) fall Derek Geiges (OU); 1:30 141: No. 6 Kendric Maple (OU) MD No. 9 Josh Kindig (OSU); 13-3
OU- Bedlam Wrestling Hits Stillwater Sunday

No. 11 OU travels to second-ranked Oklahoma State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Jarrod Patterson No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 2 Oklahoma State Date & Time Dec. 11, 2011 at 2 p.m. Location Stillwater, Okla. | Gallagher-Iba Arena Television Cox Channel 3 (SD) and 703 (HD) in Oklahoma City and Tulsa Internet Live Stats | Webcast Match Info 2011-12 Roster | Staff | Match Notes Schedule 2011-12 Sooner wrestling schedule NORMAN, Okla. -- Bedlam wrestling hits Stillwater, Okla., this Sunday, Dec. 11, when the 11th-ranked University of Oklahoma squad challenges second-ranked Oklahoma State inside Gallagher-Iba Arena at 2 p.m. The top 12 matchup marks the first meeting between the Big 12 foes this season. Oklahoma (3-0, 2-0) will attempt to top the Cowboys (2-0, 1-0) in Stillwater for the first time since Nov. 28, 1995, and snap a three match losing skid. First year head coach Mark Cody returns to a familiar place in Stillwater where he served as an assistant coach from 1986-87 and 2000-02 under current OSU head man John Smith. "I'm really looking forward to this dual," head coach Mark Cody said. "I have been a part of it three times, but of course during those I was coaching at Oklahoma State. I remember the intensity of this dual meet and I know there is a lot on the line. This will be a good opportunity for our team to see where we are and what areas we need to improve on." The Sooners are 2-4-1 against the Cowboys in the past seven meetings, with OSU leading the all-time series 26-128-9. OU is coming off a pair of Big 12 wins as the Sooners earned a 22-13 victory in Ames, Iowa, on Nov. 27. Prior to that, OU defeated then-No. 9 Missouri, 19-18, in Norman. The rivalry will air to the state of Oklahoma on Cox Television with Chad McKee calling and Lee Roy Smith adding commentary on Cox Channel 3 (Standard Definition) and 703 (HD) in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The dual will also air on Metro Sports in Kansas City and Fox College Sports. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 4 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 8 at 141 pounds. Four Sooners are ranked outside the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Jordan Keller is No. 14 at 133 pounds, while Matt Lester (157 pounds) is ranked No. 11. Nick Lester is the 13th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 18 among 184 pounders. Oklahoma State counters with nine ranked, including five in InterMat's Top 10. Jordan Oliver leads all Cowboys ranked No. 1 at 133 pounds. Jamal Parks (149) and Alan Gelogaev (HWT) are ranked second-nationally. Cayle Byers (197) sits at No. 4, while Chris Perry (184) checks in at No. 7. Ranked No. 11 is 141-pounder Josh Kindig, followed by two OSU wrestlers ranked No. 12 in Ladd Rupp (125) and Albert White (157). Dallas Bailey is the final ranked Cowboy and stands 16th among 165 pounders. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 7-0 Jordan Keller -or- Derek Geiges (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.)/Charleston, S.C. 6-1/3-3 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 6-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 6-1 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 5-1 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 3-4 Nolan McBryde -or- Marcus Armato (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.)/Kansas City, Mo. (RJr.) 1-4/4-6 -or- Chase Nelson (174) Wichita, Kan. (Jr.) 7-4 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 5-1 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 6-2 Elijah Madison (HWT) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 4-4 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION OU picked up its second Big 12 victory after defeating Iowa State, 22-13, at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday, Nov. 27. The Sooners won the first five bouts of the night and tallied three decisions, two major decisions and one technical fall victory.
SERIES VS. OKLAHOMA STATE Oklahoma experienced recent success against Oklahoma State, but has lost their last three duals to the Cowboys. The Sooners are 2-5-1 since 2008 against the squad from Stillwater (2-4-1 last seven meetings). OU posted back-to-back wins against OSU (Feb. 2008, Dec. 2009) for the first time since 1993. The Cowboys took both contests last season, as OSU won, 22-12, on Dec. 12, 2010 in Stillwater and followed that performance with a 24-9 victory in Norman on Feb. 20, 2011.
CODY AND LEWIS RETURN TO STILLWATER Head coach Mark Cody served two stints as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State from 1986-87 and 2000-02, where he helped OSU to a Big 12 Championship and a fifth-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Championships. OU volunteer assistant coach Tyrone Lewis wrestled for Oklahoma State from 2001-04, where he won two Big 12 individual championships in 2001 and 2004, was a four-time All-American and compiled a 120-15 record. Lewis then served as an assistant coach at OSU from 2008-11 before joining the Sooners. Sooner to Watch: Kendric Maple Kendric Maple | RSo. | 141 pounds Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier and Big 12 champion, takes on Oklahoma State's Josh Kindig, ranked No. 11. The two have never faced one another. The No. 8 ranked 141 pound redshirt sophomore from Wichita, Kan., looks to remain unbeaten on the year. MAPLE EARNS BIG 12 ACCOLADE Redshirt Sophomore Kendric Maple earned his first career conference honor after being named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month for his performance in November where he compiled a 6-0 overall record (3-0 dual) at 141 pounds. During that span, he accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple leads OU in major decision and technical fall wins. Additionally, his 19 takedowns in dual action is tops among all Sooners and he ranks second on the team with three near falls. Maple has earned bonus points in all but one of his bouts this season.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
PATTERSON COMPETES IN ALL-STAR DUAL Oklahoma junior Jarrod Patterson competed in the 46th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic where he fell to then-No. 4 ranked Nic Bedelyon of Kent State, 7-3.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
SOONERS SIGN SIX IN EARLY PERIOD Mark Cody recently signed six high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, four of which rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes. Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked by CollegeWrestling.net as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally. Kyle Garcia (125 pounds), Greg Wilson (195), Tim Hamilton (141) and Garrison McCauley (157) round out the class.
BROCKPORT CHAMPIONS Oklahoma won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 12, 2011. Five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes. Kendric Maple earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Chase Nelson was the aggregate pin leader after posting falls in 0:11 and 1:17. The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland, who finished with 174.5 points. Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
UP NEXT... The Sooners have two weeks off before traveling to Chicago, Ill., to compete in the Midlands Championships from Dec. 29-30. Last year OU finished sixth at the event and claimed one champion in Chase Nelson.
OU-Maple Named Big 12 Wrestler of the Month

Kendric Maple has earned bonus points in all but one of his matches this season.
Kendric Maple NORMAN, Okla. - Kendric Maple of the 11th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team has been chosen as the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Month, announced Monday by the league office. It marks the first career conference honor for the redshirt-sophomore from Wichita, Kan., who has compiled a 6-0 overall record at 141-pounds this season. Maple, currently ranked No. 8, finished the month of November with a 6-0 overall record, including a 3-0 dual mark. During that span, he has accumulated three victories by major decision and two technical falls. "We're very excited for Kendric," Mark Cody said. "Kendric is everything a coach could ever want in an athlete. He does everything right and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Kendric Maple."
On Nov. 12, Maple won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title after he posted a 3-0 record and defeated Rutgers' 16th-ranked Billy Ashnault by major decision, Army's Connor Hanafee via a technical fall and American's No. 9-ranked Matthew Mariacher, 5-0. After his impressive outing at the tournament he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Maple leads OU in major decision and technical fall wins. Additionally, his 19 takedowns in dual action is tops among all Sooners and he ranks second on the team with three near falls. Maple and the Sooners will be in action Sunday, Dec. 11 when they travel to Stillwater, Okla., to take on the second-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboy's at 2 p.m.
Sooners Take Down Cyclones, 22-13; OU won its second straight Big 12 contest on Sunday
(3-0, 2-0) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma 10 8 13 15 9 1 11 4 6 2 22 Iowa State 0 3 5 0 5 11 12 7 1 8 13 Play-by-Play (0-5, 0-2) Quick Stats OU ISU Decisions 3 3 Majors 2 1 Tech Falls 1 0 Pins 0 0 Total Takedowns 18 9 Total Escapes 7 14 Total Near Falls 7 2 OU Wrestling Central AMES, Iowa - The 11th-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad picked up its second Big 12 victory after defeating Iowa State, 22-13, at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The Sooners (3-0, 2-0) handed the Cyclones (0-5, 0-2) their fifth straight loss after taking the first five bouts of the night and tallying three decisions, two major decisions and one technical fall. Jarrod Patterson, a junior from Cushing, Okla., gave OU its first bonus points of the day after scoring a major decision victory over ISU's 12th-ranked Ryak Finch, 10-0. Patterson earned a takedown and five points off nearfalls in the first period. The No. 4 125 pounder in the country, Patterson, added a reversal in the second and posted 1:06 of riding time. At 133 pounds OU's 14th-ranked Jordan Keller downed the Cyclones Shayden Terukina, 8-3. Keller fought for a takedown in the first period and added two more in the bout. Terukina had one takedown and an escape. OU got its second bonus point when 141-pounder Kendric Maple, ranked No. 8, routed Iowa State's Luke Goetti, 13-5. In the bout, Maple had five takedowns, a reversal and 2:23 of riding time to coast to victory. In duals this year Maple has earned bonus points in each of his bouts. Leading 11-0, OU's No. 14-ranked Nick Lester added a technical fall win over ISU's Joey Cozart at 149 pounds. Lester took a 4-0 lead into the second period where he had a takedown and nine points off nearfalls. He closed out the scoring with an escape 0:17 into the third period. Matt Lester became the fifth-straight Sooner to earn a win in the dual after he downed Michael Moreno of Iowa State, 9-5. Trailing 2-1 in the second, Lester reversed Moreno but was penalized for locking hands. With the score knotted at three in the third, Moreno reversed Lester who then returned the favor and reversed Moreno 0:36 later. Lester pulled a 3-point nearfall to earn the win. ISU's Andrew Sorenson, ranked No. 5 among 165 pounders, gave the Cyclones their first points of the dual after he posted an 11-1 major decision victory over Oklahoma's Bubby Graham. The 174 pound bout pitted OU's Chase Nelson against the Cyclones 10th-ranked Chris Spangler. Spangler jumped out to an early 7-2 lead after the first period but Nelson came storming back. In the third, Nelson had two takedowns and trailed by 2-points when Spangler was penalized for stalling which gave Nelson a point; however, the match ended seconds later with a final of 12-11. The 184 pound bout had OU's Erich Schmidtke, No. 17, squaring off against ISU's 15th-ranked Boaz Beard. The bout was tied 3-3 after a Schmidtke escape to begin the third period, but Beard pulled away with a takedown and stalling point that went against the Sooner. Junior Keldrick Hall earned the Sooners final win of the match after he defeated ISU's Kyven Gadson, ranked No. 13, by a 6-1 decision. In the bout, Hall had three takedowns and two escapes. In the heavyweight bout, the Cyclones Matt Gibson, No. 18, ousted OU's Elijah Madison, 8-2. Next up, the Sooners have the week off before traveling to Stillwater, Okla., for the first installment of Bedlam wrestling on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. No. 11 Oklahoma 22, Iowa State 13
125: Jarrod Patterson (OU) MDec. Ryak Finch (ISU) 10-0 133: Jordan Keller (OU) Dec. Shayden Terukina (ISU) 8-3 141: Kendric Maple (OU) MDec. Luke Goettl (ISU) 13-5 149: Nick Lester (OU) Tech Fall Joey Cozart (ISU) 5:17 157: Matt Lester (OU) Dec. Michael Moreno (ISU) 9-5 165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) MDec. Bubby Graham (OU) 11-1 174: Chris Spangler (ISU) Dec. Chase Nelson (OU) 12-11 184: Boaz Beard (ISU) Dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU) 7-4 197: Keldrick Hall (OU) Dec. Kyven Gadson (ISU) 6-1 285: Matt Gibson (ISU) Dec. Elijah Madison (OU) 8-2
No. 11 OU Takes Aim at Iowa State Sunday;The Sooners look to win their second-straight Big 12 contest Sunday
NORMAN, Okla. -- The 11th-ranked Oklahoma wrestling team travels to Ames, Iowa, to take on the Iowa State Cyclones on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. Oklahoma (2-0, 1-0) opened the Big 12 season last Friday, Nov. 18, with a 19-18 victory over then-No. 9 ranked Missouri in Norman.
Three Sooners enter Sunday's dual with undefeated records. Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds) boasts a 6-0 record, while Kendric Maple (133) and Erich Schmidtke (184) are 5-0 on the year.
Last season, the Sooners ended an eight-match skid that dated back to 2003 after dominating then-No. 15 Iowa State, 33-7. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 4 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 8 at 141 pounds. Jordan Keller is No. 14 at 133 pounds, while Matt Lester (157 pounds) is ranked No. 12. Nick Lester is the 14th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 17 among 184 pounders.
Iowa State counters with six ranked wrestlers of their own heading into Sunday's showdown. The Cyclones are led by fifth-ranked Andrew Sorenson at 165 pounds. At 174 pounds Chris Spangler is ranked No. 10, while 125-pounder Ryak Finch is No. 12. ISU's Boaz Beard is No. 15 (184), Kyven Gadson (197) is No. 13 and heavyweight Matt Gibson checks in at No. 18. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 6-0 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 5-1 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 5-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 5-1 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 4-1 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 3-3 Chase Nelson (174) Wichita, Kan. (Jr.) 7-3 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 5-0 Elijah Madison (HWT) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 3-3 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION OU opened Big 12 action defeating then-No. 9 Missouri 19-18 inside McCasland Field House in Norman on Friday, Nov. 18.
SERIES RECORD VS. IOWA STATE Iowa State leads the all-time series by a 48-34-3 margin. Last season, OU snapped an eight-match skid that dated back to 2003 after dominating then-No. 15 Iowa State, 33-7, in Ames.
Six current Sooners --Jarrod Patterson, Jordan Keller, Matt Lester, Chase Nelson, Erich Schmidtke and Keldrick Hall -- wrestled in last year's dual, but none will face the same opponent as last year. Sooner to Watch Jarrod Patterson | Jr. | 125 pounds | No. 4 Patterson, a seventh place finisher at the 2011 NCAA Championships, takes on Iowa State's Ryak Finch, ranked No. 12.
Patterson and Finch have yet to face one another as Finch is a freshman. SCOUTING IOWA STATE The Cyclones are 0-4 in dual competition this year and are coming off a 29-9 loss to No. 2 Oklahoma State. In addition to the OSU loss, Iowa State dropped matches to Army, Boston and Old Dominion. Two ISU wrestlers, Ryak Finch and Andrew Sorenson, are 4-0 on the year. InterMat ranks ISU the 22nd-ranked team in the country.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
UP NEXT... The Sooners travel to Stillwater, Okla., for the first installment of Bedlam wrestling on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.
OU- Sooners Down No. 9 Missouri, 19-18

Kendric Maple's major decision victory gave OU the one-point victory.
(2-0, 0-0) 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 Hwt Team Oklahoma W 1 15 1 5 3 5 6 F 4 19 Missouri F 2 3 0 2 8 8 4 W 6 18 Play-by-Play (1-0, 0-0) Quick Stats OU MU Decisions 3 4 Majors 1 0 Tech Falls 0 0 Pins 0 0 Total Takedowns 11 7 Total Escapes 7 10 Total Near Falls 1 0 OU Wrestling Central Home | Ticket Info | Promotions | Webcasts Media Guide | OU Wrestling Blog | on Twitter History & Tradition | Big 12 Standings | NCAA NORMAN, Okla. -- The 12th-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad opened Big 12 action with a 19-18 victory over No. 9 Missouri on Friday inside McCasland Field House. "It feels good to win," head coach Mark Cody said. "I think our preparation at some weights wasn't as good as others. Our team has to realize that everybody in the wrestling room is getting the same coaching. It comes down to whether or not they are going to come out here and apply it or not." The dual started with the Sooners jumping out to an early 6-0 lead after OU's third-ranked Jarrod Patterson won by forfeit as Missouri's Alan Waters, ranked No. 5, was unable to wrestle due to an injury. Missouri closed OU's lead, 6-3, after MU's 14th-ranked Nathan McCormick narrowly defeated Oklahoma's No. 11-ranked Jordan Keller, 2-1. The only scoring of the match came in the first period when McCormick earned a takedown, which Keller quickly escaped from. Both wrestlers rode out their opponents in the second and third periods. Kendric Maple, ranked No. 8 among 141-pounders, extended OU's lead after his dominating performance over Missouri's Brandon Weist. The Wichita, Kan., native earned five takedowns, a near fall and 3:31 of riding time to claim the 15-3 major decision victory. Leading 10-3, OU's Nick Lester took the 133 pound match against the Tigers' Kyle Bradley, 1-0. Lester, ranked No. 14, scored the only point of the night after he earned an escape with 0:43 remaining in the third period against the nation's 11th-ranked wrestler. In the 157 pound bout, OU's Matt Lester defeated Missouri's Drake Houdasheit, 5-2. After a scoreless first and second period, the Sooners' 12th-ranked wrestler started the third with a quick escape and takedown to lead 3-0. Houdasheit earned a reversal, but Lester finished with 2:06 of riding time. The Tigers clawed out a win in the 165 bout as 13th-ranked Zach Toal proved too much for OU's Bubby Graham. In the first, Toal earned a takedown and Graham answered with an escape. Toal added to his lead in the second with an escape and takedown. Trailing 1-5 in the third, Graham tallied two escapes, but Toal added a takedown and riding time run away with the match. Despite being outweighed by nearly six pounds in the 174 pound bout, OU's Chase Nelson held his own against Missouri's sixth-ranked Dorian Henderson. Nelson opened the bout with a takedown, but fell behind 3-2 heading into the second where he gave up a reversal. In the third, Nelson fought to get an escape and takedown but Henderson countered with a takedown and 1:03 riding time to earn the 8-5 win. "We came up with that plan [to move Nelson up to 174] yesterday and we asked if he would go up to 174," Cody explained. "He didn't even flinch about moving up and [Nolan] McBryde was the same way. I'm really proud of both those guys for stepping up to the challenge tonight." The Sooners Erich Schmidtke got OU back on the winning track with a 6-4 victory by decision over MU's Mike Larson. With the match tied 3-3 going into the third period 18th-ranked Schmidtke earned a quick escape and takedown to take the 184 pound match. Due to a one-match suspension being served by Keldrick Hall OU forfeited the 197 pound bout, giving MU's Brent Haynes credit with the win. OU lead 19-15 going into the heavyweight showdown between OU's Elijah Madison and the Tigers' Devin Mellon. The match was tied, 3-3, at the end of regulation. In the second sudden-victory overtime Mellon had a takedown to give Missouri its final three team points. "Tonight some of the guys had a little bit too much on their mind," Cody said. "We had a few guys watching the clock and some were not focused. The few guys that lost were not as focused as they needed to be, but we got the win." Next up, the Sooners continue Big 12 action when they travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 23rd-ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Sunday, Nov. 27. No. 12 Oklahoma 19, No. 9 Missouri 18
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) winner by forfeit 133 - Nathan McCormick (MU) dec. Jordan Keller (OU), 2-1 141 - Kendric Maple (OU) MD. Brandon Weist (MU), 15-3 149 - Nick Lester (OU) dec. Kyle Bradley (MU), 1-0 157 - Matt Lester (OU) dec. Drake Houdasheit (MU), 5-2 165 - Zach Toal (MU) dec. Bubby Graham (OU), 8-3 174 - Dorian Henderson (MU) dec. Chase Nelson (OU), 8-5 184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Mike Larson (MU), 6-4 197 - Brent Haynes (MU) winner by forfeit 285 - Devin Mellon (MU) dec. Elijah Madison (OU), 6-4
OU Opens Big 12 Action Against Missouri; Oklahoma hosts No. 9 Missouri on Friday
NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma's 12th-ranked wrestling squad opens the Big 12 season when it hosts No. 9 Missouri on Friday, Nov. 18, inside McCasland Field House.
The Sooners (1-0) are coming off their 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic team championship last weekend in Brockport, N.Y. OU ran away with the title with 182 points and out-paced second place Maryland (174.5). Winning individual titles were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Kendric Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
"We feel this is going to be a good match even though we are going to be a little short-handed at 197 pounds," head coach Mark Cody said. "What we need to do is try to make up for it throughout the rest of the match. Like every match, we have to win the close ones and get majors and pins where we can. If we do that we will come out on top. I have confidence in our conditioning and wrestling abilities going into tomorrow. I feel we are in great shape and feel confident heading into the dual."
The Sooners will be without the services of Keldrick Hall who will be held out of the Friday's dual serving a one match suspension.
Last season, the Sooners caged the Tigers 18-12 in Norman. Oklahoma holds a 41-8 advantage all-time against Missouri.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are still available for purchase. Season tickets and single-meet tickets are on sale online or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 8 at 141 pounds. Jordan Keller is No. 11 at 133 pounds, while Matt Lester (157 pounds) is No. 12. Nick Lester is the 14th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 18 among 184 pounders.
Missouri counters with six ranked wrestlers of their own heading into Friday's showdown. Fifth ranked 125-pounder Alan Waters leads ranked Tigers, followed by Dorian Henderson (174) ranked No 6. Kyle Bradley (149), Brent Haynes (197), Zach Toal (165) and Nathan McCormick (133) check in at No. 11, 12, 13 and 14 among their respective weight classes. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 5-0 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 5-0 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 4-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 4-1 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 3-1 Bubby Graham -or- Chase Nelson (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.)/Wichita, Kan. (Jr.) 3-2/7-2 Nolan McBryde -or- Andrew Spangler (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.)/Naperville, Ill. (Fr.) 1-3/4-1 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 4-0 Elijah Madison (HWT) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 3-2 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION OU won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic team championship last weekend in Brockport, N.Y. The Sooners ran away with the title with 182 points and out-paced second place Maryland (174.5). Winning individual titles were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Kendric Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).
SERIES RECORD VS. MISSOURI OU is riding a two match win streak over the Tigers heading into Friday's match. Last season, the Sooners caged the Tigers 18-12 in Norman. Oklahoma holds a 41-8-0 advantage all-time against Missouri. Sooner to Watch Jarrod Patterson | So. | 125 pounds | No. 3 Patterson, a seventh place finisher at the 2011 NCAA Championships, takes on Missouri's Alan Waters, ranked No. 5.
Last season, Patterson edged Waters by a 3-2 decision. SCOUTING MISSOURI The Tigers finished 19th at the NCAA Championships last year with a 15-9 overall record. Missouri placed second at the Big 12 Championships and returns eight starters from the previous season, seven of which were NCAA qualifiers.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
CREDENTIALED EVENT All OU wrestling matches are ticketed and credentialed. Credentials can be picked up at the west side entrance to McCasland Field House.
UP NEXT... The Sooners continue Big 12 action when they travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 23rd-ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Sunday, Nov. 27.
OU head coach signs four in first class at Oklahoma.
NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma wrestling coach Mark Cody recently signed four high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, all four rank in the top-20 nationally in their respective weight classes.
"I feel this recruiting class has great potential," Mark Cody said. "I have to give most of the credit to my assistant coaches for doing their homework on each of the individuals we have signed. We hold high standards for our student-athletes on the mat and in the classroom and it takes a special individual to live up to those standards. We feel each of the guys we have signed holds these qualities."
Leading ranked recruits is Clark Glass from Brandon, Fla., ranked No. 6 nationally among 160 pounders by InterMat. Glass is a four-time Florida state champion, 2011 NHSCA Junior Nationals champion and finished second at the 2011 USAW Junior Nationals. The future Sooner is ranked as high as No. 3 by Amateur Wrestling News (170 pounds) and is the No. 36 high school wrestler in the country by CollegeWrestling.net.
Brad Johnson , a product of Homer Glenn, Ill., won the 2011 Illinois state crown, is a three-time All-State selection and is ranked No. 9 among 195 pounders by InterMat. In addition, he is a five-time FILA/ASICS All-American in freestyle. WIN Magazine ranks Johnson the fourth-best high school wrestler at 220 pounds and CollegeWrestling.net pegs him as the No. 49 overall recruit nationally.
Choctaw, Okla., native Kyle Garcia holds three Oklahoma state titles. Garcia is No. 15 among 126 pounders and is the 91st-overall recruit nationally by InterMat. Amateur Wrestling News ranks Garcia at No. 13 in the 126 pound weight class.
Greg Wilson, ranked as high as No. 14 among 195-pounders by Amateur Wrestling News, rounds out the Oklahoma class. Wilson is a two-time Texas state champion and concluded the 2010-11 season with a 64-0 mark.
Cody said, "They are all very solid wrestlers and strong academically. What we want, not only with this class but going forward, is to make sure that every student-athlete we bring into OU realizes that it is student first and athlete second." OKLAHOMA'S 2011 CLASS Kyle Garcia | Choctaw HS | 125 pounds
Garcia (Choctaw, Okla..) in the Rankings... No. 13 by Amateur Wrestling News (126 pounds) No. 15 by InterMat (126 pounds) No. 18 by The Open Mat (126 pounds) No. 18 by WIN Magazine (126 pounds) No. 91 overall recruit nationally by InterMat No. 103 overall recruit nationally by CollegeWrestling.net
Projected College Weight: 125 pounds Clark Glass | Brandon HS | 165 pounds
Glass (Brandon, Fla.) in the Rankings... No. 3 by Amateur Wrestling News (170 pounds) No. 6 by InterMat (160 pounds) No. 6 by The Open Mat (160 pounds) No. 11 by WIN Magazine (160 pounds) No. 34 overall recruit nationally by InterMat No. 36 overall recruit nationally by CollegeWrestling.net
Projected College Weight: 165 pounds Brad Johnson | Lockport HS | 197 pounds
Johnson (Homer Glenn, Ill.) in the Rankings... No. 4 by WIN Magazine (220 pounds) No. 8 by The Open Mat (220 pounds) No. 9 by InterMat (195 pounds) No. 10 by Amateur Wrestling News (220 pounds) No. 49 overall recruit nationally by CollegeWrestling.net
Projected College Weight: 197 pounds Greg Wilson | Keller Central HS | 184 pounds
Wilson (Keller, Texas) in the Rankings... No. 14 by Amateur Wrestling News (195 pounds) No. 15 by WIN Magazine (195 pounds) No. 20 by The Open Mat (182 pounds) Projected College Weight: 184 pounds
OU Wrestling Captures 13th-Straight Brockport Title;The Sooners remain the only team to capture the prestigious Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic Title
BROCKPORT, N.Y. - The tenth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title Saturday and remains the only team to ever win the event.
Additionally, five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-five finishes.
"I think we got exactly what we needed out of this tournament," head coach Mark Cody said. "We know now what we need to work on moving forward. Overall, I was very excited with the way they competed and fought."
The Sooners won the team portion with 182 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Maryland who finished with 174.5 points.
Rutgers (163), Army (125.5) and Clarion (91) rounded out the top five.
Going undefeated on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Kendric Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184). FINAL BRACKET Sooners earning second place finishes were Nick Lester at 149 pounds and Kyle Colling at 285 pounds.
Additionally, Bubby Graham (165) and Chase Nelson (165) earned fourth place finishes. Elijah Madison (HWT) finished fifth and two Sooners - Justin DeAngelis (149) and Nolan McBryde (174) - claimed sixth among their respective weight classes.
"This tournament really opened up a lot for us," Cody said. "We have a lot to work on and this showed us."
The Sooners return to dual action next Friday, Nov. 18, when they host No. 9 Missouri at 7 p.m. inside McCasland Field House. Final Team Standings 1. Oklahoma (145.5 points) 2. Maryland (174.5) 3. Rutgers (163) 4. Army (125.5) 5. Clarion (91) 6. American (65) 7. Brockport (36.5) 8. Buffalo (12)
OU is in search of its 13th straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title
NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma's tenth-ranked wrestling squad travels to Brockport, N.Y., in search of its 13th straight Brockport Open title on Saturday, Nov. 12.
The Sooners (1-0) are coming off a 33-6 season opening win over NAIA's eighth-ranked Oklahoma City University.
"I'm really looking forward to this weekend," head coach Mark Cody said. "This is going to be a move forward for us because we get to see where we need to improve. I am particularly excited about my guys' being able to compete against, what I feel is going to be, some good competition. We have some tough competition ahead of us."
Joining Oklahoma in this year's field are American, Maryland, Rutgers, Army, Buffalo, Clarion and the College of Brockport. The tournament consists of seven Division I opponents, all which finished in the top 65 teams in the nation last season. American (No. 11), Maryland (No. 11) and Rutgers (No. 15) are reached ranked in the top-15 of the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Last season, Oklahoma claimed the team title with 145.5 points. Rutgers (124.5 points), Maryland (101.5), Clarion (95) and Buffalo (89) rounded out the top five.
Five Oklahoma wrestlers -- Jarrod Patterson, Zack Bailey, Matt Lester, Tyler Caldwell and Jeff James -- claimed individual crowns at 125, 141, 157, 165 and 174 pounds, respectively. Jordan Keller (133 pounds) and Keldrick Hall (197) each earned silver medals.
The 13th annual Brockport Invitational Wrestling Tournament will be held at the Tuttle North Gymnasium on the college of Brockport campus. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Six Sooners are ranked to begin the season, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 9 at 141 pounds. Jordan Keller is No. 12 at 133 pounds, while Elijah Madison (HWT) is ranked No. 16. Nick Lester is the 16th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 19 among 184 pounders. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 1-0 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 1-0 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 1-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 1-0 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 0-1 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 1-0 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 0-1 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 1-0 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 1-0 Elijah Madison (HWT) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 1-0 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION The Sooners opened the 2011-12 season with a 33-6 win over NAIA's eighth-ranked Oklahoma City Stars. Sooner to Watch Jarrod Patterson | Jr. | 125 pounds | No. 3 Patterson, a seventh place finisher at the 2011 NCAA Championships, looks to win his second straight title at the Brockport Open. Last year, Patterson won four straight in route to the championship. RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
UP NEXT... The Sooners return to Norman, Okla., to take on No. 9 Missouri on Friday, Nov. 18.
OU Wrestling Defeats Oklahoma City, 33-6
NORMAN, Okla. -- The tenth-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad opened the 2011-12 season with a 33-6 victory over NAIA's eighth-ranked Oklahoma City University on Thursday, Nov. 3, inside McCasland Field House. "It feels good and I'm happy with the turnout," head coach Mark Cody said. "I have to keep in mind that this is our first match and it's early. OCU came out, wrestled hard and there was no fear in their eyes. They got after us and now we know what we need to work on." Junior Jarrod Patterson started off the Sooner with an 8-2 victory over OCU's Kidd Gomez in the 125 pound showdown. The reigning OU All-American held a 2-1 lead going into the second, where he added an escape and takedown. In the third, Patterson added another takedown and 1:31 of riding to cement the win. Jordan Keller, a senior from Wichita, Kan., gave Oklahoma its first bonus points of the night after he pinned OCU's Gage Harrison in two minutes. After redshirting last year, Kendric Maple (141 pounds) opened the season with nine takedowns in the first period. He finished off the, 23-8, technical fall victory over the Stars' Eric Waggoner by adding two near falls. With the Sooners holding a 14-0 advantage OU's Nick Lester added four more points after he disposed of OCU's Cameron Ream. In the match, Lester had three takedowns, two reversals, eight-points off near falls and added 1:59 of riding time to earn the 20-8 win. OU suffered its first loss of the evening in the 157 pound bout between the Sooners Matt Lester and OCU's Nik Turner. Turner led 2-1 going into the third period, where Lester attempted his comeback but fell shy, 5-4. Newcomer Patrick "Bubby" Graham (165) earned his first win as a Sooner after he downed Kevin Hardy of Oklahoma City, 7-1. After a scoreless first, Graham had a takedown and two-point near fall in the second. He capped off the match with a reversal in the third and added 2:38 of riding time. The Stars struck again in the 174 pound bout between OU's Nolan McBryde and OCU's Derek Peperas. Peperas, a transfer from OU, stole a 2-0 lead from McBryde and finished the match with an 8-5 win. Erich Schmidtke squeaked by Oklahoma City's Andrew Pontikes at 184 pounds. Schmidtke held a 6-5 advantage going into the second period where Pontikes rode-out Schmidtke. However, Schmidtke returned the favor in the third to close-out the victory. OU led 24-6 going into the 197 pound match, which pitted Oklahoma's Keldrick Hall against the Star's Cody Siversten. Hall held a 4-1 advantage before earning the pin in just 0:38. With the bonus points the Sooners led 30-6 going into the final bout. In the heavyweight match, OU's Elijah Madison earned a 3-2 victory by decision over OCU's Michael Brown. In the match, Madison had a takedown and escape to Brown's two escapes. Next up, the Sooners travel to Brockport, N.Y., in search of their 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold title on Saturday, Nov. 12.
Final Score: Oklahoma 33, Oklahoma City 6
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Kidd Gomez (OCU), 8-2 133 - Jordan Keller (OU) fall Gage Harrison (OCU), 2:00 141 - Kendric Maple (OU) tech. fall Eric Waggoner (OCU), 23-8 149 - Nick Lester (OU) MD Cameron Ream (OCU), 20-8 157 - Nik Turner (OCU) dec. Matt Lester (OU), 5-4 165 - Bubby Graham (OU) dec. Kevin Hardy (OCU), 7-1 174 - Derek Peperas (OCU) dec. Nolan McBryde (OU), 8-5 184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Andrew Pontikes (OCU), 6-5 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) fall Cody Siversten (OCU), 0:38 285 - Elijah Madison (OU) dec. Michael Brown (OCU), 3-2
OU hosts OCU on Thursday at McCasland Field House
NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma wrestling squad, ranked preseason No. 16 by InterMat and 13 by Amateur Wrestling News, kicks off the 2011-12 season this Thursday, Nov. 3, when it hosts Oklahoma City University inside McCasland Field House at 7 p.m. "I'm very excited for our program, staff and wrestlers to get the season started against Oklahoma City," head coach Mark Cody said. "I feel that we are going to see what we have as a team on Thursday. As a coach you never know what the guys are capable of until you actually go out and compete. We are excited to see these guys go out and show what is in their hearts and heads."
OU has seven Sooners individually ranked to begin the season, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 11 at 141 pounds. Jordan Keller is No. 13 at 133 pounds, while Chase Nelson (157 pounds) and Elijah Madison (HWT) are ranked No. 14. Nick Lester, who started three matches last year, is the 17th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 20 among 184 pounders.
Oklahoma recorded a 43-0 defeat of the Stars in last year's Oklahoma Open and leads the overall series by a 5-0 margin. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are still available for purchase. Season tickets and single-meet tickets are now on sale online or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Seven Sooners are ranked to begin the season, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 11 at 141 pounds. Jordan Keller is No. 13 at 133 pounds, while Chase Nelson (157 pounds) and Elijah Madison (HWT) are ranked No. 14. Nick Lester is the 17th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 20 among 184 pounders. Oklahoma City counters with seven ranked NAIA wrestlers, all of which are in the top-10. Kevin Hardy leads all Stars ranked No. 2 at 165 pounds. Nik Turner (157) is ranked third-nationally. Kidd Gomez (125) sits at No. 5, while Derek Peperas (165) and Andrew Pontikes (184) check in at No. 7. Tyson Campbell (174) and Mark Meyer (157) are the final ranked Stars at No. 8 and 10, respectively. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Jr.) 0-0 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Sr.) 0-0 Kendric Maple (141) Wichita, Kan. (RSo.) 0-0 Nick Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 0-0 Matt Lester (157) Eureka, Mo. (RSo.) 0-0 Bubby Graham (165) Annapolis, MD (RJr.) 0-0 Nolan McBryde (174) Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.) 0-0 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.) 0-0 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RJr.) 0-0 Elijah Madison (HWT) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 0-0 Kyle Colling (HWT) Arcade, N.Y. (RFr.) 0-0 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION In its final preseason event of the season, the University of Oklahoma's wrestling squad saw the Red and White squads tie 18-18 at the annual Red/White scrimmage at McCasland Field House Thursday evening. Sooner to Watch Jarrod Patterson | So. | 125 pounds | No. 3 Patterson, a seventh place finisher at the 2011 NCAA Championships, takes on OCU's Kid Gomez, ranked No. 5 in NAIA. Patterson defeated Gomez by a 9-2 decision in last year's contest. SCOUTING OKLAHOMA CITY The Stars checked in at eighth in the team rankings, better than the No. 10 spot OCU held before the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. OCU comes off a 10-7 dual season with nine qualifiers for the NAIA Championships in 2010-11.
RETURNING QUALIFIERS OU returns six NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.
BUBBY A SOONER OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.
UP NEXT... The Sooners travel to Brockport, N.Y., in search of their 13th-straight Oklahoma/Gold Brockport Invitational Title on Saturday, Nov. 12.
OU Wrestling Credential and McCasland Renovation Information
NORMAN, Okla. -- Due to the current renovation of Howard McCasland Field House, University of Oklahoma officials have announced several changes for the 2011-12 wrestling season. The 13th-ranked Sooners will continue to play all of their home matches at the Field House this season but fans are asked to take note of entrance closures. The general public is asked to enter at the east side entrance facing Jenkins Avenue. All ticket sales will take place at this entrance. Cash and credit cards will be accepted forms of payment. The west side entrance will service students, the home and visiting teams player guest lists, media, athletics department staff, recruits and coaches guests. Cash ticket sales will be accepted at the west side entrance, as well. The south lobby and upper concourse restrooms and concessions will be closed until further notice. Seating will not be allowed in the south end of the upper concourse. The lower level concessions and restrooms will be open.
Oklahoma opens its season on Thursday, Nov. 3, when it hosts Oklahoma City University at 7 p.m.
Red/White Scrimmage Ends in Tie

The Red/White intrasquad scrimmage ended in an 18-18 tie.
Kendric Maple NORMAN, Okla. -- In its final preseason event of the season, the University of Oklahoma's wrestling squad saw the Red and White squads tie 18-18 at the annual Red/White scrimmage in Edmond on the campus of UCO Wednesday evening. "I think it went good," head coach Mark Cody said. "I think the guys showed that they are in good shape, but they were a little tentative and could have been a little more aggressive. It was a good dress rehearsal before we open the season next week. I expect them to go out on the third and let it fly." The battle for starters began at 125 pounds with a matchup between two-year starter Jarrod Patterson of the red team and a freshman from Kansas City, Mo., Cody Brewer. Patterson struck first with a takedown in the first period. The returning All-American, Patterson, went ahead 3-1 after a quick escape to start the second. In the third, Patterson cruised to a 4-1 win after riding out Brewer for the duration of the period. In the 133 pound matchup, Jordan Keller (white) defeated Dustin Reed (red) by a 4-1 decision. Keller earned a takedown and in the first and added 2:13 of riding time. Keller, a 2011 NCAA qualifier, earned an escape and his 2:03 of riding time gave him the final win. Kendric Maple made his return to the mat for the Sooners after redshirting last season. Maple, a Wichita, Kan., native earned the Red team bonus points after downing Scott Chene, 13-2. In the bout, Maple acquired five takedowns, one escape and 3:32 in riding time. The 149 pound match pitted redshirt sophomore Nick Lester against redshirt freshman Justin DeAngelis. Lester, competing for the white team, had two takedowns in the first and added a reversal a little over a minute into the second period. Lester added another takedown in the third, but gave up an escape and takedown. With the 9-4 decision, Lester brought the White team within one of the red, 7-6. Two NCAA qualifiers, Chase Nelson and Matt Lester, squared-off in the 157-pound bout. Nelson (white) scored first with a takedown and two-point near fall to lead, 4-0. Nelson earned another takedown, but gave up a takedown and escape of his own. Nelson's 6-3 win gave the White team its first lead of the evening. Leading 9-7, the White team added to its lead after American transfer Bubby Graham disposed of the Red team's Kyle Detmer, 5-1. Graham had a takedown, reversal and added 3:48 of riding time in rout to his win. At 174 pounds, redshirt sophomore Nolan McBryde gave the Red team a win by decision after he defeated Marcus Armato, 12-6. McBryde had four takedowns to Armato's one. Erich Schmidtke handled a light Sean Datte in the 184-pound bout. Schmidtke put the Red team up 15-12 after earning a technical fall in the second period. Before the technical fall Schmidtke had seven takedowns and three near falls. Keldrick Hall gave the White team a three-point advantage after he pinned freshman Andrew Spangler in 4:20. Prior to the pin, Keldrick held an 11-6 advantage. The heavyweight battle between the Red team's Elijah Madison and Kyle Colling proved to be the deciding factor of the match. Madison narrowly defeated Colling, 3-1, to tie the event at 18-18. The Sooners will officially kick off the 2011-12 season Saturday, Nov. 3 when they host Oklahoma City in Norman. To get your season tickets, contact the OU Athletics Ticket Office by phone at (800) 456-4668 or by email at outickets@ou.edu.
Final Score: Red 18 White 18 RESULTS 125 - Jarrod Patterson (R) dec. Cody Brewer (W), 4-1 133 - Jordan Keller (W) dec. Dustin Reed (R), 4-1 141 - Kendric Maple (R) maj. dec. Scott Chene (W), 13-2 149 - Nick Lester (W) dec. Justin DeAngelis (R), 9-4 157 - Chase Nelson (W) dec. Matt Lester (R), 6-3 165 - Bubby Graham (W) dec. Kyle Detmer (R), 5-1 174 - Nolan McBryde (R) dec. Marcus Armato (W), 12-6 184 - Erich Schmidtke (R) tech fall Sean Datte (W), 4:39 197 - Keldrick Hall (W) fall Andrew Spangler (R), 4:20 285 - Elijah Madison (R) dec. Kyle Colling (W), 3-1
Red/White Scrimmage in Norman Thursday
Thursday's scrimmage is free to the public.
Jarrod Patterson The University of Oklahoma Wrestling Date & Time Oct. 27 , 2011 at 7 p.m. Location Norman, Okla. | McCasland Field House Internet Live Stats Match Info 2011-12 Roster | Oklahoma Coaching Staff Tickets Admission is free to the public |Ticket Information Schedule 2011-12 Sooner wrestling schedule NORMAN, Okla. --The University of Oklahoma wrestling squad will conclude the preseason this Thursday, Oct. 27, when they partake in its annual Red/White scrimmage on the University of Oklahoma campus at the McCasland Field House in Norman, Okla. at 7 p.m. The intrasquad ranking matches will pit the top-two wrestlers in each weight class to help determine starters for the upcoming season. "Our staff is anxious to see how they will compete," said head coach Mark Cody. Many times in wrestle-off situations, athletes tend to be a little less aggressive. Hopefully this won't be the case." Oklahoma, ranked preseason No. 13 by Amateur Wrestling News, No. 16 by Intermat and tied for 18th in WIN magazine, returns seven starters and six NCAA qualifiers to this year's squad. Also added to the team are five newcomers. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season. Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184). Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, will join the starters at 141 pounds. Keldrick Hall, a two year starter, will returns at 197 pounds. OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Elijah Madison, a national champion at Nebraska-Omaha, will take over the reins of the heavyweight position, while Nolan McBryde and Marcus Armato will battle it out for the 174 pound weight class. "They have worked very hard and there promises to be some good match-ups," Cody concluded. The Sooners will officially kick off the 2011-12 season Saturday, Nov. 3 when they host Oklahoma City in Norman.
To get your season tickets, contact the OU Athletics Ticket Office by phone at (800) 456-4668 or by email at outickets@ou.edu. TENTATIVE RED/WHITE SCRIMMAGE MATCHUPS WEIGHT CLASS Jarrod Patterson (Junior) vs. Cody Brewer (Freshman) 125 Pounds Dustin Reed (Sophomore) vs. Jordan Keller (Senior) 133 Pounds Kendric Maple (RS Sophomore) vs. Scott Chene (RS Junior) 141 Pounds Justin DeAngelis (RS Freshman) vs. Nick Lester (RS Sophomore) 149 Pounds Matt Lester (RS Sophomore) vs. Chase Nelson (Junior) 157 Pounds Kyle Detmer (RS Sophomore) vs. Bubby Graham (RS Junior) 165 Pounds Nolan McBryde (RS Sophomore) vs. Marcus Armato (RS Junior) 174 Pounds Erich Schmidtke (RS Junior) vs. Sean Datte (RS Freshman) 184 pounds Andrew Spanger (Freshman) vs. Keldrick Hall (RS Junior) 197 Pounds Elijah Madison (Junior) vs. Kyle Colling (FS Freshman) 285 Pounds
The OU wrestling program released the 2011-12 schedule Friday
NORMAN, Okla. - The 2011-12 wrestling schedule and new ticket information was announced Friday by the University of Oklahoma Vice President/Athletics Director Joe Castiglione and head coach Mark Cody. "I think we have one of the most competitive schedules in the country," Mark Cody said. "We're wrestling everyone in our conference, which in itself is quite an undertaking. Then we are bringing in Lehigh for the first time in quite a few years. We are also going to host Arizona State and Virginia Tech. We don't rank schedules in our sport, but it is definitely one of the toughest schedules in the country." The Sooners will kick-off the season by holding the annual Red/White intrasquad scrimmage on Oct. 27 inside the McCasland Field House in Norman, before official competition begins on Nov. 3, against Oklahoma City University in Norman. Oklahoma's 14-match season includes seven home duals versus Missouri (Nov. 18), Iowa State (Jan. 20), Arizona State (Jan. 22), Virginia Tech (Jan. 27), Lehigh (Jan. 29) and Oklahoma State (Feb. 16) to close out the regular season. For the first time, all home events will be ticketed. Season tickets, which includes reserved seating for the Bedlam dual, are available to the public for $45. Faculty and former letterwinners are $36. Individual public tickets are $8, while youth and senior citizens will be $5. Groups of 10-99 will get a discounted rate of $5 and 100-plus for $4. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the OU Athletics Ticket Office by phone at (800) 456-4668 or by email at outickets@ou.edu. "One of the reasons we decided to charge was a lot of the alums and boosters thought it would add value to our event," Cody explained. "I think the fact that we are offering a season ticket for all our home matches is going to help bring in crowds. We don't just want to fill McCasland for the Bedlam dual, but fill it for every dual. We're real excited about the possibility of getting a good crowd for every match." The dual against Virginia Tech will mark the fifth-annual Beauty and the Beast event, where Sooner wrestlers compete alongside the women's gymnastics team at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. The Sooners will once again compete in the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic on Nov. 12, where the Sooners hope to garner their 13th-straight title. For the second year, OU will compete in the Midlands Tournament in Chicago, Ill., Dec. 29-30. On Jan. 15, the Sooners travel to Arlington, Texas, to compete in the Lone Star Duals. "The reason I kept the Midlands tournament on the schedule was because I felt it really helped us out at American to see a lot of the Big Ten teams," Cody said. "It will help familiarize ourselves with a lot of the competitors that are in the Big Ten, which we don't get to see as much because we go home-and-home with everyone in the conference." Other road contests include Big 12 matchups at Iowa State (Nov. 27), Oklahoma State (Dec. 11) and Missouri (Feb. 5). The Sooners will also travel to Wyoming (Jan. 3), Navy (Jan. 7) and Binghamton (Jan. 10). Before hosting the Bedlam dual on Feb. 16, OU will compete in the inaugural NWCA/Cliff Keen Division I National Dual Meet Championships. Under the new format, four schools will serve as regional hosts with one team from each region advancing to the championship round. The Sooners will travel to Ithaca, NY, for first round action. "The National Duals, which we are heading out east for, is going to be a great competition for us. We are in the region with Cornell, American and some other really good nationally-ranked teams." Following regular season action, the Sooners travel back to Columbia, Mo., to compete in the 2012 Big 12 Championships. From there the Sooners travel to St. Louis, Mo., for the NCAA Championships. "We have put in a very good summer here," Cody exclaimed. "Our guy's preseason has been great and they have worked very hard. Fans are going to see that the ten young men in our starting lineup will be in great shape and technically as sound as we can get them to be. They are going to be on the attack and go after pins. We have a very exciting team that we are going to put on the mat this year." | To get your season tickets, contact the OU Athletics Ticket Office by phone at (800) 456-4668 or by email at outickets@ou.edu.
Cody Announces OU Coaching Staff

Michael Lightner will be joined by former Sooner Jared Frayer and OSU assistant Tyrone Lewis.

Opening statement...

"My goal with putting the staff together was to make sure I had well rounded individuals," Cody said. "I wanted to make sure I had coaches that could go out and recruit and that could also work out with guys on the team. Nothing brings the guys along further than having the coaches work out with them and really helps them get a good feel for what they're doing right or wrong. I think in that respect we have accomplished that and put a great staff together. I am just really excited about it. My goal was to put together the best staff for the University of Oklahoma. I feel that we not only did that but have put together one of the top staffs in the country right now."
On retaining assistant coach Michael Lightner... "Michael Lightner was a guy who the guys on the team mentioned to me right when I took the job. They asked me if Lightner would remain on the staff and I was hopeful that that was going to be the case and that Lightner would want to do that. Sure enough he accepted the job. We are excited to have him back."
On assistant coach Jared Frayer... "Jared Frayer, who has been at Wisconsin, has had a lot of great success there and if you look at their program most of the success they have had in recent years has been around his weight class. I've known him for many years and have been really impressed with him, the way he carries himself, his attitude and his recruiting skills."
On volunteer assistant coach Tyrone Lewis... "I worked with Tyrone Lewis at Oklahoma State and have remained very close with him over the years. He is a great person and has a very dynamic personality. Everyone will find out shortly exactly what he is capable of." NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma wrestling coach Mark Cody announced the addition of two-time All-American and former OU wrestler Jared Frayer as the newest assistant coach. Frayer will join Michael Lightner, who served as assistant coach the past two seasons. Additionally, four-time All-American and former Oklahoma State assistant coach Tyrone Lewis will join the program as the volunteer assistant coach. Assistant Coach Jared Frayer Frayer returns to Oklahoma after serving as the assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin for the past two seasons. During his career at OU, Frayer was a two-time All-American and the 2002 NCAA runner-up at 149 pounds. The four-time NCAA qualifier was instrumental in helping OU claim the 2002 Big 12 Championship and earned the 2000 Wade Schalles Award for recording the most pins of any collegiate wrestler that season. A two-time Academic All-Big XII honoree, Frayer was also a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Board from 2000-2002. Prior to working at UW he was the strength and conditioning coach at Iowa during the 2008-09 season. He also served as an assistant coach for three years at Harvard (2003-06) after graduating from Oklahoma, where he was a two-time All-American. Frayer was a five-time United States National team member and was the 2010 U.S. Open Champion. Frayer earned a degree in social studies education from Oklahoma in 2002. His wife's name is Nicole and daughter is Khloe. Volunteer Assistant Coach Tyrone Lewis Lewis, a native of El Reno, Okla., comes to Norman after three years as the OSU assistant coach. Lewis wrestled for Oklahoma State from 2001-04, where he won two Big 12 individual championships in 2001 and 2004 and compiled a 120-15 record. He finished fifth at the NCAA championship in 2001, was third in 2002, fifth in 2003 and was the national runner-up in 2004. After graduating from OSU in 2004 with a degree in secondary education/history, Lewis served as a coach for the Gator Wrestling Club from 2005-06 before taking his first college assistant job at Oklahoma City University, where he helped the Stars to a 12th-place finish at the NAIA Championship and coached a trio of All-Americans. Lewis' name is known in national wrestling circles as he was the 2008 runner-up at both the U.S. Olympic Trials and at U.S. Nationals in the 74 kg/163 pound weight class. He is an alternate for the 2008 Olympic team. Lewis competed on both the national and international levels after leaving OSU, winning the Sunkist Kids Tournament in 2007 and taking fifth at the Ivan Yarygin Tournament in Siberia. He represented the United States at the 2005 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey and was a training partner for the U.S. Senior World Team as it competed at the 2005 FILA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Assistant Coach Michael Lightner Lightner was retained by Cody and will enter his third season as an assistant coach for the OU wrestling program. A product of Marlow, Okla., Lightner recorded one of the most impressive wrestling careers in Oklahoma history from 1998-2001. He claimed the national title in 2001 and was four times crowned Big 12 champion at 141 pounds. Lightner became a four-time All-American, an honor only nine others in school history have claimed. He can be found in various school records, including second in career wins with a 144-16 record. His 37-0 record his senior season led him to the national title and he became the 13th Sooner to go undefeated in a season.
Sooners Honored for Academic Success by NWCA
Five Sooners were named to the All-Academic team.

Jarrod Patterson

NORMAN, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) announced five Sooners - Jarrod Patterson, Jordan Keller, Nathan Fernandez, Tyler Caldwell and Zack Bailey - to its annual Division I All-Academic team Friday for the 2010-11 season. Additionally, OU earned 25th on the All-Academic Team standings with a combined 2.991 GPA.

Oklahoma's five athletes tied with Cornell, which trailed only American's six, for the second most individuals named to the prestigious academic team. OU's team ranking was the second-best among Big 12 schools, trailing only Nebraska (3.1343 GPA) who earned eighth overall.

All five of OU's members were NCAA qualifiers, while three earned All-America honors. These individuals who were named All-Americans include: Patterson (125 pounds), Bailey (141) and Caldwell (165).

Patterson, a sophomore, and Bailey, a senior, finished seventh at their respective weight classes and Caldwell was an NCAA runner-up. Fernandez, a senior who competed at heavyweight, and sophomore Keller (133) round out OU's All-Academic team members.

Current Oklahoma head coach Mark Cody's former team, American, had another outstanding season, placing Top-5 at the NCAA Championships and for the second year in a row the Patriots finished No. 2 as an All-Academic Team with a GPA of 3.48.

For teams to be eligible for consideration, the team GPA is comprised of 12 student athletes, including the 10 wrestlers that were the entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they may fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season.

The Individual All-Academic Team also has qualifying standards by GPA and season record/accomplishment. To be considered for the award a wrestler must have accumulated a 3.2 cumulative GPA or higher, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule. Also, one can be honored for the All-Academic team with a 3.0 GPA and achieved All-American status this past season.
What They are Saying About Oklahoma University Wrestling Coach Mark Cody

Tim Johnson
College Wrestling Broadcaster, ESPN & Big Ten Network

"Mark Cody is one of the really good guys in college wrestling…. a program builder, who gives his best to his athletes and brings out their best. What a great hire by OU!"
Rob Koll Cornell Head Coach
"I have a son who will be attending college in a couple years and the biggest compliment that I can give Mark is that if my son chooses not to attend Cornell, one of the few coaches that I would be thrilled and trust to coach him is Mark Cody. Great coach, great person and great hire by OU."
Andrew Hipps Owner/Senior Writer of InterMat Wrestling
"Mark Cody is winner in every sense of the word. This is a great hire for the University of Oklahoma. The number of people Cody has influenced is staggering. The odds were stacked against Cody at American University. Very few thought he could win there. He not only made American a relevant Division I wrestling program in short order, but turned into a Division I power. The University of Oklahoma's wrestling program is not going anywhere but up with the hiring of Mark Cody.
What Cody has always understood is that a college wrestling season is ultimately defined by how the team performs at the NCAAs in March. Dual meet victories are nice, but people remember how the team finishes in the NCAA team standings. Cody has always been able to get the most out his athletes when the stakes are the highest." Scott Casber Takedown Wrestling Media "Mark Cody is one of the most accomplished coaches in America. Turning the American Eagles program around was an amazing feat. Oklahoma and Mark Cody is a perfect match. Mark will take the Sooner program from Coach Spates and run with it just like he did at American. Cody is a strong leader this sport needs and the Sooners got him! As long time Sooner supporter Jim "JR" Ross has said "Business is about to pick up in Norman!" He's right, wrestling in The Big 12 just got a lot more competitive." Garry Abbott USA Wrestling
"Mark Cody is an outstanding coach and an impressive individual, who has made a big impact on wrestling for a long time. His success at American University was an indication of his talent and desire for success. He will bring many assets to his new position at one of college wrestling's traditional powers, and we wish him well at Oklahoma."
Cody Announced as Oklahoma University Wrestling Coach
Mark Cody was honored as the 2011 NWCA Coach of the Year.
NORMAN, Okla. -- Mark Cody, the reigning national college wrestling coach of the year, has been named the head wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma. He succeeds Jack Spates, who retired from the position following the 2011 season, his 18th with the Sooners.
Cody, who comes to OU after nine years at American University, led the Eagles to a program-best fifth-place finish at the recently completed NCAA Championships. The team produced three All-Americans after qualifying six for the tournament, while also posting a school record 3.48 grade point average.
"The wrestling community has watched Mark Cody do remarkable things with his teams at American," said Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma's Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletics Director. "He has maximized limited resources to take a program that was once struggling and transform it into one of the strongest in the country. Along the way, he has earned the respect of his peers as not only a great program builder, but an outstanding teacher and leader.
"We have watched Mark's work and spoken with a number of people in the profession who are familiar with him. He is held in very high regard and has proven his ability to operate a program at an extremely high level."
Cody said it was tradition and the people of the Sooner state that attracted him to the job.
"I think back on Tommy Evans, Stan Abel, Jack Spates and the other men who coached there and I really appreciate the tradition they established," Cody said. "It's a responsibility to take that over, but it's also encouraging because it's a school that appreciates and expects success."
Two stints at Oklahoma State taught the New York native all he needed to know about Oklahomans.
"People make the place and I have always loved the people in Oklahoma," he said. "I lived there twice and always felt they were some of the nicest people in the world."
Recent improvements at OU's wrestling facility caught Cody's attention and said things like the upgrades at the Port Robertson Center send a strong message.
"The improvements to the facilities indicate a commitment to the sport and that's something that has a great impact on recruiting," he said. "The cupboard is full there in terms of the resources and I look forward to getting started."
Cody's work at American has been impressive. He took over the program just after it had been dropped and then resurrected. Just 4.5 scholarships were available for seven wrestlers. Finally, in 2005, the Eagles broke through with their first national qualifiers. It went on to post top 25 team finishes in the NCAA Tournament from 2006-2011. In 2008, American added wrestling as only its third fully-funded sport.
"People thought I was crazy when I took the job, but we always had a plan for recruiting, fund-raising and running the program," said Cody.
Some $180,000 were raised in the programs first year and that total has risen to nearly $1 million over the length of Cody's nine seasons.
Now he can look back on a tenure that included the school's first national champion, 14 All-Americans and 16 NCAA qualifiers (all since 2005) and 21 academic All-Americans.
Cody came to American after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. He helped OSU to a Big 12 Championship and a fifth-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Championships. In addition, the squad earned recognition from the NWCA as a top-25 academic team, and two were named Academic All-America by the NWCA. Nine were also named to the Academic All-Big 12 team.
Before joining Oklahoma State, Cody served as the upper-weights coach for 12 years at the University of Nebraska. During that time, he was responsible for bringing in some of the nation's top recruiting classes, including national champions Tolly Thompson (Hwt.) and Brad Vering (197). Vering later became a two-time Olympian with Cody in his corner.
While Cody was at Nebraska, 23 Cornhuskers were named All-America, including Rulon Gardner, who later captured the heavyweight gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Cody spent the 1986-87 season as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. He was also an assistant at Bloomsburg University during the 1985-86 season and for the University of Missouri in 1984-85.
As a student-athlete, Cody was a three-time All-American. He spent two years at the State University of New York at Delhi before transferring to Missouri in 1983. His greatest success came during his senior season, 1984-85, when he earned All-America status and was named the team's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Cody still ranks in Missouri's single season top-10 for falls (17) and winning percentage (.875). He graduated from Bellevue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business.
A member of the New York Athletic Club, he was a 198 lbs. finalist at the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials.
A native of Binghamton, N.Y., Cody and his wife, Holly, have three sons, George, Charlie and Henry .Oklahoma's Redshirt Sophomore Maple Earns FILA Junior Nationals Freestyle Title Two future Sooners had top-five finishes at Junior Nationals.
CLEVELAND - Redshirt sophomore Kendrick Maple won the FILA Junior Nationals freestyle title at 63 kilograms on Sunday at the Cleveland Public Auditorium.
Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds, defeated Penn States' Samuel Sherlock, 3-1, 2-0, to take home the 138.75 pound championship.
Additionally, incoming freshman Sam Wheeler and Cody Brewer finished fourth and fifth, respectively. OU redshirt freshman Justin DeAngelis also finished fifth.
The Junior age group consists of 17-20 year olds, featuring some of the nation's top wrestlers, as well as underclassmen from the college level.
The champions in each of the seven Olympic weight classes, plus 50 kg/110 lbs., advance to the best-of-3 finals for the FILA Junior World Team Trials. The Junior World Team Trials are set for May 19-20 in Franklin, Ind.
The top six finishers in the seven Olympic classes, plus 50 kg, qualify for the Junior World Team Trials.
There were 357 wrestlers entered in the FILA Junior freestyle class.

FILA JUNIOR NATIONALS FREESTYLE FINALS RESULTS

50 kg/110 lbs.
Nick Roberts (Young Guns) dec. Jarred Brooks (Humphrey Wrestling), 3-2, 4-1

55 kg/121 lbs.
Jesse Delgado (Meathead WC) dec. Jack Hathaway (Trojan Wrestling Club), 2-1, 1-0

60 kg/132 lbs.
Tony Ramos (Iowa) dec. Nick Dardanes (Minnesota Storm), 1-1, 1-0

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Kendrick Maple (Oklahoma Elite) dec. Samuel Sherlock (Nittany Lion WC), 2-2, 3-1, 2-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Josh Kindig (Cowboy Wrestling Club) dec. Destin McCauley (OTC), 3-4, 6-2, 4-0

70 kg/154 lbs.
Mark Martin Jr. (Eagle Club) pinned Zachary Brunson (Churchill), 6-1, 1:16

74 kg/163 lbs.
Taylor Massa (Massa Maniacs) dec. Robert Kokesh (Nebraska), 3-1, 2-1

79 kg/174 lbs.
Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) dec. Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh WC), 1-0, 2-0

84 kg/185 lbs.
Lee Munster (Northwestern) dec. Max Thomusseit (Pittsburgh WC), 2-1, 1-2, 1-1

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) dec. Tanner Hall (Warrior WC), 1-0, 0-1, 3-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Bobby Telford (Iowa) dec. Toby Erickson (Bronco WC), 1-0, 2-0
Foundation Set Up to Assist Oklahoma Wrestler Ronnie Balfour

OU wrestler Ronnie Balfour was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Ronnie Balfour
NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma wrestling program has created an assistance fund for freshman Ronnie Balfour, who was recently diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

Balfour won the state championship last year as a senior at Union High School in Tulsa and was among the nation's top-ranked college recruits.

Donations to help the Balfour family pay for medical bills and other costs associated with treatment may be sent to the OU Athletics Department at the address listed below. Please make checks payable to "OU Foundation" with Ronnie Balfour's name listed in the memo line, or call 405-325-8215 to donate by credit card.

Mail to:
OU Athletic Development
McClendon Center for Intercollegiate Athletics
180 W. Brooks
Norman, OK 73019
Oklahoma Finishes NCAAs with Three All-Americans

Caldwell finished second after dropping the finals match to top-seeded Burroughs.

Tyler Caldwell
PHILADELPHIA - University of Oklahoma wrestler Tyler Caldwell fell one bout short of becoming the Sooners' 66th national champion as he fell to the No. 1 seed Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska, 11-3, in the 165 pound title match at the 2011 NCAA Championships.

Oklahoma finished the three day NCAA tournament with three All-Americans - Jarrod Patterson (125), Zack Bailey (141) and Caldwell - and had a wrestler in the finals for the first time since 2007 when Sam Hazewinkel placed second.

The Sooners finished 16th overall with 38 points. Penn State took home the team championship with 107.5 points. Cornell finished second with 93.5 points, while Iowa (86.5) and Oklahoma State (70.5) rounded out the top-four.

In Caldwell's championship bout the two-time All-American was taken down three times throughout the first period and was never able recover. Caldwell chose the bottom position to start the second where he earned an escape in 2-seconds but gave up another takedown at 1:04 mark. Burroughs chose the neutral position to start the third and added two more takedowns and riding time to get the 11-3 victory. The Wichita, Kan., native finished his sophomore year with 32 wins against only six losses.

"I am disappointed for him," Jack Spates said. "I think he took a little blow getting taken down right away because it put us out of our game plan. He's young and a great one. He will be back."
<http://www.soonersports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/okla/sports/m-wrestl/auto_pdf/finalresults>Results | <http://www.soonersports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/okla/sports/m-wrestl/auto_pdf/finalncaabrackets>Brackets | <http://www.soonersports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/okla/sports/m-wrestl/auto_pdf/finalteamstandingsNCAA>Team Standings | Photos

Spates' finishes his OU career having coached 56 All-Americans, six national champions and his 243 wins ranks second most all-time at OU. The 2006 National Coach of the Year, will leave behind a long tradition of greatness in which his teams brought home seven team trophies from the NCAA tournament and won two Big 12 team titles.

"First of all, I am so proud to be associated with this sport and school," Spates said. "I am so grateful for all the many experiences, all the great people and these kids that are so wonderful. Sooner wrestling is going to be upward and onward and I'll be following it with pride."
OU FINAL'S RESULTS
165: No. 1 Jordan Burroughs (NEB) MD No. 3 Tyler Caldwell (OU), 11-3
2011 SOONER ALL-AMERICANS
125: Jarrod Patterson (So.) 141: Zack Bailey (Sr.) - Two-time All-American 165: Tyler Caldwell (So.) - Two-time All-American
UPDATED TEAM SCORES
1. Penn State (107.5) 2. Cornell (93.5) 3. Iowa (86.5) 4. Oklahoma State (70.5) 5. American (65) 15. Oklahoma (38)
2011 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
125: Anthony Robles (Arizona State)
133: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State)
141: Kellen Russell (Michigan)
149: Kyle Dake (Cornell)
157: Bubba Jenkins (Arizona State)
165: Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska)
174: Jonathan Reader (Iowa State)
184: Quentin Wright (Penn State)
197: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State)
285: Zachery Rey (Lehigh)
Oklahoma's Bailey, Patterson Finish Seventh at NCAAs

Caldwell will battle the top-seed Burroughs in the finals tonight.
Zack Bailey
PHILADELPHIA - Oklahoma senior Zack Bailey and sophomore Jarrod Patterson each earned seventh place at the 2011 NCAA Championships after closing out the tournament with wins at 125 and 141 pounds, respectively.

Entering the Championship's final session, Oklahoma stands in 15th place with 38 points. Penn State paces the field with 103.5 points, ahead of Cornell's 89.5.

Patterson (29-9) finished his NCAA tournament by upsetting ODU's No. 4 seed James Nicholson, 3-2, to finish seventh in the 125 pound division. Patterson trailed 2-0 after giving up a takedown but quickly earned an escape. In the second period Patterson posted an escape in just 3 seconds to even the score going into the third. The Cushing, Okla., native used his superior riding skills to ride out Nicholson throughout the entire third period.

Bailey, a two time All-American, earned seventh after defeating Penn's Zack Kemmerer, 5-2. Bailey (28-5) started off the scoring with two takedowns in the first period to lead, 4-1, going into the second. After a scoreless second period Kemmerer chose the bottom position and was ridden by Bailey until the 0:26 mark. Bailey added 2:28 of riding time to close out his career with a 5-2 decision. The Kansas City, Mo., native ends his Sooner career with 106 wins. Tonight OU's Tyler Caldwell will take on Nebraska's top-seed Jordan Burroughs for the 165 pound title. Caldwell is the first Sooner to appear in the finals since Sam Hazewinkel finished second in 2007. OU has not crowned a national champion since Teyon Ware won the 141 pound title in 2005.

Caldwell and Burroughs will meet for the third time this season. Caldwell has yet to defeat Burroughs after dropping the regular season match 7-3 and getting edged out in the Big 12 Championship match 2-1.

The finals commence at 6:30 p.m. CST and will be televised on ESPN.

SEVENTH PLACE CONSOLATION RESULTS
125: No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 4 James Nicholson (ODU), 3-2 141: No. 8 Zack Bailey (OU) dec. No. 12 Zack Kemmerer (PENN), 5-2
OU FINAL'S MATCHUP
165: No. 3 Tyler Caldwell (OU) vs. No. 1 Jordan Burroughs (NEB)
UPDATED TEAM SCORES
1. Penn State (103.5)
2. Cornell (89.5)
3. Iowa (86.5)
4. Oklahoma State (66.5)
5. American (65)
15. Oklahoma (38)
Oklahoma Sooners Fall in Bedlam Showdown, 24-9

NORMAN, Okla. -- The eighth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad fell to the No. 3-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, 24-9, in Jack Spates' final dual meet as head coach of the Sooners inside McCasland Field House Sunday afternoon.

The Sooners jumped out to an early, 3-0, lead before a crowd of 2,454 on senior day, but saw their in-state foes from Stillwater retaliate by taking the next three bouts and seven-out-of-ten overall.

"It's obviously disappointing because it's Bedlam and you want to win," Jack Spates said. "We've had a great season and our guys have wrestled incredibly tough. The good news is there was a lot of action out there and I thought we gave people their money's worth. The bad news is there were a couple situations in which we just didn't do enough to make it happen."
The dual began at 165 pounds where OU's reining All-American Tyler Caldwell, ranked No. 2, earned a decisive 4-0 win over OSU's 10th-ranked Dallas Bailey. In that bout, Caldwell earned an escape, takedown and added 2:59 of riding time to earn the Sooners' first Bedlam win.

Oklahoma State rebounded with a win at 174 pounds as No. 12-ranked Mike Benefiel handled Oklahoma senior Jeff James, 8-1. James' only point was scored on an escape in the third period as the senior from El Reno ended his Sooner dual career with 70 wins.

The 184 pound bout between OU's Erich Schmidtke, ranked No. 15, and OSU's ninth-ranked Chris Perry went down to the wire. Perry took a 2-1 lead going into the second after acquiring a takedown and Schmidtke earning an escape. Perry scored the only point in the second off an escape. Schmidtke tied the score, 3-3, after posting a takedown with 1:10 remaining in the third and made sure riding time was not a factor, cutting Perry free with 0:48 remaining. Schmidtke tried to get a takedown to take the lead but Perry never gave the Sooner a shot, ending the bout with a final score of 4-3.

OSU's third-ranked Clayton Foster gave the Cowboys' an 11-3 lead after he defeated OU's Keldrick Hall by technical fall, 19-4.

OU senior Nathan Fernandez gave the Sooners three more points after he got revenge over Oklahoma State's Blake Rosholt. Fernandez, ranked No. 12, led 5-0 after he earned a takedown and added three near fall points in the first period. Rosholt's only points came off escapes in the second and third periods. Fernandez added a takedown, a point off a Rosholt stalling penalty and 1:05 of riding time to run away with the 9-2 victory. The Lawton native ends his dual career at OU with 80 victories.

The rematch between OU's Jarrod Patterson and the Cowboy's Jon Morrison at 125 pounds was heated. Patterson, ranked No. 7, took an early 1-0 lead after posting an escape in the second. However, Morrison, ranked No. 8, added a takedown, escape and 1:07 of riding time to defeat Patterson, 4-1.

The Cowboys' top-ranked Jordan Oliver extended OSU's lead to 13 after he rolled the Sooners Jordan Keller by way of major decision, 17-6.

The bout between OU's sixth-ranked Zack Bailey and the Cowboys' No. 16-ranked Josh Kindig personified just what Bedlam wrestling is all about. Bailey looked like he was going to run-away with the victory after he earned two early takedowns, but Kindig reversed Bailey to close out the first. Bailey had a one point advantage going into the second and added a quick escape, but Kindig evened the score, 5-5, after posting a takedown of his own. The Sooners' reining All-American fought to earn an escape and 1-point lead going into the third. However, Kindig again evened the score after posting an escape to start out the period. With just 0:24 remaining, Bailey earned a takedown, but was reversed by the Cowboy. Bailey remained composed and drew an escape and closed out the bout with a takedown, giving Bailey an 11-8 win. The senior from Kansas City closed out his dual career by earning his 102 career-victory.

The Cowboys' closed the door on any thoughts of a comeback by taking the final two bouts of the evening at 149 and 157 pounds, respectively. OU's Matt Lester, ranked No. 15, dropped a 3-1 decision to OSU's fifth-ranked Jamal Parks. Twelfth-ranked Chase Nelson was then defeated by the Cowboys' Neil Erisman, ranked No. 16, by a final of 8-4 at 157 pounds.

While it was not the way Spates' hoped his final dual meet would play out he does look for the Sooners to reach new heights as they enter the Big 12 Championships and NCAAs.

"Right now there really is no significance (Being his last dual meet). The bottom line is we are just focused on the task at hand which is Big 12s and the NCAA Championships. All my emotions, memories and all that stuff-there is going to be a time for that and that will be later."

Up Next, the Sooners return to Ames, Iowa, to battle for the Big 12 title at the 2011 Big 12 Championships. Last year the Sooners finished in third place with 64 total points and claimed three individual conference titles. Oklahoma State won the title with 70.5 points, while Iowa State placed second with 69 points.

Match-by-Match Results
165 - Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Dallas Bailey (OSU), 4-0
174 - Mike Benefiel (OSU) dec. Jeff James (OU), 8-1
184 - Chris Perry (OSU) dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 4-3
197 - Clayton Foster (OSU) tech. fall Keldrick Hall (OU), 19-4
285 - Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Blake Rosholt (OSU), 9-2
125 - Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. Jarrod Patterson (OU), 4-1
133 - Jordan Oliver (OSU) MD. Jordan Keller (OU), 17-4
141 - Zack Bailey (OU) dec. Josh Kindig (OSU), 11-8
149 - Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Matt Lester (OU), 3-1
157 - Neil Erisman (OSU) dec. Chase Nelson (OU), 8-4
No. 8 Oklahoma Wrestling Rallies to Defeat No. 14 Wyoming
The Sooners won seven out of ten bouts to win going away, 22-10.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The eighth-ranked Sooners stormed back from a seven point deficit to defeat No. 14 Wyoming, 22-10, before legendary OU wrestling coach Stan Abel and a number of former Sooner greats at the McCasland Field House Friday evening.
With the win the Sooners (13-1, 3-1) have won seven straight and own the best record since the 1969 squad that went 8-1.

"This was a huge win against a tough team that came out swinging and we swung back," Jack Spates said. "I don't think there was an easy win out there but this is wrestling. No one is going to hand anything to you. I think it was a good object lesson for our guys."

The top 15 battle began at 184 pounds between OU's 15th-ranked Erich Schmidtke and the Cowboy's No. 5-ranked Joe LeBlanc. Schmidtke took the early lead after posting a takedown just over a minute into the bout. However, LeBlanc stormed back to take the match, 13-2, after earning two takedowns and six points off near falls.

Wyoming extended their lead, 7-0, after L.J. Helbig defeated Oklahoma's Keldrick Hall at 197 pounds. Hall led early after posting a takedown in the first and a quick reversal in the second, but Helbig earned an escape and takedown to close out the second period. Helbig earned an escape after choosing the bottom position to begin the third, which proved to be the bouts final points.

Senior Nathan Fernandez put the Sooners on the board after posting a 5-3 victory by decision over Wyoming's Matthew McLaughlin. Fernandez, ranked No. 13, posted a takedown in the first and never looked back as he added an escape in the second and a takedown in the third.

OU's Jarrod Patterson and Wyoming's 15th-ranked Michael Martinez went to overtime after each posted an escape in the second and third periods, respectively. Patterson was close to coming away with the victory in regulation but fell nine seconds short of riding time points. In sudden-victory overtime Patterson gave up a takedown to give The Cowboy's a 10-3 lead.

That was all the Sooners would give up to the Cowboy's as OU won the next six bouts to runaway with the victory.

Jordan Keller brought OU within four after he fought his way to a 6-2 win over UW's 18th-ranked Tyler Cox. The junior from Wichita, Kan., earned a takedown in with just five-seconds remaining in the first. In the second, Keller reversed Cox and added an escape to go up 5-2. Keller added his final point after riding-out Cox for the duration of the third period.

At 141 pounds reigning All-American Zack Bailey evened the score at 10-10 after routing Wyoming's Kasey Garnhart by way of a 16-6 major decision win. In the match Bailey earned seven takedowns, an escape and added 1:15 riding time. The Kansas City, Mo., native now has 101 career wins and has a team-high 61 takedowns in dual action.

Matt Lester, ranked No. 19, gave OU its first lead after he downed UW's 17th-ranked Cole Dallaserra in the 149-pound bout, 5-2. Dallaserra led 2-0 after the first but Lester earned back points 0:16 into the second period. Lester chose top to start the third period where he added two more back points to go along with his 3:37 of riding time.

In the 157 pound bout Chase Nelson rallied from a 5-1 deficit to defeat Wyoming's Jimmy Belleville by a final of 14-11. Nelson fell behind after giving up an early takedown which resulted in near fall points for Belleville. Nelson earned an escape and takedown to close the gap, 5-3, going into the second. There Nelson earned three points off a takedown and escape but gave up three points to the Wyoming wrestler. Nelson chose the bottom position to start the third period which he used to earn a quick reversal and added back-points to take his first lead, 10-8. Belleville had an escape but Nelson added another takedown to stretch his lead to three before he was reversed which brought Belleville within one point. With three seconds remaining, Nelson posted an escape and added 1:21 in riding time to earn a much deserved win.

"Chase Nelson had every opportunity to give up in that match and he never did. He stole a win," echoed Spates.

The highly-anticipated bout between OU's second-ranked Tyler Caldwell and UW's No. 4-ranked Shane Onufer at 165 pounds proved to be a one-sided affair as the Sooners' reigning All-American ran away with an 11-5 win. Caldwell was quick on his feet all night as he earned three takedowns, an escape and a near fall to go along with 1:41 in riding time. With the win, the Wichita product is now 27-4 and 12-1 in dual competition.

"Tyler Caldwell had a big win, dominating win, against a tough wrestler."

Senior Jeff James closed out the victory for the Sooners after he posted a 2-1 victory by decision over UW's Patrick Martinez. James trailed 1-0 but evened the score in the third after earning an escape. James added 1:125 in riding time to edge the Wyoming wrestler.

I'm really proud of our guys. We honored a lot of great Sooners tonight. We honored Coach Abel and I think we honored them with the way we battled on the mat."

Up next, the Sooners host a Bedlam battle for the Big 12 dual championship on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. inside McCasland Field House. The final dual of the year marks senior night as OU will honor Zack Bailey, Jeff James and Nathan Fernandez. In addition, Bedlam will be Jack Spates' final meet as head coach of the Sooners. The first 1,000 fans in attendance for the Bedlam showdown will get a free OU t-shirt as part of a red-out event.

Match-by-Match Results
184 - Joe LeBlanc (UW) MD. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 13-2
197 - L.J. Helbig (UW) dec. Keldrick Hall (OU), 5-4
285 - Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Matthew McLaughlin (UW), 5-3
125 - Michael Martinez (UW) dec. Jarrod Patterson (OU), 3-1
133 - Jordan Keller (OU) dec. Tyler Cox (UW), 6-2
141 - Zack Bailey (OU) MD Kasey Garnhart (UW), 16-6
149 - Matt Lester (OU) dec. Cole Dallaserra (UW), 5-2
157 - Chase Nelson (OU) dec. Jimmy Belleville (UW), 14-11
165 - Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Shane Onufer (UW), 11-5
174 - Jeff James (OU) dec. Patrick Martinez (UW), 2-1
Oklahoma Wrestling Edges Nebraska, 17-16

NORMAN, Okla. -- The seventh-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad narrowly defeated No. 16 Nebraska, 17-16, Friday night at the McCasland Field House.

The Sooners (11-1, 2-1) won five-straight bouts, two by major decision, to claim the victory over the Cornhuskers, marking OU's second straight win in Big 12 action.

"It was a great dual, but a tough dual," Jack Spates said. "I was disappointed in some of the bouts, but our guys wrestled hard. Those guys (Nebraska) came out throwing punches. We punched back and punched hard. That's what you've got to do in bouts like this."

The Big 12 showdown began with a 197-pound bout between OU's Keldrick Hall and Nebraska's Andy Johnson. Hall fell behind 4-0 early after giving up a takedown and near fall points in the first period. In the second period, Hall had an escape to put the score at 1-4. However, Johnson added an escape, takedown and 1:02 of riding time to earn an 8-2 decision.

Facing a 3-0 deficit Oklahoma's Nathan Fernandez, ranked No. 10, and Nebraska's 12th-ranked Tucker Lane took to the mat. Fernandez led 1-0 going into the third period but gave up an escape and takedown to give Lane the 4-1 decision.

Jarrod Patterson got the Sooners on the board after he blanked NU's David Klingsheim at 125 pounds. After a scoreless first, Patterson had an escape and added 3-near fall points to go along with 1:51 in riding time.

OU's Jordan Keller evened the score, 6-6, after he earned a 5-0 decision over the Cornhuskers' Ridge Kiley. Keller led 3-0 going into the third period after acquiring an escape and takedown closed out the bout with an escape.

The Sooners captured their first lead of the dual, 10-6, after OU's reigning All-American Zack Bailey earned a major decision victory over Nebraska's Mike Koehnlien. Bailey accumulated four takedowns, a reversal and added 2:11 of riding time to run away with the Sooners first major decision match of the night.

At 149-pounds Oklahoma's Matt Lester rode his way to a 9-0 major decision win over NU's Ross Grande. Lester had a takedown and a total of six near fall points in the first period to lead 8-0. Lester then rode-out his opponent throughout the entire second period to give him a total of 4:08 of riding time.

Oklahoma extended its lead to 11 after Chase Nelson earned a last-second victory over Nebraska's Tyler Koehn. Nelson trailed by one going into the second, but had an escape and takedown to take a 4-3 advantage into the third period. In the third, Koehn earned an early escape to even the score at four, but Nelson secured the bout with a pivotal takedown at the 0:13 mark.

The highly anticipated 165-pound bout between OU's second-ranked Tyler Caldwell and the Cornhuskers' top-ranked Jordan Burroughs was a battle that saw Caldwell fall just short of his second-straight win over a top-10 opponent. Burroughs held a 2-1 advantage heading into the third period and added two takedowns and 1:26 of riding time to take the match, 7-3.

In the 174-pound bout OU's Jeff James and Nebraska's Caleb Kolb went to sudden-victory overtime before Kolb secured a takedown with 0:30 remaining to get Nebraska a 5-3 decision and cut OU's lead to five.

At 184-pounds Nebraska's Josh Ihnen gave the Sooners' Erich Schmidtke a scare after he turned the Sooner to earn a two-point near fall in the second period. Schmidtke dropped the final bout of the evening by an 8-0 major decision, making the final count 17-16.

"You're not going to win all these meets easily," Spates said. "You've got to fight, scrap and claw and that's what our guys did tonight. They found a way to win."

Up next, the Sooners host their second of four straight home duals against No. 7 Missouri on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. at the McCasland Field House.

Match-by-Match Results
197 - Andy Johnson (NU) dec. Keldrick Hall (OU), 8-2
285 - Tucker Lane (NU) dec. Nathan Fernandez (OU), 4-1
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. David Klingsheim (NU), 5-0
133 - Jordan Keller (OU) dec. Ridge Kiley (NU), 4-2
141 - Zack Bailey (OU) MD Mike Koehnlien (NU), 12-3
149 - Matt Lester (OU) MD Ross Grande (NU), 9-0
157 - Chase Nelson (OU) dec. Tyler Koehn (NU), 6-4
165 - Jordan Burroughs (NU) dec. Tyler Caldwell (OU), 7-3
174 - Caleb Kolb (NU) dec. Jeff James (OU), 5-3
184 - Josh Ihnen (NU) MD. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 8-0
Oklahoma 33, Iowa State 7

AMES, Iowa - Seventh-ranked Oklahoma ended an eight-match losing streak to No. 15 Iowa State Friday after defeating the Cyclones 33-7 at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
The Sooners (10-1, 1-1) snapped a skid that dated back to 2003 and earned their first win in Big 12 action.
"It was a very impressive performance," Jack Spates said. "The guys were very aggressive from every position whether it be top, bottom or neutral. This is a team that has beaten us in the past and we dominated today."
The dual began with a highly-anticipated bout between OU's fourth-ranked Tyler Caldwell and the Cyclones No. 10-ranked Andrew Sorenson at 165 pounds. However the match was a one-sided affair that saw Caldwell run away with a 9-1 major decision victory.
ISU's top-ranked Jon Reader returned the favor after earning a major decision win over Oklahoma's Jeff James, 13-4, to even the score, 4-4.
OU's 18th-ranked Erich Schmidtke gave the Sooners a 7-4 lead after defeating the Cyclones' Cole Shafer by a 5-0 decision. Schmidtke scored a takedown and reversal in the first and second period, respectively, and added 1:42 in riding time.
At 197-pounds OU's Keldrick Hall took Iowa State's Jerome Ward, ranked No. 13, to overtime but gave up a takedown with three seconds remaining to drop a 3-1 decision.
With the score tied at seven Oklahoma's Nathan Fernandez, ranked No. 11 amongst heavyweights, began a string of six-straight victories for the Sooners after scoring an 11-4 decision over Iowa State's 18th-ranked Kyle Simonson.
In the 125-pound match OU's Jarrod Patterson, No. 7 nationally, earned six takedowns, an escape and 1:14 in riding-time to run away with a 14-3 major decision win over ISU's Brandon Jones. The Sooners second major decision win put OU up 14-7.
At 133 pounds Jordan Keller never trailed ISU's Ben Cash and secured a 9-2 victory after accumulating 1:27 riding time to go along with three takedowns and two escapes.
Senior Zack Bailey was awarded a victory by forfeit at 141 pounds due to multiple injuries sustained to ISU's Chris Droiun. With the forfeit OU held a comfortable 23-7 lead going into the final bouts.
Matt Lester earned the Sooners third win by major decision after he dominated Iowa State's Nate Carr, 13-3. Lester was close to pinning Carr on multiple occasions but was unable to get both shoulders down and had to settle for three nearfalls. Lester had a total of 4:40 of riding time over the Cyclone and earned an additional two takedowns.
The Sooners closed out the evening with a Chase Nelson pin of ISU's Trent Weatherman in 1:13. The score was tied, 2-2, but Nelson muscled Weatherman to his back and the eventual pin.
"I am very proud of our kids and this is the way we need to be wrestling going into the end-run," Spates said.
The Sooners return to the friendly confines of the Howard McCasland Field House when they host No. 16 Nebraska on Friday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.
Match-By-Match Results
Match-by-Match Results
165 - Tyler Caldwell (OU) maj. dec. Andrew Sorenson (ISU), 9-1
174 - Jon Reader (ISU) maj. dec. Jeff James (OU), 13-4
184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Cole Shafer (ISU), 5-0
197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) dec. Jerome Ward (ISU), 3-1
285 - Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Kyle Simonson (ISU), 11-4
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) maj. dec. Brandon Jones (ISU), 14-3
133 - Jordan Keller (OU) dec. Ben Cash (ISU), 9-2
141 - Zack Bailey (OU) winner by forfeit
149 - Matt Lester (OU) maj. dec. Nate Carr (ISU), 13-3
157 - Chase Nelson (OU) fall Trent Weatherman (ISU), 1:13
Oklahoma Wrestling Looks to Break Streak at Iowa State
The Oklahoma wrestling team looks to break an eight-match losing streak to the Cyclones on Friday.

Erich Schmidtke

Oklahoma at Iowa State
Date
Friday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.
Location
Ames, Iowa | Hilton Coliseum
Oklahoma Notes
Iowa State Notes

NORMAN, Okla. - The seventh-ranked Oklahoma wrestling team (9-1, 0-1) travels to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 15th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Friday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.

Oklahoma will attempt to snap an eight-match skid against the Cyclones dating back to 2003.
The dual will be held alongside the Cyclones 21st-ranked women's gymnastics team in their version of "Beauty and the Beast."
"We're real eager about the challenge of competing against Iowa State," Jack Spates said. "They are one of the premier programs in the America and finished third at last year's NCAA Championships, edging us out. "Our guys have had great training. This is our first competition since school has started. We feel very well prepared and are excited about battling them on the mats." The Sooners are coming off an impressive 3-0 weekend at the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas, ousting No. 8 American (40-3), The Citadel (44-6) and Harvard (36-4). Last season Iowa State (6-5) topped the Sooners in Norman by a 21-12 final on Jan. 22. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Seven Sooners are ranked in this week's InterMat individual ranking, led by fourth-ranked Tyler Caldwell at 165 pounds. Senior Zack Bailey (141 pounds) sits at No. 6 and Jarrod Patterson is ranked No. 7 at 125 pounds. Chase Nelson fell just outside of the top 10 and sits at No. 11 among 157 pounders. Nathan Fernandez stands 11th among 285 pounders, while Erich Schmidtke is 18th at 184 pounds. Jordan Keller (133) remains at No. 19 after entering the rankings for the first time two weeks ago. Iowa State counters with five ranked wrestlers. Leading the way for the Cyclones is Jon Reader, ranked No. 1 among 174 pounders. Andrew Sorenson is ranked 10th at 165 pounds. Jerome Ward (197 pounds) and Kyle Simonson (HWT) are ranked No. 17 and 18, respectively. 141 pounder, Chris Drouin, is ranked No. 15 but will not wrestle due to injury. Sooner Participants (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (So.) 21-4 Jordan Keller (133) Wichita, Kan. (Jr.) 13-6 Zack Bailey (141) Kansas City, Mo. (Sr.) 18-2 Matt Lester (149) Eureka, Mo. (RFr.) 11-5 Chase Nelson (157) Wichita, Kan. (So.) 15-7 Tyler Caldwell (165) Wichita, Kan. (So.) 24-3 Jeff James (174) El Reno, Okla. (RSr.) 4-2 Ben Bridell (174) Birmingham, Ala. (RSo.) 4-5 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RSo.) 20-7 Keldrick Hall (197) Dallas, Texas (RSo.) 13-8 Nathan Fernandez (HWT) Lawton, Okla. (Sr.) 16-2 SOONER WRESTLING NOTES LAST ACTION... The Sooners are coming off an impressive 3-0 weekend at the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas, ousting No. 8 American (40-3), The Citadel (44-6) and Harvard (36-4). OKLAHOMA VS. IOWA STATE HISTORY. Iowa State leads the all-time series by a 48-33-3 margin. The Cyclones have won the last eight meetings against the Sooners, dating back to 2003. Last season, then-No. 2 ISU defeated Oklahoma 21-12 in Norman on Jan. 21. Only two Sooners on the current roster recorded wins a year ago against Iowa State (Zack Bailey and Jeff James).
SPATES TO RETIRE AT END OF SEASON Oklahoma Head Wrestling Coach Jack Spates, who is in his 18th season with the Sooners, announced Wednesday, Jan. 5 that he plans to retire from the position at the end of the current season.
"This is something that I had planned for quite a while," Spates said.
"I've been blessed by my tenure at OU. I've worked with the greatest kids, athletic director and president. I will leave with a smile on my face. It's a young man's game and a sport that requires tremendous passion and energy and I feel God is leading me in another direction at this time."
That direction may involve ministerial work. Spates received a master's degree in theology and education from Baptist Bible Seminary in 1980.
DROPPING WEIGHT Sophomores Tyler Caldwell and Chase Nelson have dropped weight classes and will compete at 165 and 157 pounds, respectively. In addition, senior Jeff James and freshman Matt Lester also dropped to 174 and 149, respectively. Caldwell, reigning All-American at 165 pounds, has been impressive collecting a 14-2 record after moving up to 174 pounds.
NELSON EARNS MIDLANDS TITLE After dropping to 157 pounds, Chase Nelson won five-straight bouts to earn the 157 pound title at the Midlands Championships.
UP NEXT...
The Sooners return to the friendly confines of the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman on Friday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. when they host No. 16 Nebraska.
Oklahoma Sooners Roll the Competition at Lone Star Duals
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The seventh-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team coasted through the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday by dominating three opponents to improve its season dual record to 9-1.
The Sooners, who never trailed, began the day with a decisive victory over No. 8 American (22-14) and followed that by overpowering the likes of The Citadel (31-3) and Harvard (33-8). Oklahoma won each dual by an average score of 29-8 and claimed 25-of-30 total bouts.
Three non-starters saw action for the Sooners. Heavyweight transfer Elijah Madison saw his first action as a Sooner and defeated The Citadel's Luke Johnson, 5-1. Greg Cannon and Dustin Reed each went 1-0 after defeating their opponents from the Citadel.
Sooner starters that went undefeated at the event include: Zack Bailey (3-0), Tyler Caldwell (3-0), Erich Schmidtke (3-0), Jarrod Patterson (2-0), Jordan Keller (2-0) and Nathan Fernandez (2-0).
The competition gets stiffer as Oklahoma opens Big 12 action at No. 16 Iowa State Sat., Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. Oklahoma will attempt to snap an eight-match Cyclone win streak dating back to 2003.
No. 7 Oklahoma 22, No. 8 American 14
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Nayman Arujau (AU), 1-0 133 - Jordan Keller (OU) dec. Kevin Tao (AU), 4-2 141 - Zack Bailey (OU) dec. Matthew Manacher (AU), 7-2 149 - Ganbayar Sanjaa (AU) dec. Matt Lester (OU), 9-7 157 - Steve Fittery (AU) tech. fall Chase Nelson (OU), 15-0 165 - Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Patrick Graham (AU), 6-2 174 - Jeff James (OU) dec. Phillip Barreiro (AU), 14-9 184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) maj. dec. Thomas Barreiro (AU), 20-7 197 - Daniel Mitchell (AU) fall Keldrick Hall (OU), 7:44 285 - Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Ryan Flores (AU), 4-2
No. 7 Oklahoma 31, The Citadel 3
125 - Greg Cannon (OU) dec. Richard Alarcon (CIT), 3-2 133 - Dustin Reed (OU) dec. Tyler Sim (CIT), 3-2 141 - Zack Bailey (OU) maj dec. Jordan Dix (CIT), 12-3 149 - Matt Lester (OU) tech fall Derek Royster (CIT), 16-0 157 - Chase Nelson (OU) dec. Pierre Frazile (CIT), 10-5 165 - Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (CIT), 1-0 174 - J.C. Oddo (CIT) dec. Ben Bridell (OU), 7-2 184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) maj. dec. Justin Sparrow (CIT), 12-3 197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) dec. Kelby Smith (CIT), 5-2 285 - Elijah Madison (OU) dec. Luke Johnson (CIT), 5-1
No. 7 Oklahoma 33, Harvard 8
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Steven Keith (HAR), 7-4
133 - Jordan Keller (OU) maj. dec. Shay Warren (HAR), 8-0
141 - Zack Bailey (OU) maj. dec. Joe Marino (HAR), 21-9
149 - Matt Lester (OU) fall Joe Alie (HAR), 0:57
157 - Walter Peppelman (HAR) tech. fall Chase Nelson (OU), 16-0
165 - Tyler Caldwell (OU) tech. fall Nick Brazeau (HAR), 19-4
174 - Ian Roy (HAR) dec. Jeff James (OU), 4-2
184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Cameron Croy (HAR), 4-0
197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) maj. dec. Bryan Panzano (HAR), 17-5
285 - Nathan Fernandez (OU) maj. dec. Andrew Knapp (HAR), 12-2
Oklahoma Sooners Rally Past Navy, 28-9

NORMAN, Okla. - The eighth-ranked Oklahoma wrestling squad (6-1, 0-1) rallied to trounce the Navy Midshipmen, 28-9, at the fourth annual "Beauty and the Beast" event held at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Wrestling alongside the fourth-ranked OU women's gymnastics team in front of 2,351 fans at the Lloyd Noble Center, Oklahoma won its final six matches of the evening.

"We were not feeling real sharp," head coach Jack Spates said. "But the good news is when you look at the final score, even though we weren't feeling sharp, we battled hard and wound up dominating a tough match."

On the women's side, the Sooner gymnasts opened their season with a score of 195.425 to top No. 11 Arkansas (195.075).

The dual began with a heated battle at 157 pounds between OU' No. 6-ranked Chase Nelson and the Midshipmen's eighth-ranked Bryce Saddoris. With the score tied at three Navy's Saddoris chose the bottom position and earned an escape to take the 4-3 lead. Nelson's attempt at a takedown with under a minute remaining was soured after he was penalized a point, giving Saddoris the 5-3 win.

Sophomore Tyler Caldwell got the Sooners on the winning track after he handily defeated Navy's Mason Bailey, 14-2. The major decision victory gave OU a 4-3 advantage heading into the 174-pound bout.

Debuting for the Sooners at 174 pounds was senior Jeff James. Heading into the third period tied, 2-2, Navy's Oscar Huntley secured an escape and takedown to earn the 5-3 victory and gave the Midshipmen a 6-4 lead.

The Sooners fell behind 9-4 after OU's Erich Schmidtke took Navy's Luke Rebertus to three overtimes before eventually falling 3-2.

After the loss at 184 pounds Oklahoma put together a string of six-straight victories to run away with the decisive win.

Keldrick Hall started the onslaught at 197 pounds where he defeated Navy's Greg Prioleau, 8-6.
At heavyweight Nathan Fernandez earned a takedown in the first period and an escape in the third to secure a 3-1 decision over Navy's Dan Miller.

Jarrod Patterson gave the Sooners their third victory by decision after he earned three takedowns, a reversal and two escapes over Navy's Aaron Kalil at 125 pounds to put the Sooners ahead 13-9.
133-pounder Jordan Keller gave the Sooners a decisive 19-9 lead after pinning the Midshipmen's Allen Stein in 6:43.

Despite being under-the-weather, Zack Bailey never trailed Dustin Haislip of Navy and was able to secure a 6-4 victory at 141 pounds.

Matt Lester's debut at 149 pounds proved to be a big move for the Sooners as he earned a fall over Eric Flipowcz with a time of 6:12, ending the dual with a final score of 28-9.

"That's a tough team (Navy) and they wrestled hard," Spates said. "The bottom line is we took it away from them to win going away and that's not easy to do against Navy."

Up next the Sooners will travel to Arlington, Texas, to compete in the Lone Star Duals against No. 22 American, Citadel and Harvard on Saturday, Jan. 15.
Match-by-Match Results

Bout-By-Bout Results
157 - Bryce Saddoris (N) dec. Chase Nelson (OU), 5-3
165 - Tyler Caldwell (OU) maj dec. Mason Bailey (N), 14-2
174 - Oscar Huntley (N) dec. Jeff James (OU), 5-3
184 - Luke Rebertus (N) dec. Erich Schmidtke, 3-2
197 - Keldrick Hall (OU) dec. Greg Prioleay (N), 8-6
285 - Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Dan Miller (N), 3-1
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Aaron Kalil (N), 11-6
133 - Jordan Keller (OU) fall Allen Stein (N), 6:43
141 - Zack Bailey (OU) dec. Dustin Haislip (N), 6-4
149 - Matt Lester (OU) fall Eric Flipowcz (N), 6:12
Oklahoma University's Beauty and the Beast, Bedlam Tickets On Sale Wednesday

Ticket Info

Beauty and the Beast | <http://www.soonersports.com/ot/beauty_beast.html> More Info
Friday, Jan. 7, 2011 | Lloyd Noble Center
* $8 - Public General Admission
* $5 - Youth (K-12) General Admission
* $4 - Groups of 10-99
* $3 - Groups of 100 or more
Bedlam (OU v. OSU) Tickets Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011 | McCasland Field House * $15 - Reserved Seats * $10 - General Admission (includes youth K-12) * $5 - Group (Pre-arranged for groups of 10 or more)
Promotions for Beauty and the Beast * Apple iPad * Multiple $100 Gas Gift Cards (Courtesy of Circle K) * Hundreds of Dollars in Additional Gift Cards NORMAN, Okla. --OU's annual "Beauty and the Beast" and Bedlam tickets go on sale Wednesday, Dec. 15. Tickets will be available for purchase at 8 a.m. through the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU.
Ticket prices for "Beauty and the Beast" scheduled for Friday, Jan. 7, are $8 for adults and $5 for youth. The Bedlam dual set for Sunday, Feb. 20, will be $15 for reserved seats and $10 for general admission. Group rate information is below.
This year's "Beauty and the Beast" event pits the Sooners' wrestling team against Navy. They will compete alongside the No. 4-ranked Oklahoma women's gymnastics team, who is set to take on the 11th-ranked Arkansas, inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m.

Group Ticket Packages | More Info
Have a group of 10 or more? Group ticket packages starting at $4 are offered for the "Beauty and the Beast" event and $5 for Bedlam. For group ticket information, please contact our Group Ticket Department at (405) 325-8465. Groups must be arranged at least 24 hours prior to the meet. For more information, please visit our Group Tickets page.

Special Seating Requirements | More Info
ADA seating is available on a first come, first served basis and does not require specific tickets for access. Please contact the Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free (800) 456-GoOU for further information.

OU Athletics Ticket Office
The OU Athletics Ticket Office is located on the plaza level of the Asp Avenue Parking Facility, immediately west of the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. A limited number of metered parking spaces are available on the second floor of the parking facility and on Asp Street for customer use. The OU Athletics Ticket Office handles ticketing for all OU athletics events and is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | <http://graphics.fansonly.com/schools/okla/graphics/okla_athletics_ticket_office.gif>Map to Ticket Office
Oklahoma Sooners Drop First Bedlam Dual, 22-12

Oklahoma (5-1) dropped its first dual of the season, Sunday, at No. 2 Oklahoma State.
STILLWATER, Okla. - The eighth-ranked Oklahoma (5-1) wrestling squad dropped its first dual of the season at the hands of No. 2 Oklahoma State (3-0), 22-12, at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate what happened tonight," head coach Jack Spate's said. "I was really disappointed in our effort and performance." V
The Bedlam showdown got underway at 184 pounds in a rematch between OU's Erich Schmidtke and OSU's Chris Perry. Schmidtke upset the Cowboy's then-No. 5 ranked Perry, 13-2, at the Oklahoma City Open on Nov. 7. The second meeting did not fare as well for the Sooner as Schmidtke fell behind 3-0 before earning his first points on an escape in the third period. That was all Schmidtke could manage as Perry took the bout by a 6-1 decision.
The Sooners fell behind, 7-0, after OU's Keldrick Hall gave up a 14-3 major decision to Oklahoma State's fifth-ranked Chris Perry at 197 pounds.
Oklahoma senior Nathan Fernandez looked to get OU on track in the heavyweight bout going against OSU's Blake Rosholt. Fernandez had a 3-2 lead in the third period, but Rosholt scored a reversal with just 25 seconds remaining to pull off the upset, 4-3, over the Sooners eighth-ranked wrestler.
The Sooners trailed 10-0 heading into the 125-pound bout between OU's fifth-ranked Jarrod Patterson and OSU's No. 7 Jon Morrison. Patterson, the reigning Big 12 Champion, took the early lead after posting an escape in the first period. Morrison was awarded a point after Patterson was penalized for locking hands, evening the score at 1-1. Patterson rode out Morrison in the third period to give him a riding time of 1:04 and the 2-1 decision to put Oklahoma on the board, 10-3.
The Cowboy's Jordan Oliver earned a pin over OU's Jordan Keller at 133 pounds, putting Oklahoma State out 16-3 in the dual. V
Zack Bailey earned the Sooners second win of the night after defeating OSU's Luke Silver, 8-5, at 141 pounds. Bailey led 2-1 after earning a takedown and giving up an escape in the first period. Bailey started the second period off with an early escape and ended it with a takedown, but gave up a reversal with just seconds remaining. Bailey secured the victory with a takedown in the third and 2:20 of riding time. After the victory the Sooners trailed 16-6.
At 149 pounds Oklahoma's Nick Lester dropped a 5-2 decision to the Cowboys' No. 9-ranked Jamal Parks. The Sooners trailed 19-6 heading into the 157-pound bout.
OU's Matt Lester brought the score to 19-9 after he upset OSU's Albert White. Lester scored the bouts only points after posting an escape in the second period to give the Sooner the 1-0 win.
The 165-pound bout between saw Oklahoma's Chase Nelson pitted against the Cowboys' Dallas Bailey. Bailey scored first with a reversal in the second period. Nelson answered with an escape to put the score at 2-1 going into the third. In the third, Nelson came close to scoring a takedown, but did not get the call from the official and dropped a 2-1 decision, giving the Cowboys a 22-9 advantage.
In the duals final match, OU's Tyler Caldwell, ranked No. 5, scored an escape and a takedown to earn the 3-0 decision over OSU's 13th-ranked Mike Benefiel, ending the Bedlam showdown with a final score of 22-12.
The Sooners break for finals before gearing up for the Midlands Invitational on Dec. 29-30 in Chicago, Ill.
No. 2 Oklahoma State 22, No. 8 Oklahoma 12
184: No. 17 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 12 Erich Schmidtke (OU); 6-1
197: No. 5 Clayton Foster (OSU) MD Keldrick Hall (OU); 14-3
285: Blake Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 8 Nathan Fernandez (OU); 4-3
125: No. 6 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 7 Jon Morrison (OSU); 2-1
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) fall Jordan Keller (OU); 3:51
141: No. 6 Zack Bailey (OU) dec. No. 19 Luke Silver (OSU); 8-5
149: No. 9 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Nick Lester (OU); 5-2
157: Matt Lester (OU) dec. No. 15 Albert White (OSU); 1-0
165: No. 13 Dallas Bailey (OSU) dec. Chase Nelson (OU); 2-1
174: No. 5 Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. No. 13 Mike Benefiel (OSU); 3-0
Oklahoma Wrestling Tallies Two Victories at Oklahoma Open
Oklahoma shut out Oklahoma City and North Carolina State Saturday.
Head coach Jack Spates along with head assistant Sammie Henson
NORMAN, Okla. - The eighth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team took care of business Saturday at the Oklahoma Open, topping Oklahoma City, 43-0, and North Carolina State, 52-0, at the Mosier Indoor Track Facility in Norman.
OU (5-0) recorded seven pins on the day, six of which came against the Wolfpack. The Sooners 52-0 victory over North Carolina State marks the second-highest margin of victory in Oklahoma history, trailing only the 2007 squad that defeated Oklahoma City 55-0.

"This is about as fine a team performance as I've been associated with," head coach Jack Spates said. "It's not who we've wrestled, but how we wrestled. We were tough, aggressive and worked hard. I think this team is turning the corner. We are a young team, but a young team that is getting better every match."

Oklahoma standout Seth Vernon (149 pounds) recorded two pins on the day. Other Sooners recording pins were Jordan Keller (133), Chase Nelson (165), Tyler Caldwell (174), Keldrick Hall (197) and Nathan Fernandez (HWT), all of which came against the Wolfpack.

In addition to the seven pins the Sooners racked up three technical falls, all coming against Oklahoma City in the first dual of the day. Dustin Reed (133), Zack Bailey (141), Caldwell and Hall each sported technical fall victories over the Stars.

The most thrilling bout of the evening came at the 141-pound matchup between OU's Zack Bailey and NC State's Darrius Little. Bailey, ranked No. 1 nationally, fell behind 4-1 in the first period, but scored a takedown with eight-seconds remaining in the third period to secure the 7-6 victory.

"We are going to have to step it up considerably next week in Vegas but we are excited about it," Spates said.

Next up the Sooners travel to Las Vegas, Nev., to compete in the Cliff Keen Invitational, Dec. 3-4, before returning to dual action against in-state foe Oklahoma State in the Big 12 opener on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. in Stillwater.
Oklahoma 43, Oklahoma City 0
Oklahoma 43, Oklahoma City 0 125 - Patterson (OU) dec. Gomez (OCU), 9-2 133 - Reed (OU) tech. fall Wright (OCU), 4:38 141 - Bailey (OU) tech. fall Wheeler (OCU), 5:20 149 - Vernon (OU) fall Perez (OCU), 2:35 157 - M. Lester (OU) dec. Meyer (OCU), 3-2 165 - Detmer (OU) dec. Campbell (OCU), 11-6 174 - Caldwell (OU) tech. fall Pontikes (OCU), 6:23 184 - Bridell (OU) maj. dec. Brigance (OCU), 11-3 197 - Hall (OU) tech. fall Mabry (OCU), 23-8 285 - Bach (OU) maj. dec. Lattimore (OCU), 16-4
Oklahoma 52, North Carolina State 0
Oklahoma 52, North Carolina State 0
125 - Patterson (OU) maj. dec. Moreno (NCS), 9-1
133 - Keller (OU) fall Shull (NCS), 4:15
141 - Bailey (OU) dec. Little (NCS), 7-6
149 - Vernon (OU) fall Farina (NCS), 1:25
157 - Lester (OU) dec. Palmer (NCS), 4-2
165 - Nelson (OU) fall Young (NCS), 0:24
174 - Caldwell (OU) fall Godley (NCS), 6:23
184 - Schmidtke winner by forfeit
197 - Hall (OU) fall Jones (NCS), 4:57
285 - Fernandez (OU) fall McClean (NCS), 4:11
Oklahoma Wrestling Captures 12th-Straight Brockport Title

The Sooners remain the only school to capture the prestigious Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic Title.
BROCKPORT, N.Y.- The eighth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team won its 12th straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title Saturday and remains the only team to ever win the event.
Additionally, five Sooners claimed individual titles and five more garnered top-three finishes.
"I'm proud of our guys," head coach Jack Spates said. "We had a lot of great performances today."
The Sooners won the team portion with 145.5 total points. The Sooners closest competition was Rutgers who finished with 124.5 points.
Maryland (101.5), Clarion (95) and Buffalo (89) rounded out the top five.
Recording 4-0 outings on the day to capture individual crowns were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Zack Bailey (141), Matt Lester (157), Tyler Caldwell (174) and Jeff James (184).

Sooners earning second place finishes were Jordan Keller at 133 pounds and Keldrick Hall at 197 pounds.
Additionally, Seth Vernon (149), Erich Schmidtke (184) and Nathan Fernandez (HWT) were each awarded third place finishes.
"I thought it was an outstanding overall effort." Spates said. "We wrestled hard, aggressively and we showed a lot of character. It was a good building block for us."
The Sooners return to dual action next Thursday, Nov. 18, when they travel to Arizona State to take on the Sun Devils at 7 p.m.
Final Team Standings

1. Oklahoma (145.5 points)
2. Rutgers (124.5)
3. Maryland (101.5)
4. Clarion (95)
5. Buffalo (89)
6. Army (75)
7. American (68)
8. Brockport (17)
No. 8 Oklahoma Wrestling Crushes Buffalo, 28-7
The Sooners now go in search of their 12th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title Saturday, Nov. 13, at Sunny Brockport.

Tyler Caldwell
BUFFALO, NY - The eighth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad (2-0) cruised past Buffalo, 28-7, at Alumni Arena Friday to remain unbeaten on the season.
"It was a good outing against a tough team," head coach Jack Spates said. "They beat Nebraska last year and we wanted to make sure that we wouldn't be among their victims. I thought the guys showed a lot of character. We seemed a little sluggish from the trip, but we were the ones winning the close matches and we were the ones coming from behind at the end. Overall, there were a lot of good things I saw."
Jarrod Patterson, the reigning Big 12 Champion at 125 pounds, got the Sooners started with a 4-1 victory over the Bulls' Taylor Golba, which put the Sooners up 3-0.
The Sooners fell behind 4-3 after OU's Dustin Reed fell to Buffalo's Kevin Smith at 133 pounds, 14-5.
OU regained the lead, 7-4, when returning All-American Zack Bailey scored a 14-4 major decision victory over UB's Andrew Schutt in the 141 pound bout.
The bout at 149 pounds between OU's Nick Lester and BU's Desi Green went to seven overtimes before Lester finally claimed the victory, 6-2, with a four point near fall.
"Nick Lester twisted his ankle early in the match and came back to beat Green, who is ranked No. 10, to upset him," Spates said. "That was a good win for him."
Matt Lester became only the second Sooner victim to fall in the dual after he lost, 4-2, to the Bulls Mark Lewandoski. That narrowed the Sooners lead at 10-7.
Oklahoma's Chase Nelson got the Sooners back on the winning track after defeating UB's John-Martin Cannon, 4-3, in overtime.
"Chase Nelson also came back to force overtime against a ranked wrestler and got a good win," Spates said.
Returning All-American Tyler Caldwell made his debut for the Sooners at 174 pounds. The Wichita, Kan., product handled the Bulls Ron Majerus with a 7-1 win, putting OU up 16-7.
In the 184 pound Bout OU's Erich Schmidtke won a 4-0 decision over Jimmy Hamel to give the Sooners a 19-7 lead over the Bulls.
Keldric Hall had three takedowns to claim a 9-4 decision over UB's Josh Peters in the 197 pound bout.
OU's Nathan Fernandez had the only pin of the night over Buffalo's Brett Correll with a time of 2:48. The fall ended the dual with a final score of 28-7.
"A lot of tough bouts and a lot of good wins today," Spates said.
The Sooners get little rest as they go in search of their 12th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title Saturday, Nov. 13, at Sunny Brockport.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
125 - No. 9 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Taylor Golba (UB), 4-1
133 - No. 10 Kevin Smith (UB) maj. dec. Dustin Reed (OU), 14-5
141 - No. 1 Zack Bailey (OU) maj. dec. Andrew Schutt (UB), 14-4
149 - Nick Lester (OU) dec. No. 10 Desi Green (UB), 6-2 (7OT)
157 - Mark Lewandowski (UB) dec. Matt Lester (OU), 4-2
165 - Chase Nelson (OU) dec. No. 15 John Martin Cannon (UB), 4-3
174 - No. 8 Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Ron Majerus (UB), 7-1
184 - No. 18 Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. No. 14 Jimmy Hamel (UB), 4-0
197 - Keldric Hall (OU) dec. Josh Peters (UB), 9-4
HWT - No. 10 Nathan Fernandez (OU) Fall 2:58 over Brett Correll (UB)
Oklahoma Sooners to Compete at Buffalo, Brockport Open

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma's eighth-ranked wrestling squad travels to Buffalo, N.Y., to take on the University of Buffalo Friday, Nov. 12, before going to Brockport, N.Y., in search of its 12th straight Brockport Open title Saturday, Nov. 13.
The Sooners (1-0) are coming off a 39-0 victory over Central Oklahoma in their opener.
"This is another building block in our season as we prepare for the NCAA Championship," head coach Jack Spates said. "This is a step up from the competition we have faced to date. This is also on the road, which is going to be another test for us. I think when it is over we are going to be a step ahead in terms of knowing where we are at and knowing what we need to compete for a national championship. Our guys are really eager to get out and battle."
The Sooners have five Sooners individually ranked to begin the season, headlined by returning All-Americans Zack Bailey, ranked No. 1 at 141 pounds, and Tyler Caldwell, No. 8 at 174 pounds. Also in the top 10 are Big 12 Champion Jarrod Patterson, slated No. 9 at 125 pounds, and No. 10 Nathan Fernandez among heavyweights. The Sooners also return starters Jeff James (184 pounds) and Erich Schmidtke (184 pounds). James wrestled at 174 pounds for the Sooners last year and was ranked as high as No. 15 preseason in the 174 pound weight class. Schmidtke, ranked No. 18, continues to man the 184 pound position for the Sooners after defeating James by a 2-1 decision in the Red/White Classic. at Buffalo (Nov. 12) Buffalo is lead by head coach Jim Beichner, now in his 14th season, owns a career record of 126-91-3 (.580). The Bulls are 1-0 after defeating Boston University 20-15 to open the season.
This marks only the second time the Sooners and Bulls have met with the first meeting going in favor of the Sooners, 39-7, in Norman back in 1975-76.
Action begins at 2 p.m. Friday at Alumni Arena. Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic (Nov. 13) Joining Oklahoma in this year's field are American, Maryland, Rutgers, Army, Buffalo, Clarion and the College of Brockport.
Last season Oklahoma claimed the team title with 144.5 points. Ohio State (144 points), Rutgers (120.5), Edinboro (110) and Kent State (100.5) rounded out the top five.
Oklahoma wrestlers Shane Vernon, Jeff James and Eric Lapotsky claimed individual crowns at 157, 174 and 197 pounds, respectively. Zack Bailey (141 pounds) along with the Chad (157 pounds) and Kyle Terry (149 pounds) each earned silver medals.
The 12th annual Brockport Invitational Wrestling Tournament will be held at the Tuttle North Gymnasium on the college of Brockport campus.
Probable Sooner Starters (Weight)
Hometown (Year)
Record
No. 9 Jarrod Patterson (125)
Cushing, Okla. (So.)
1-0
Dustin Reed (133) -or-
Choctaw, Okla (Fr.)
6-1
Jordon Keller (133)
Wichita, Kan. (Jr.)
0-0
No. 1 Zack Bailey (141)
Kansas City, Mo. (Sr.)
1-0
Nick Lester (149)
St. Louis, Mo. (RFr.)
1-0
Matt Lester (157)
Eureka, Mo. (RFr.)
1-0
Chase Nelson (165)
Wichita, Kan. (So.)
1-0
Nolan McBryde (174) -or-
Eagle River, Alaska (RFr.)
5-1
Tyler Caldwell (174)
Wichita, Kan. (So.)
0-0
No. 18 Erich Schmidtke (184)
Aberdeen, Wash. (RSo.)
4-0
Keldrick Hall (197)
Dallas, Texas (RSo.)
2-0
No. 10 Nathan Fernandez (HWT)
Lawton, Okla. (Sr.)
1-0

SOONER NOTES

NOVEMBER EQUALS SUCCESS...
Entering his 18th season as head coach, Jack Spates has yet to lose a November dual at Oklahoma. His record stands at 25-0-1 for the month.

W.I.N POWER RANKINGS...
The Sooners jumped up to No. 6 in the Wrestling Insider News Tournament Power Index after an impressive showing at the Oklahoma City Open. In the Open Erich Schmidtke and Joe Bach each claimed individual titles. Alex Eckstrom and Keldrick Hall fell in the 133 and 197 pound finals, respectively.
Oklahoma Wins in Shutout Over Central Oklahoma, 39-0

The eighth ranked Sooners trompled Central Oklahoma to open the season, 39-0.

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma tallied two pins in route to a 39-0 shutout over the University of Central Oklahoma Tuesday night.
"It was a really strong performance with so many positives," head coach Jack Spates said. "Two pins on the night and the guys are buying into what we are doing. They believe in their training and they are wrestling confidently and aggressively. It was just a real solid performance. I'm very impressed with our guys and proud of them."
Big 12 Champion Jarrod Patterson started the Sooners off with a 6-0 lead after scoring the first pin of the night on the Bronchos' Austin Quinton. Patterson had acquired a 9-2 lead before securing the fall in the third period with a time of 5:38. The Sooners jumped ahead 9-0 after freshman Dustin Reed defeated UCO's Trison Graham, 8-5. The freshman from Choctaw, Okla., managed two takedowns and a near fall in the bout.
At 141 pounds All-American Zack Bailey ran out to an 8-3 lead after the first period and never let up on UCO's Kaleb Cradduck ending his bout with a 19-6 tech fall. Bailey's tech fall put the Sooners up 14-0.
"You look at Zack Bailey and the improvements that he has made. His opponent had him beat on that first shot. Defense has never been his forte, but he keeps fighting, scrambling and coming out. Then you add his top-work, which he has improved a thousand percent. We believe in top-work and it was evident tonight."
Oklahoma redshirt freshman Nick Lester showed great poise after falling behind 5-6 at the end of the first period to the Bronchos' Ben Morgan. In the second Lester was awarded a three-point near fall to take the lead, 8-6. Lester secured two more points on an escape and 1:16 of riding time to give him the, 10-6, decision.
"Look at the poise of a Nick Lester, who gets behind," Spates said. "Things are looking bad, but he keeps his composure, keeps battling and keeps scoring."
Twin brother Matt Lester continued the momentum after running away from UCO's Chris Watson in the 157 pound bout. Lester secured a near fall in the second period to go up 7-3, and won the match, 13-3, putting the Sooners up 21-0.
Chase Nelson gave the Sooners their second pin of the evening against Derrick Adkins at 165 pounds. Nelson was up 7-1 off of two takedowns and a near fall before making the pin at the 1:01 minute mark. After the third pin of the night the Sooners were up 30-0 over Central Oklahoma.
Nolan McBryde filled in for Tyler Caldwell at 174 pounds. After a scoreless first period, McBryde took a 1-0 lead after making an escape. At the end of the third period UCO's Patrick Finn had a takedown, putting him up 3-1, but McBryde got a reversal with seconds remaining to put the match into overtime. In overtime McBryde scored a takedown to get the victory, 5-3.
"Iceberg (Nolan McBryde) did a great job as our backup at 174 in a tight match," Spates said. "The fact that we are scoring at the end like that is real important."
Erich Schmidtke, fresh off his 184-pound Oklahoma Open Championship, continued his winning ways against the Bronchos' eight-ranked Tanner Keck. Schmidtke went up 2-0 in the first off a takedown and in the second he secured a three-point near fall. Schmidtke rounded out the third with an escape and 2:17 of riding time to give him a, 7-0, win. v
Sophomore Keldric Hall added three more points to the Sooners total after downing UCO's Jarret Edison, 9-3, in the 197-pound bout.
OU's lone senior Nathan Fernandez assured the Sooners shutout after defeating the Broncho's Randy Toche, 11-4, in the heavyweight bout.
The eighth-ranked Sooners are 1-0 in dual action and will travel to Buffalo, N.Y., to take on Buffalo Friday, Nov. 12, before competing in the annual Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic Saturday, Nov. 13. Oklahoma will attempt to win its 12th-straight team title at the event.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) def. Austin Quinton (UCO), Fall 6:38
133 - Dustin Reed (OU) def. Trison Graham (UCO), Dec. 8-5
141 - Zack Bailey (OU) def. Kaleb Cradduck (UCO), Tech. Fall 19-6
149 - Nick Lester (OU) def. Ben Morgan (UCO), Dec. 10-6
157 - Matt Lester (OU) def. Chris Watson (UCO), Maj. Dec. 13-3
165 - Chase Nelson (OU) def. Derrick Adkins (UCO), Fall 1:01
174 - Nolan McBryde (OU) def. Patrick Finn (UCO), Dec. 5-3
184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) def. Tanner Keck (UCO), Dec. 7-0
197 - Keldric Hall (OU) def. Jarret Edison (UCO), Dec. 9-3
285 - Nathan Fernandez (OU) def. Randy Tonche (UCO), Dec. 11-4
Oklahoma's Schmidtke, Bach Claim OCU Open Titles

Oklahoma wrestlers Erich Schmidtke and Joe Bach claimed individual titles at the Oklahoma City Open Sunday.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Erich Schmidtke and Joe Bach each claimed individual titles at the Oklahoma City Open Sunday, Nov. 7, at the Abe Lemons Arena on the OCU campus.
"This was an important tournament for us," head coach Jack Spates said. "This was a great opportunity for our guys to grow and I think they took good advantage of it. We saw a lot of our guys grow up during the tournament. They learned a lot throughout it."
Schmidtke, a redshirt sophomore from Aberdeen, Wash., pulled off the biggest upset of his career with an 11-3 major decision victory over OSU's fifth-ranked Chris Perry. The Sooner victory at 184 pounds was huge for Schmidtke who finished last season with an overall record of 16-19.
"Especially impressive was Erich Schmidtke," Spates said. "In the finals he beat an outstanding wrestler in Chris Perry from Oklahoma State, the No 5 ranked wrestler in the country. It was a hard-fought bout, but he (Schmidtke) never flinched and our wrestlers got to see that if you keep battling and you fight through the tough situations, good things happen."
Bach, a redshirt sophomore from Liberal, Kan., claimed the second tournament title for the Sooners in the heavyweight division. Bach also defeated an opponent from in-state rival OSU. Back won by an injury default over the Cowboy's Alan Gelogaev.
"Also a big congratulations to Joe Bach on an outstanding performance and a championship as well," said Spates. "Our second team heavyweight did a great job, had some key wins and has been making big strides.
Two other Sooners, Alex Eckstrom and Keldrick Hall, competed in the 133 and 197 pound finals, respectively. Ekstrom, a sophomore from Palmyra, N.Y., was defeated by Oklahoma State's Jordan Oliver be a 7-3 decision. Hall, a sophomore from Dallas, Texas, fell to OSU's Clayton Foster. Both Oklahoma wrestlers placed second in their respective weight classes.
Six other Sooners finished the Open with a third place finish which include: Greg Cannon (4-1) at 125 pounds, Dustin Reed (133 pounds) after going an impressive 5-1, Kendrick Maple at 141 pounds, Seth Vernon at 149 pounds, Kyle Detmer at 165 pounds after defeating fellow Sooner Derek Peperas in the third place bout and Nolan McBryde who defeated Sooner Ronnie Balfour in the 174 pound bout.
Other Sooners competing in the Open include: Quincy Mondaine, Ronnie Balfour, Scott Chene, Kyle Colling, Sean Datte, Justin DeAngelis, Dillon Dennis, Ian Fisher, Derek Geiges, Chase Gordon, Kosta Karageorge, Dax Perrier, Clay Reeb, Dustin Reed and Ben Bridell.
"It was a good experience overall and it will help prepare us for Central Oklahoma, which is going to be a real fun dual meet, Tuesday, given that there will be a ton of Oklahoma wrestlers on the mat," Spates said. "Of course UCO has that great division-two national champion tradition. We are looking forward to Tuesday night and want to encourage Sooner fans and wrestling fans to come out and see some good action."
The Sooners host their first dual meet against the University of Central Oklahoma on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at the McCasland Field House. Admission is free to the public.
Oklahoma City Open Final Results
Championship Finals
125: Jon Morrison, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Tyler Dorrell, Oklahoma State-unattached, 8-2
133: Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Alex Eckstrom, Oklahoma-unattached, 7-3
141: Luke Silver, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Josh Kindig, Oklahoma State-unattached, 7-6
149: Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Albert White, Oklahoma State-unattached, 3-1
157: Stephen Swan, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Nik Turner, Oklahoma City-unattached, 2-1, TB
165: Dallas Bailey, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Derrick Adkins, Central Oklahoma, 3-2
174: Chris McNeil, Oklahoma State-unattached, dec. Zach White, Oklahoma State-unattached, 8-2
184: Erich Schmidtke, Oklahoma, maj. dec. Chris Perry, Oklahoma State-unattached, 11-3
197: Clayton Foster, Oklahoma State-unattached, maj. dec. Keldrick Hall, Oklahoma, 14-3
285: Joe Bach, Oklahoma, def. Alan Gelogaev, Oklahoma State-unattached, by inj. default
Red Team Dominates White in Oklahoma Ranking Matches
The Red team posted a 28-6 trouncing of the White team in OU's 2010 Red/White Classic.
Nathan Fernandez
NORMAN, Okla. -- In its final preseason event of the season, the University of Oklahoma's wrestling squad saw the red team dominate the white squad by a 28-6 final margin at the annual Red/White scrimmage in Edmond on the campus of UCO Wednesday evening.
"I thought it was a great performance tonight," head coach Jack Spates said. "I thought for the most part we did well, especially since we really trained through this experience."
The evening began with an exhibition match between Justin DeAngelis and Bobby Williams at 149 pounds. DeAngelis took the early, 2-0, lead after a first period takedown and never looked back. DeAngelis, the 2010 Lindenwood champion, won the match 8-0.
Intrasquad action opened with the 125 pound dual between Jarrod Patterson and Greg Cannon. Patterson, the defending Big 12 champion, ran out to a 5-0 lead late in the second period before Cannon had a reversal, 5-2. Patterson poured it on in the third period when he added two more escapes to take the victory, 10-4, and give the Red team a 3-0 advantage.
"I thought Jarrod Patterson did some real good things and turned a pretty tough match into a route," Spates said.
The 133-pound bout was decided in the third period between sophomore Alex Ekstrom and freshman Dustin Reed. Ekstrom led 3-1 going into the final period but Reed got an escape to close within one. Ekstrom closed out the win for the Red team after gaining a minute of riding time and the 4-2 decision.
Returning All-American Zack Bailey then recorded the victory at 141 pounds over Scott Chene with a total of seven takedowns in the match. Chene was only able to muster multiple escapes throughout, giving Bailey a 16-4 win and putting the Red team up 10-0.
"I thought Zack Bailey, just his aggressiveness and his relentlessness, has really turned the corner," Spates said. "He's a great wrestler and I'm real excited to watch him this year."
Freshman Nick Lester took to the mat for the Red team taking on Shane Vernon. After a scoreless first period Lester posted an escape to give him the early, 1-0, lead. Vernon accounted for an escape in the third period to send it to overtime. In overtime Lester secured the win, 3-1, with a takedown.
The Red team continued the route after Matt Lester pinned Parker Madl in the 157-pound bout, putting the Red team up 19-0.
The most exciting matchup of the night came at the 165 pound contest between newcomer Chase Nelson and Kyle Detmer. Nelson led 2-1 going into the second period but Detmer evened it at 2-2 after posting an escape. In the third period Nelson went ahead 3-2 after an escape, but Detmer took over the lead, 4-3, with a takedown with just 15 second remaining. However, Nelson secured a reversal at the last second to claim a 5-4 victory and gave the White team its first win.
"Kyle Detmer is tough and it is a big high school rivalry between them. They have wrestled each other quite a bit. That was a tough match. Kyle made a great move to go ahead and it looked as if the match was lost but that's the key in wrestling. You don't quit and you don't put your head down. Chase didn't and came from behind to win."
At 174 pounds Dax Perrier gave the White team its second victory after the Pawhuska, Okla., native posted a 2-1 win over Nolan McBryde, with riding time being the deciding factor.
The Red team got back on the winning track after Erich Schmidtke narrowly defeated returning NCAA participant Jeff James. Schmidtke won 2-1 with an escape and the help of a James penalty.
Keldrick Hall took an early 6-1 first period lead over Quincy Mondaine in the 197-pound bout due to his two takedowns and a nearfall. Hall put the Red team up 25-6 going into the heavyweight showdown.
In the heavyweight matchup Nathan Fernandez took the early lead with a first period takedown. In the second period Fernandez earned two escapes to take a 4-2 lead. In the third Back secured an escape but fell to the senior, 4-3.
"I see a lot of potential. We need to tighten up and improve in finishing, but for the most part we did a pretty good job."
The Sooners will officially kick off the 2010-11 season Saturday, Nov. 7 when they compete in the Oklahoma City Open, hosted by Oklahoma City University.
Final Results
MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
Ex 149 - Justin DeAngelis (Red) maj. dec. Bobby Williams (White), 8-0
125 - Jarrod Patterson (Red) dec. Greg Cannon (White), 10-4
133 - Alex Ekstrom (Red) dec. Dustin Reed (White), 4-2
141 - Zack Bailey (Red) maj. dec. Scott Chene (White), 16-4
149 - Nick Lester (Red) dec. Shane Vernon (White), 3-1
157 - Matt Lester (Red) fall Parker Madl (White), 2:28
165 - Chase Nelson (White) dec. Kyle Detmer (Red), 5-4
174 - Dax Perrier (White) dec. Nolan McBryde (Red), 2-1
184 - Erich Schmidtke (Red) dec. Jeff James (White), 2-1
197 - Keldrick Hall (Red) dec. Quincy Mondaine (White), 7-2
285 - Nathan Fernandez (Red) vs. Joe Bach (White), 4-3
Oklahoma's Bailey Selected for NWCA All-Star Classic
Zack Bailey becomes the 45th Sooner selected to participate in the 45th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic.

Zack Bailey
FRESNO, Calif. - Oklahoma senior Zack Bailey was selected to participate in the 45th-annual NWCA All-Star Classic on Sunday, Nov. 21, in Fresno, Calif., at the Selland Arena.
Bailey, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., will take on Ohio's Germane Lindsey in the 141 pound All-Star matchup.
"What a tremendous honor for Zack Bailey, who couldn't be more deserving," head coach Jack Spates said. "This is a kid who showed tremendous courage and character in the midst of great adversity. He has had numerous, what would be for other people, career ending injuries and yet he has come back and took fourth at the NCAAs, led our team to a fifth place finish and really serves as a model for our young men. He has become an excellent student and is an outstanding young man off the mat. We are very proud of him."
Last season Bailey went 31-8 and finished the season winning 21 of his last 24 matches. He won six-straight in the NCAA consolations where he finished fourth overall and was named a 2010 All-American. In addition, Bailey earned a silver medal at the 2010 Big 12 Championships. Bailey accomplished all these feats despite suffering season-ending shoulder injuries three times throughout his career, all of which resulted in reconstructive surgery.
"This is an event in which they select the top-two wrestlers in America at each weight, so it is a great honor to have him represent the University of Oklahoma," Spates said.
Bailey's the 45th Sooner wrestler to compete in the event and first since 2006 when Matt Storniolo and Sam Hazewinkel both represented the Sooners.
The 45th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Marines will be held at the Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010. The doors open at 2:00 p.m. The All-Star Classic follows a weekend of fundraising events. For more information about the tournament, purchasing tickets and the fundraising events, visit the <http://www.nwcaonline.com's> www.nwcaonline.com's event page.

2010 NWCA All-Star Classic Selections
Rankings by W.I.N. Magazine
125-
133- #1 Jordan Oliver, So. (Oklahoma St.) vs. #2 Andrew Hochstrasser, Sr. (Boise St.)
141- #3 Zack Bailey, Sr. (Oklahoma) vs. #5 Germane Lindsey, Sr. (Ohio)
149- #4 Torsten Gillespie, Jr. (Edinboro) vs. #5 Kevin LeValley, Sr. (Bucknell)
157-
165-
174- #3 Jordan Blanton, Sr. (Illinois) vs. #6 Nick Amuchastegui, Jr. (Stanford)
184- #1 Kirk Smith, Sr. (Boise St.) vs. #2 Joe LeBlanc, Jr. (Wyoming)
197- #3 Sonny Yohn, Jr. (Minnesota) vs. #4 Clayton Foster, Sr. (Oklahoma St.)
285- #2 Jarod Trice, Jr. (Central Michigan) vs. #4 Alan Gelogaev, Jr. (Oklahoma St.)
Oklahoma Wrestlers Real in Preseason Top 10 Rankings

In addition to a top 10 preseason ranking the Sooners have seven ranked individuals.

All-American Zack Bailey
NORMAN, Okla. -- The 2010-11 University of Oklahoma wrestling squad reeled in two top 10 preseason rankings Tuesday, as Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine (WIN) tabbed OU as the seventh best team in the country and The Open Mat ranked the Sooners at No. 9 entering the season.
Additionally, Oklahoma has five wrestlers individually ranked in their respective weight classes by The Open Mat, and seven ranked by WIN. Leading all Sooners are a pair of returning All-Americans in Tyler Caldwell, ranked No. 3 among 165-pounders by both publications, and Zack Bailey, ranked No. 3 among 141 pounders by both outlets. Ranked eleventh by The Open Mat and No. 13 by WIN is Oklahoma heavy weight Nathan Fernandez. Senior Jeff James, competing at 174 pounds, checks in at No. 10 by WIN and No. 15 by The Open Mat. Ranked No. 14 by The Open Mat and No. 17 by WIN is 2010 Big 12 Champion Jarrod Patterson at 125 pounds. Matt Lester, 149 pounds, and Kendric Maple, 133 pounds, round out WIN's individual rankings at No. 20 and No. 7, respectively.
In addition, The Open Mat selected James as their dark horse selection for All-American status at 174 pounds.
WIN and The Open Mat selected Cornell as the favorite to win the title in 2011. The Open Mat ranked three Big 12 teams in the top 25 (No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 10 Missouri and No. 16 Nebraska), while WIN also had three Big 12 teams in the top 25 (No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 12 Missouri and No. 24 Nebraska).
Coming off a fifth place finish at the 2010 NCAA Championships Oklahoma returns seven starters and seven NCAA qualifiers to this year's squad. Also added to the team are 16 newcomers that comprised a stellar 2010 recruiting class that ranked in the top ten nationally. Individually Ranked Sooners Hometown (Year) Weight Class Jarrod Patterson - No. 14, 16 Cushing, Okla. (So.) 125 Pounds Kendric Maple - No. 7 Wichita, Kan. (So.) 133 Pounds Zack Bailey - No. 3, 3 Kansas City, Mo. (Sr.) 141 Pounds Matt Lester - No. 20 St. Louis, Mo. (So.) 149 Pounds Tyler Caldwell - No. 3, 3 Wichita, Kan. (So.) 165 Pounds Jeff James - No. 10, 15 El Reno, Okla. (Sr.) 184 Pounds Nathan Fernandez - No. 11, 13 Lawton, Okla. (Sr.) Heavyweight Team (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine) Total Points 1. Cornell 82 2. Boise State 73 3. Oklahoma State 71.5 4. Minnesota 55.5 5. Wisconsin 50.5 6. Penn State 40 7. Oklahoma 39 8. Central Michigan 36 9. Illinois 33.5 10. Ohio State 32 11. Iowa 28 12. Missouri 26.5 T13. Michigan 25.5 T13. Purdue 25.5 15. Edinboro 25 T16. Arizona State 24.5 T16. Northwestern 24.5 T16. Pittsburgh 24.5 19. Lehigh 22 20. Virginia 21.5 T21. Binghamton 20 T21. NC State 20 T21. Wyoming 20 24. Nebraska 19.5 25. Kent State 18.5 Team (The Open Mat) 1. Cornell 2. Oklahoma State 3. Minnesota 4. Boise State 5. Iowa 6. Penn State 7. Wisconsin 8. Central Michigan 9. Oklahoma 10. Missouri 11. Ohio State 12. Virginia Tech 13. Purdue 14. Oregon State 15. Rutgers 16. Nebraska 17. Pitt 18. Northwestern 19. Illinois 20. Michigan 21. Kent State 22. Wyoming 23. Arizona State 24. Edinboro 25. Virginia

Oklahoma Wrestling Program Released the 2010-11 Schedule
NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma head wrestling coach Jack Spates announced the 2010-11 wrestling scheduled Thursday.

"We're excited about our schedule, which promises to be one of the most competitive in the nation," Spates said. "This promises to be an aggressive and exciting team that will challenge for championships. We want to encourage our fans to come out and support our guys."

The Sooners will kick-off the season by holding the annual Red/White intrasquad scrimmage on Nov. 4 at the Hamilton Field House in Edmond, Okla., before official competition begins Nov. 9, at the McCasland Field House in Norman, against Central Oklahoma.

Oklahoma's 15-match season includes seven home duals versus Navy (Jan. 7), Nebraska (Jan. 28), Missouri (Feb. 5), Wyoming (Feb. 11) and Oklahoma State (Feb. 20) to close out the regular season. In addition, Spates squad will host the Oklahoma Open on Nov. 27.

The dual against Navy will mark the fourth annual Beauty and the Beast event, where Sooner wrestlers compete alongside the women's gymnastics team at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.
"Our home schedule will be exciting as always with Nebraska, Missouri and of course Oklahoma State coming to town," said Spates.

The Sooners will once again compete in the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic on Nov. 13, where the Sooners hope to garner their 12th straight title. For the second year OU will compete in the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 3-4) in Las Vegas, Nev. This year OU added the Midlands Tournament in Chicago, Ill., Dec. 29-30.

"The Cliff Keen Invitational was a great addition last year and we are adding to it the legendary Midlands tournament," said Spates. "Both are like mini nationals and should help prepare us for the end of the year."
Other road contests include Big 12 matchups at Oklahoma State (Dec. 12) and Iowa State (Jan. 21). The Sooners will also travel to Buffalo (Nov. 12), Arizona State (Nov. 18) and to the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 15.

Following regular season action, the Sooners travel back to Ames, Iowa, to compete in the 2010 Big 12 Championships. From there the Sooners travel to Philadelphia, Penn., for the NCAA Championships.

2010-11 Oklahoma Wrestling Schedule

Date - Time
Opponent/Tournament
Location
Nov. 4 - 7 p.m.
Red/White Classic (Scrimmage)
Edmond, Okla.
Nov. 9 - 7 p.m.
Central Oklahoma
Norman, Okla.
Nov. 12 - 6 p.m.
Buffalo
Buffalo, N.Y.
Nov. 13 - All Day
Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic
Brockport, N.Y.
Nov. 18 - 7 p.m.
Arizona State
Phoenix, Ariz.
Nov. 27 -
All Day
Oklahoma Open
Norman, Okla.
Dec. 3-4 - All Day
Cliff Keen Invitational
Las Vegas, Nev.
Dec. 12 - 6 p.m.
Oklahoma State
Stillwater, Okla.
Dec. 29-30 -
All Day
Midlands Tournament
Chicago, Ill.
Jan. 7 - 7 p.m.
Navy (Beauty and the Beast)
Norman, Okla.
Jan. 15 - All Day
Lone Star Duals
Arlington, Texas
Jan. 21 - 7 p.m.
Iowa State
Ames, Iowa
Jan. 28 - 7 p.m.
Nebraska
Norman, Okla.
Feb. 5 - TBA
Missouri
Norman, Okla.
Feb. 11 - 7 p.m.
Wyoming
Norman, Okla.
Feb. 20 - 2 p.m.
Oklahoma State
Norman, Okla.
March 5
Big 12 Championships
Ames, Iowa
March 17-19
NCAA Championships
Philadelphia, Penn.
Oklahoma Wrestling Announces Stellar 2010-11 Class

Oklahoma head coach Jack Spates announces 2010-11 signees.

NORMAN, Okla. - University of Oklahoma head coach Jack Spates recently wrapped up the 2010-11 recruiting class, signing four InterMat Top 100 recruits for the second-consecutive year and finishing with a consensus top 10 class.

Collectively, the future Sooners combined to win 20 state championships, spanning five states across the country.

"We are really excited about this recruiting class," head coach Jack Spates said. "They are very talented, very accomplished, excellent students and great kids."

The Sooners class ranks No. 9, 12 and 14 by recruiting publications The Open Mat, CollegeWrestling.net and InterMat, respectively. However, those rankings were released before Spates crew secured two of their top commitments.

"It is another top-ten class for us, but our rankings are misleading," said Spates. "These rankings were issued before we landed some of our top recruits including, JUCO national champion Chase Nelson and four-time state champion Ian Fisher."

Nelson, ranked the No. 2 JUCO wrestler at 157 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News, headlines the class. The Wichita, Kan., native was a JUCO national champion at Labette junior college where he terrorized his competition. Nelson provides added depth for the Sooners at 165 pounds.

The Sooners inked three Oklahoman's ranked in the top 93 nationally by InterMat in Justin DeAngelis (No. 61), Ronnie Balfour (No. 75) and Quincy Mondaine (No. 93).

DeAngelis, a Tulsa, Okla. Product, was a three-time state champion at Jenks where he finished his career with a record of 100-11. In addition to his InterMat ranking, DeAngelis, 149 pounds, checks in as the 56th-ranked recruit by CollegWrestling.net.

Another Tulsa, Okla., native, Balfour, was a state champion at Union and ranks as the 67th best wrestler in the country by CollegeWrestling.net.

Mondaine, a one-time state champion from Muskogee is ranked the No. 11 and No. 8 recruit at 197 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News and Tom's College Prospect Rankings, respectively.

Expected to wrestle at 165 pounds for OU, Parker Madl from Stillwell, Kan., is notched as the 79th-best wrestler nationally by InterMat and No. 80 by CollegeWrestling.net. Madl was twice crowned Kansas state champion and placed fourth at Senior Nationals.

Another Oklahoman, Fisher, will compete at 141 pounds for the Sooners. The Perry high school star racked up four state championships and compiled 168 wins during his career.

The Sooners signed two heavyweights in Kyle Colling and Kosta Karageorge. Colling, a product of Arcade, N.Y., was a two-time state champion and high school All-American. Amateur Wrestling News ranks him the sixth-best recruit at 215 pounds. Karangeorge is from Worthington, Ohio, where he finished in the top six at the Ohio state finals.

Spates also gained commitments from two-time Kansas state champion Jordan Keller (Wichita, Kan.), South Carolina state champion Derek Geiges (Charleston, S.C.), 2009 Florida state champion Chase Gordan (Oviedo, Fla.) and Oklahoma state champion Dax Perrier (Pawhuska, Okla.).

Rounding out the Sooners' class is Dustin Reed from Choctaw Okla., Sean Datte of Las Flores, Calif., Zac Corrales of Lawton, Okla., and a transfer from Virginia Tech, Scott Chene.

"We are really looking forward to great things from these young men," Spates concluded.

2010 Wrestling Recruiting Class

Ronnie Balfour | Union HS | 165 pounds
From Tulsa, Okla. … Was 2010 state champion … Ranked No. 67 recruit by CollegeWrestling.net … InterMat's 75th-ranked prospect … Ranked the No. 8 recruit at 165/174 pounds by The Open Mat … Ranked the No. 11 college prospect at 157 pounds by Tom's OpenMat rankings … Finished his high school career with a record of 113-18 … Projected college weight class is 165 pounds.

Scott Chene | Virginia Tech | 141 pounds
From Irvine, Texas … Transfer from Virginia Tech where he went 9-9 overall in his first year, including 2-0 in dual meets … Was a three-time state qualifier … Three time team MVP … Finished his high school career with a school-record 167 wins … Projected college weight class is 141 pounds.

Kyle Colling | Pioneer HS | 285 pounds
From Arcade, N.Y. … Was a two-time high school All-American … Was a two-time N.Y. state champion … Ranked the No. 6 recruit at 215 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News … Ranked the No. 18 recruit at 197 pounds by The Open Mat … Ranked the No. 9 college prospect at HWT by Tom's OpenMat rankings … Finished his high school career with a record of 158-34 … Projected college weight class is 285 pounds.

Zac Corrales | Lawton MacArthur HS | 184 pounds
From Lawton, Okla. … Was a four-time state qualifier … Was a regional champion … Finished his high school career with a record of 128-25 … Projected college weight class is 184 pounds.

Justin DeAngelis | Jenks HS | 149 pounds
From Tulsa, Okla. … Was a three-time state champion … Ranked the No. 8 recruit at 152 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News … Ranked No. 56 recruit by CollegeWrestling.net … InterMat's 61st-ranked prospect … Ranked the No. 8 recruit at 149 pounds by The Open Mat.com … Finished his high school career with a record of 100-11 … Projected college weight class is 149 pounds.

Sean Datte | Tesoro HS | 174 pounds
From Las Flores, Calif. … Finished in the top 12 at the Calif. state finals … Projected college weight class is 174 pounds.

Ian Fisher | Perry HS | 141 pounds
From Perry, Okla. … Was a four-time state champion … Boasted an 84 match winning streak … Finished his high school career with a record of 168-15 … Ranked No. 127 recruit by CollegeWrestling.net … Projected college weight class is 141 pounds.

Derek Geiges | Bishop England HS | 133 pounds
From Charleston, S.C. … Was a four time state qualifier where he was a two-time finalist finisher and one-time state champion … Finished his high school career with a record of 174-24 … Projected college weight class is 133 pounds.

Chase Gordan | Oviedo HS | 149 pounds
From Oviedo Fla. … Was the 2009 Florida High School State Champion … Was a two-time Fargo USA Wrestling All-American … Named a 2009 FILA Junior Nationals All-American … Earned the 2008 Brute Adidas Folkstyle National Champion/Outstanding Wrestler … Projected college weight class is 149 pounds.

Kosta Karageorge | Thomas Worthington | 285 pounds
From Worthington, Ohio … Finished in the top six at the Ohio state finals … Projected college weight class is 285 pounds.

Jordan Keller | Bishop Carroll HS | 133 pounds
From Wichita, Kan. … Transferred from Cleveland State … Was a two-time state champion … Took title at Senior Nationals … Crowned champion at Junior Nationals … Named to the Asciss All-American team … Finished his high school career with a record of 143-26 … Projected college weight class is 133 pounds.

Parker Madl | Blue Valley HS | 165 pounds
From Stillwell, Kan. … Was a two-time state champion … Ranked No. 80 recruit by CollegeWrestling.net … Fourth place finisher at the 2010 Senior Nationals … InterMat's 79th-ranked prospect … Ranked the No. 12 recruit at 165 pounds by The Open Mat … Finished his high school career with a record of 165-17 … Projected college weight class is 165 pounds.

Quincy Mondaine | Muskogee HS | 197 pounds
From Muskogee, Okla. … Was a one-time state champion … Ranked the No. 11 recruit at 215 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News … InterMat's 61st-ranked prospect … Ranked No. 103 recruit by CollegeWrestling.net … Ranked the No. 12 recruit at 197 pounds by The Open Mat … Ranked the No. 8 college prospect at 149 pounds by Tom's OpenMat rankings … Projected college weight class is 197 pounds.

Chase Nelson | Labette JC | 165 pounds
From Wichita, Kan. … Transferred from Labette Junior College where he was a JUCO National Champion … Ranked the No. 2 JUCO recruit at 157 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News … Placed fourth at University National Freestyles this past spring … Was a three-time finalist … Was a two-time state champion … Projected college weight class is 165 pounds.

Dax Perrier | Pawhuska HS | 165 pounds
From Pawhuska, Okla. … Was a two-time state runner up and one-time state champion … Went 133-12 at Pawhuska high school … Projected college weight class is 165 pounds.

Dustin Reed | Choctaw HS | 133 pounds
From Choctaw, Okla. … Was a two-time state placer … Finished his high school career with a record of 105-12 … Projected college weight class is 133 pounds.
Oklahoma's Kyle Terry Named CoSIDA Academic All-American
Kyle Terry was named to the 2010 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Third Team.
NORMAN, Okla. - Senior Kyle Terry was named to the 2010 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Third Team, announced by CoSIDA Tuesday, June 8.

Terry joins David Kjeldgaard (2000) and Sam Hazewinkel (2007) as Oklahoma's third wrestler to be named to the prestigious Academic All-America team.

"It is pretty exciting to be named an Academic All-American," Terry said. "The good thing about being a student-athlete is you can be successful in both if you really try hard enough and I put a lot of time and effort in both. This is really a great honor."

The Midwest City, Okla., native graduated in May with a degree in health and sport sciences where he earned a 3.5 GPA. In May The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) named Terry to its annual Division I All-Academic team. The award was Terry's second-straight NWCA academic honor.

The 2010 NCAA All-American ended his senior campaign with a 31-3 overall record, including a perfect 16-0 in dual action. He also earned his second-straight Big 12 title this season wrestling at 149 pounds and went on to place third at the NCAA Championships.

To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Oklahoma Earns Fifth at 2010 NCAAs

OMAHA, Neb. - The University of Oklahoma wrestling team is once again among the nation's elite to end the season, as the Sooners earned fifth place at the 2010 NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb.

It marks the sixth time OU has earned fifth place or better at the NCAAs since 2001 and the seventh time in the past decade the Sooners have finished inside the top 10.

Oklahoma, who picked up its first top-five finish since 2006, was one of just four teams in this year's field to qualify all 10 starters.

Iowa took home the team title for the third straight year, gathering 134.5 points. Cornell was second with 90 points, followed by Iowa State (75) and Wisconsin (70.5) in third and fourth, respectively.

Individually, Oklahoma crowned four All-Americans - Zack Bailey (141), Kyle Terry (149), Tyler Caldwell (165) and Eric Lapotsky (197) - at the Championships, its most since earning five in 2006.

The four All-Americans finished in the top five in their respective weight classes, led by third-place winner Terry. Bailey was fourth at 141 pounds and earning fifth was Caldwell and Lapotsky.

Seven of the 10 qualifiers for Oklahoma will return to the squad next season. Wrestling in Sooner singlets for the last time were seniors Terry, Shane Vernon (157 pounds), and Lapotsky.

2010 SOONER ALL-AMERICANS

141: Zack Bailey (Jr.)
149: Kyle Terry (Sr.)
165: Tyler Caldwell (Fr.)
197: Eric Lapotsky (Sr.)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

1. Iowa (134.5)
2. Cornell (90)
3. Iowa State (75)
4. Wisconsin (70.5)
5.  Oklahoma (69)
6. Oklahoma State (65)
7.  Minnesota (63)
8.  Ohio State (62)
9. Penn State (49)
10. Missouri (48)

2010 INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

125: Matt McDonough (Iowa)
133: Jayson Ness (Minnesota)
141: Kyle Dake (Cornell)
149: Brent Metcalf (Iowa)
157: J.P. O'Connor (Harvard)
165: Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)
174: Jay Borschel (Iowa)
184: Max Askren (Missouri)
197: Jake Varner (Iowa State)
285: David Zabriskie (Iowa State)
Oklahoma 's Terry Earns Third, Bailey Fourth at NCAAs

Four Sooners place in NCAA Top-five, OU stands in third place entering final session.

OMAHA, Neb. - University of Oklahoma senior wrestler Kyle Terry earned third place at the 2010 NCAA Championship, barreling through the tournament with a 5-1 record at 149 pounds.

Additionally, Zack Bailey (31-8) placed fourth at 141 pounds for the Sooners. The junior suffered an opening-round loss on Thursday but battled back to win six-straight matches in the consolation bracket.

Entering the Championship's final session, Oklahoma stands in third place with 69 points. Iowa paces the field with 122.5 points, ahead of Cornell's 86. Iowa State has 67 points and Wisconsin owns 66.5. Oklahoma State (65) and Ohio State (62) round out the top seven.

"First of all, Zack Bailey is a hero after all he has overcome. To lose in the opening round and come back through the consolation bracket and take fourth is magnificent. And what a way to go out for Kyle Terry. He came to wrestle every match. It is great to see him place third on the national stage, he more than deserves it."

A year after falling one win short of becoming an All-American, Terry (32-3) produced two wins on Saturday inside the Qwest Center to capture the bronze medal.

"This feels really good," Terry said. "I fell short last year, came within one win of becoming an All-American and I kept that taste in my mouth. I only had one slip up this tournament against (Brent) Metcalf. Other than that, I think I wrestled a great tournament. This is a great way to end my senior season. I'm proud."

Terry ends his Sooner career as a three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time Big 12 champions and the team leader in overall wins with 88.

Tyler Caldwell (31-14) and Eric Lapotsky (29-8) also placed for the Sooners, picking up fifth-place finishes at 165 and 197 pounds, respectively.

"What a great way for Lapotsky to go out and what a bright future Tyler Caldwell has for the Sooners."

Caldwell's impressive run through the championships included three upset wins over seeds, including the fifth, ninth and twelfth.

Earlier in the Championship, the Wichita, Kan., product became the first Sooner freshman to earn All-America status since 2005 and just the 13th in this year's field to be unseeded and earn the honor.

Lapotsky took down two seeded opponents to place in his third and last NCAA Championships.

Just one year after finishing in 31st place at the Championships, OU returned to the national stage by crowning four All-Americans, which is tied for second-best in this year's field, and the most for the program since crowning five in 2006.

WRESTLEBACK RESULTS

Third-seeded Bailey used to early takedown to lead, 2-0, over the No. 10 seed Tyler Nauman of Pittsburgh. A Panther escape made it 2-1 to end the opening period. After choosing the down position to start the second, Nauman deadlocked the match at two heading into the final period. It was the Sooner's turn to start down, and with under a minute to go Bailey scored a deciding escape to win, 3-2.

The win marked Bailey's sixth straight of the Championship after suffering an opening round loss.

His run ended in the third-place match, as fourth-seeded Reece Humphrey topped the Sooner by a 3-2 final. A takedown in the first period by the Buckeye proved to be the difference.

Now an All-American, Bailey ends his junior campaign with a 31-8 record, including a 7-2 record at the Championships.

Terry then turned in a dominating performance at 149 pounds, cruising to a 10-1 major decision over Edinboro's Torsten Gillespie behind a takedown, reversal and two nearfalls. The senior also racked up two minutes 31 seconds of riding time in the victory.

The senior then turned his focus towards No. 4 Kyle Ruschell of Wisconsin. The Sooner scored an early takedown in the first and another in the third period to hold off the Badger, 5-4, and earn the bronze medal.

Stanford's Nick Amuchastegui tripped up Oklahoma's 165-pound Tyler Caldwell 6-1. The Sooner could only muster an escape in the second period.

The Sooner bounced back in dramatic fashion, using takedown and two-point nearfall with 12 seconds to go down 3-2 to win, 6-3, over No. 9 Andrew Rendos of Bucknell. Caldwell ends his impressive run through the Championships with a 4-2 record, improving his freshman season record to 31-14.

Eric Lapotsky then struggled against Cornell's fourth-ranked Cam Simaz at 197 pounds, as the sixth-seeded Sooner gave up three takedowns and a two-point nearfall to lose by major decision, 9-1.

The senior turned the dominance around in the fifth-place match, dominating No. 5 Trevor Brandvold of Wisconsin, 7-0. The Sooner racked up 4:42 of riding time in addition to two takedowns and a two-point nearfall to win.

WRESTLEBACK BRACKETS
141: No. 5 Zack Bailey (OU) dec. No. 10 Tyler Nauman (Pitt), 3-2
141: No. 4 Reece Humphrey (Ohio State) dec. No. 5 Zack Bailey (OU) vs. , 3-2
149: No. 3 Kyle Terry (OU) maj. dec. vs. Torsten Gillespie (Edinboro), 10-1
149: No. 3 Kyle Terry (OU) dec. No. 4 Kyle Ruschell (Wisconsin), 5-4
165: Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) dec. Tyler Caldwell (OU), 6-1
165: Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. No. 9 Andrew Rendos (Bucknell), 6-3
197: No. 4 Cam Simaz (Cornell) maj. dec. No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (OU), 9-1
197: No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. No. 5 Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin), 7-0

UPDATED TEAM SCORES
1. Iowa (122.5)
2. Cornell (86)
3. Oklahoma (69)
4. Iowa State (67)
5. Wisconsin (66.5)
6. Oklahoma State (65)
7. Ohio State (62)
8. Minnesota (59)
9. Penn State (49)
10. Missouri (44)
Oklahoma's Maple Added to NCAA Field, Seeds Announced

Kendric Maple receives at-large bid at 133 pounds, matchups set for next week's NCAAs.

NORMAN, Okla. - All 10 starters of the eighth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad will compete at the 2010 NCAA Championships next week in Omaha, Neb., as the NCAA granted true-freshman Kendric Maple an at-large bid at 133 pounds Wednesday evening.

The total marks the most for Oklahoma (16-3-1, 2-2-1 Big 12) under the new NCAA selection format introduced last season (last year sent eight).

Maple, who was the only Sooner not to automatically qualify from the Big 12 Championships last weekend, will join teammates Jarrod Patterson (125), Zack Bailey (141), Kyle Terry (149), Shane Vernon (157), Tyler Caldwell (165), Jeff James (174), Erich Schmidtke (184), Eric Lapotsky (197) and Nathan Fernandez (HWT) at the NCAAs, March 18-20.

Additionally, first round matchups were announced by the NCAAs. Sooners awarded national seeds were No. 3 Terry, No. 5 Bailey, No. 6 Lapotsky, No. 9 Patterson and No. 10 Vernon.

Next week in Omaha, Oklahoma will attempt to garner its seventh team trophy at the NCAAs in the past 11 years and will look to crown its first All-American since 2007.

NCAA action commences at 11 a.m. CST on March 18 inside the Qwest Center, and will conclude with the finals Saturday evening, March 20, at 7 p.m.

Oklahoma's NCAA Qualifiers (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record No. 9 Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Fr.) 28-9 Kendric Maple (133) Wichita, Kan. (Fr.) 31-10 No. 5 Zack Bailey (141) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 24-6 No. 3 Kyle Terry (149) Midwest City, Okla. (Sr.) 26-2 No. 10 Shane Vernon Broken Arrow, Okla. (Sr.) 20-5 Tyler Caldwell (165) Wichita, Kan. (Fr.) 27-12 Jeff James (174) El Reno, Okla. (Jr.) 22-10 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RFr.) 16-17 No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (197) Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Sr.) 24-6 Nathan Fernandez (HWT) Lawton, Okla. (Jr.) 25-12

Sooner First Round Matchups

125: No. 9 Jarrod Patterson vs. Brad Pataky (Penn State)
133: Kendric Maple vs. No. 5 Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly)
141: No. 5 Zack Bailey vs. Kenneth Hashimoto (Northern Colorado)
149: No. 3 Kyle Terry vs. Cesar Grajales (Penn)
157: No. 10 Shane Vernon vs. Daryl Cocozzo (Rutgers)
165: Tyler Caldwell vs. No. 12 Paul Young (Indiana)
174: Jeff James vs. Jarion Beets (UNI)
184: Erich Schmidtke vs. No. 11 Dave Erwin (Penn State)
197: No. 6 Eric Lapotsky vs. Matt Powless (Indiana)
HWT: Nathan Fernandez vs. No. 10 Dominic Russo (Rutgers)
Three Oklahoma Sooners Stand Atop Big 12 Podium

Oklahoma sends four to finals, places third at 2010 Big 12 Championships in Norman.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Three Oklahoma wrestlers won individual titles at the Big 12 Championships Saturday evening, a first for the Sooners since 2002. Those individual wins came at 125 pounds with Jarrod Patterson, at 149 with Kyle Terry and at 157 with Shane Vernon.

The conference title was the second-straight for Terry and the first for Patterson and Vernon.

"Three champions today," OU head coach Jack Spates said. "We had tremendous performances in virtually every match. Really, with the exception of one match, we wrestled better in every match than we had all year. So, it's just a great, great performance.

Oklahoma finished third in the team race with 64 points in front of a second-session crowd of 2,610 inside the Howard McCasland Field House. Oklahoma State claimed the title with 70.5 points, eclipsing Iowa State's 69 points. Missouri (33) and Nebraska (32) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Additionally, Patterson was voted a "Co-Outstanding Wrestler" by league coaches. The true-freshman shared the honor with Oklahoma State's Jordan Oliver.

"It is a great feeling," Patterson said. "It was just last year I was wrestling in high school and I think I have come a long way since then. It is a big honor to be voted `Outstanding Wrestler' because a lot of other guys deserved it."

Zack Bailey was second at 141, while Kendric Maple (133), Tyler Caldwell (165) and Eric Lapotsky (197) all finished third in their respective classes.

125 Pounds: Oklahoma freshman Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 13 nationally, won the Big 12 Championship at 125 pounds with a 5-3 decision over Iowa State's Andrew Long, ranked No. 5.

Patterson notched a takedown with 1:42 left in the first period then rode out the frame. He added an escape before Long got a takedown with 25 seconds remaining in the second. Patterson (28-9) iced it with a takedown at the 1:21 mark of the third period to get his seventh straight win. Long (23-6) escaped as time expired for the match's final point. The win avenged Patterson's only regular season loss in Big 12 competition.

It marked the second straight year that an OU freshman won the 125-pound division. Last year, it was Joey Fio.

141 Pounds: No. 6-ranked Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State downed No. 3 Zach Bailey of Oklahoma in the rubber match between the two this season. Parks (28-5) got the decisive takedown with 15 seconds remaining in the third period. He gave up an escape, but held on to win, 3-2.

The setback ended a 14-match winning streak for Bailey (24-6).

149 Pounds: OU's Kyle Terry successfully defended his title at 149 pounds with a 3-2 win over Iowa State's Mitch Mueller. The match paired the top two seeds in the class.

Terry (26-2) went up 2-0 with a takedown at the 1:40 mark of the first. He scored the back-breaker point on an escape with 1:41 remaining in the second. Mueller (25-8) wriggled away for an escape with 51 seconds left for the match's final point.

Terry became the first Sooner to win back-to-back Big 12 crowns since 125-pounder Sam Hazewinkel did so in 2006 and 2007.

157 Pounds: Oklahoma's Shane Vernon won with a thrilling 6-5 triumph over Oklahoma State's Neil Erisman. It avenged a loss for Vernon in the regular season finale.

Vernon (19-5) took a 4-3 lead into the third period, but Erisman's escape with 1:57 left squared the match. The Sooner wrestler responded with a takedown with only 55 seconds then withstood an escape by Erisman (27-8) with 27 seconds left to capture the title.

TEAM SCORES

1. OKLAHOMA STATE (70.5)
2. IOWA STATE (69)
3. OKLAHOMA (64)
4. MISSOURI (33)
5. NEBRASKA (32)

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

125: No. 2 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 1 Andrew Long (ISU), 5-3
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. No. 2 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU), 6-2
141: No. 2 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. No. 1 Zack Bailey (OU), 3-2
149: No. 1 Kyle Terry (OU) dec. No. 2 Mitch Mueller (ISU), 4-2
157: No. 1 Shane Vernon (OU) dec. No. 3 Neil Erisman (OSU), 6-5
165: No. 2 Nicholas Marable (MU) dec. No. 1 John Reader (ISU), 6-5
174: No. 1 Stephen Dwyer (NU) dec. No. 2 Mike Benefiel (OSU), 9-5
184: No. 2 Clayton Foster (OSU) dec. No. 1 Max Askren (MU), 10-6
197: No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) dec. No. 2 Craig Brester (NU), 5-2
285: No. 2 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 1 Jared Rosholt (OSU), 3-1 SV2
Big 12 Championships Hit Norman Saturday

Select tickets remain to the 2010 Big 12 Wrestling Championships this Saturday.

NORMAN, Okla. - The 2010 Big 12 Wrestling Championships hit Norman this Saturday, March 6, as the ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma squad welcomes the Big 12's best inside the Howard McCasland Field House.

The last time Oklahoma hosted the conference championship was in 2002 when the Sooners claimed their 23rd conference title.

"This is a great competition because for many years, the Big 12 has been the toughest conference in the country," OU head coach Jack Spates said. "We are really excited about hosting it at home in the Field House. It is going to be hot, loud and tension-packed. It should be fun."

OU is coming off its second-straight 16-win season (16-3-1, 2-2-1 Big 12) under 17th-year head coach Jack Spates and claimed two conference victories for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign.

Competing against the Sooners this weekend are No. 2 Iowa State, No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 17 Missouri and Nebraska. The Cyclones will attempt to win their fourth-straight Big 12 title.

Iowa State and Nebraska shared the championship last season, marking the first time in league history two teams ended deadlocked. Missouri claimed third, followed by Oklahoma State and Oklahoma placing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Oklahoma's Zack Bailey Named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week

Junior from Kansas City, Mo., honored for his performance vs. Oklahoma State on Sunday.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Zack Bailey of the ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team has been chosen as the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Week, announced Monday by the league office.

It marks the first career conference honor for the redshirt-junior, who has compiled a 23-5 overall record at 141 pounds this season, while going 4-1 against conference foes.

Bailey, currently ranked third nationally, defeated No. 7 Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State by a 3-2 decision on Sunday in the second installment of Bedlam in Stillwater. The victory extended his winning streak to 13-straight matches this season.

Trailing 2-1 with under a minute to go in the match, the Kansas City, Mo., product scored a takedown with just 33 seconds remaining in the third and was able to ride out Parks to seal the win. The win helped the Sooners claim three of the first four matches of the top-10 dual, giving OU a 10-3 lead.

"This is a very deserving and great honor for Zack," OU head coach Jack Spates said. "This is a young man who has struggled for the past couple of years with injuries and surgeries, almost to the point of giving up the sport. For Zack to come back and battle to defeat an opponent who had beaten him twice before on a big stage really shows his character and determination."

Bailey is near the top in several statistical categories for the Sooners, including third-most dual wins this season (14), as well as third on the team in dual takedowns (38) and dual points scored (135). The junior's 70 career victories are second-most on the team.

Bailey and the Sooners are next in action at the 2010 Big 12 Championships, held this year in Norman at the Howard McCasland Field House on March 6.
Oklahoma Sooners Drop Bedlam Battle in Season Finale, 19-16

No. 3 Oklahoma State beats No. 9 Sooners in Stillwater Sunday afternoon.

STILLWATER, Okla. - The ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (16-3-1, 2-2-1 Big 12) fell short in the second installment of Bedlam Sunday afternoon, as No. 3 Oklahoma State rallied from a 10-3 early deficit to top the Sooners, 19-16.

In front of 4,849 fans inside Stillwater's Gallagher-Iba Arena, Oklahoma State (15-2-1, 3-1-1 Big 12) reeled off four straight wins beginning at 165 pounds to gain a lead it would not surrender.

"We didn't come to look good and we didn't come to lose close, we came to win," OU head coach Jack Spates said.

Oklahoma true-freshman Jarrod Patterson (26-9, 4-1 Big 12) scored Bedlam's first points with a 2-1 upset-decision over No. 10 Chris Notte at 125 pounds. Patterson's takedown in the first proved to be enough, as the 15th-ranked Sooner gained his second-straight win over Notte this season, giving the Sooners a 3-0 team lead.

The Cowboys tied the team score, 3-3, when No. 5 Jordan Oliver rallied to top OU's Kendric Maple (29-9, 2-2 Big 12) by a 7-5 decision at 133 pounds. Maple, who took a 3-0 lead heading into the third period, saw Oliver score two takedowns in the final 16 seconds to post the win.

Third-ranked Zack Bailey turned the last-second heroics around on the Cowboys at 141-pounds, as the junior scored a takedown with just 33 seconds remaining in the final period after trailing 2-1 to seventh-ranked Jamal Parks. Bailey, leading 3-2, was able to ride Parks the remainder of the third to improve his season record to 23-5, 4-1 in the Big 12, and give OU a 6-3 lead.

Senior Kyle Terry, ranked third in the country, quickly took control of the 149-pound match versus OSU's Quinten Fuentes, posting six takedowns on his way to a 14-5 major decision, giving Oklahoma a 10-3 team lead. It marked the defending Big 12 champion's (24-2, 5-0 Big 12) 34th-straight dual victory dating back to last season (16-0 in duals this year).

Fourteenth-ranked Neil Erisman closed gap on the Sooner lead to 10-6 with a 7-3 decision over No. 12 Shane Vernon at 157 pounds. The Cowboy trailed 2-1 after two periods, but scored six points in the final period to overtake Vernon (18-5, 3-1 Big 12).

Oklahoma State's eighth-ranked Alex Meade then trimmed OU's lead to one point, 10-9, with a 6-2 victory over 15th-ranked Sooner Tyler Caldwell (26-11, 1-3 Big 12) at 165 pounds. Meade broke the match open in the second period with a reversal and three-point nearfall after starting down to begin the period.

The Cowboys took their first lead of the afternoon, 12-10, after No. 9 Mike Benefiel recorded a 12-6 decision over 19th-ranked Jeff James (21-8, 3-2 Big 12) at 174 pounds. Eighth-ranked Clayton Foster then put OSU on top, 16-10, with a commanding 12-2 major decision win at 184 pounds over Sooner Erich Schmidtke (15-15, 0-5 Big 12).

Trailing 16-10 entering the 197-pound match, sixth-ranked Eric Lapotsky (22-5, 3-2 Big 12) quickly turned the momentum back in favor of the Sooners by recording a pin (4:35) over No. 8 Alan Gelogaev to tie the team score. It marked the senior's ninth fall of the season (tied for team-high), including his fifth in dual action. The fall was just the second given up by the Cowboy this season (also pinned by No. 1 Jake Varner of ISU).

Heavyweight Nathan Fernandez fell short of providing a comeback for Oklahoma, as the 15th-ranked junior fell to No. 1 Jared Rosholt to end the afternoon, 4-2.

Bedlam marked the season finale for the Sooners, who will next be in action at the Big 12 Championships in Norman on March 6.

"It is going to be an incredible Big 12 Championship," Spates said. "We are a team that can win the championship, and that can ease the pain of today's loss."

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125: No. 15 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 9 Chris Notte (OSU); 2-1
133: No. 3 Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. No. 19 Kendric Maple (OU); 7-5
141: No. 3 Zack Bailey (OU) dec. No. 7 Jamal Parks (OSU); 3-2
149: No. 4 Kyle Terry (OU) MD Quinten Fuentes (OSU); 14-5
157: No. 14 Neil Erisman (OSU) dec. No. 12 Shane Vernon (OU); 7-3
165: No. 8 Alex Meade (OSU) dec. Tyler Caldwell (OU); 6-2
174: No. 9 Mike Benefiel (OSU) dec. No. 19 Jeff James (OU); 12-6
184: No. 9 Clayton Foster (OSU) MD Erich Schmidtke (OU); 12-2
197: No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (OU) fall No. 8 Alan Gelogaev (OSU); 4:35
285: No. 1 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 13 Nathan Fernandez (OU); 4-2
No. 9 Oklahoma Wrestling Sends Seniors Out In Style

Oklahoma hands No. 15 Oregon State a 25-6 defeat on Senior Day in Norman.

NORMAN, Okla. - The ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad (16-2-1, 2-1-1 Big 12) wrapped up its home slate Sunday afternoon by toppling No. 15 Oregon State, 25-6, inside the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman.

Honoring four seniors -- Eric Lapotsky, Chad Terry, Kyle Terry and Shane Vernon -- on Senior Night, the Sooners earned their sixth win over a top-20 team this season. The win over the Beavers (18-3) also marked the second straight season Oklahoma has posted 16 dual wins.

"This was a big win against a very tough team," head coach Jack Spates said. "We won tough matches at the end and that is the kind of effort we want. It was a great way to send out four very special seniors."

Freshman Jarrod Patterson, ranked 18th nationally, gave Oklahoma a 3-0 team lead by posting an 8-1 upset win over 15th-ranked Jason Lara at 125 pounds. The Cushing, Okla., product scored three takedowns and racked up two minutes 48 seconds of riding time in the victory.

Oregon State's 16th-ranked Kelly Kubec tied the team score, 3-3, with a 5-3 sudden victory decision over 141-pound Kendric Maple (29-8). Trailing 3-1 in the third period, Kubec posted a takedown with 16 seconds remaining to force overtime and scored a takedown in the sudden victory period to win.

Sudden victory was forced for the second straight match between No. 3 Zack Bailey (22-5) and Beaver Mike Mangrum. Tied 1-1 after three periods, Bailey scored a takedown with 16 seconds remaining to earn the sudden victory win and give OU a 6-3 team advantage. The victory marked Bailey's 12th-straight this season dating back to Jan. 8.

No overtime was needed at 149 pounds for third-ranked Kyle Terry, as the Midwest City, Okla., native overpowered No. 17 RJ Pena, 15-3, to claim his 14th-straight victory of the season. Terry led 5-0 after two periods before posting three takedowns and a three-point nearfall to improve to 23-2 on the season. The senior also extended this dual winning streak to 33-straight (15-0 this season) dating back to last season.

At 157 pounds, senior Chad Terry (8-2) used two minutes 33 seconds of riding time to post a 5-4 decision over No. 13 Keegan Davis of OSU. With the match tied a four, Terry's riding time proved to be the difference, extending OU's team lead to 13-3.

Sooner Tyler Caldwell (26-10), ranked 15th nationally, faced a 4-1 deficit after the first period against Dan Brascetta at 165 pounds. The Sooner quickly recovered by posting an escape, takedown and nearfall in the second to lead, 6-4. The Beaver only managed an escape in the final period, and Caldwell used one minute 42 seconds of riding time to win, 7-5.

Ninth-ranked Beaver Colby Covington then controlled the 174-pound match against 15th-ranked Sooner Jeff James (21-7) by recording a 12-6 decision behind five takedowns, including three in the final period.

Erich Schmidtke (15-14) increased OU's team lead to 19-6 with a 3-2 decision over Ty Vinson at 184 pounds. The redshirt-freshman scored an opening period takedown and an escape in the second to gain Oklahoma's sixth dual win of the afternoon.

Sixth-ranked senior Eric Lapotsky (21-5) then posted a 7-2 win over Chad Hanke to put OU on top 22-6. Lapotsky racked up a 5-0 lead after two periods and used an escape and riding time point in the final stanza to gain the victory.

Fifteenth-ranked heavyweight closed out the dual with an upset over No. 14 Clayton Jack, 7-5. Trailing 3-1 in the third, Fernandez scored a takedown and an escape to force extra time. With 30 seconds remaining in the one minute sudden victory period, the redshirt-junior scored a takedown to improve to 24-9 on the season.

Next up, the Sooners close out the regular season by visiting in-state rival Oklahoma State on Feb. 21 in Stillwater at 2 p.m. Oklahoma (2-1-1 Big 12) will shoot for its third Big 12 win of the season for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign.

"Bedlam is going to be great," Spates said. "Oklahoma State has a great program and we are excited for the challenge. We have wrestled extremely hard the last two matches, just the way you want heading into Bedlam."

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125: Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Jason Lara (OSU), 8-1
133: Kelly Kubec (OSU) dec. Kendrick Maple (OU), 5-3 (SV1)
141: Zack Bailey (OU) dec. Mike Mangrum (OSU), 3-1 (SV1)
149: Kyle Terry (OU) maj. dec. RJ Pena (OSU), 15-3
157: Chad Terry (OU) dec. Keegan Davis (OSU), 5-4
165: Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Dan Brascetta (OSU), 7-5
174: Colby Covington (OSU) dec. Jeff James (OU), 12-6
184: Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Ty Vinson (OSU), 3-2
197: Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. Chad Hanke (OSU), 7-2
HWT: Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Clayton Jack (OSU), 7-5 (SV1)
No. 9 Oklahoma Wrestling Crushes Chattanooga, 33-3

Oklahoma wins nine of 10 total matches versus UTC, improves to 15-2-1 on the season.

NORMAN, Okla. - The ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (15-2-1) won nine of 10 bouts, including four with bonus points, to dominate Chattanooga by a 33-3 final Friday evening in the third annual "Beauty and the Beast" event in Norman.

Wrestling alongside the top-ranked OU women's gymnastics team in front of 1,777 fans at the Lloyd Noble Center, Oklahoma won the first seven matches of the evening and posted 27 total takedowns to Chattanooga's three.

"I think this is our best performance of the season overall in terms of being dominant in every way," OU head coach Jack Spates said. "It is not who you wrestle, but how you wrestle. I liked the way we came out and performed in front of a great crowd."

On the women's side, the Sooner gymnasts (9-0) earned their highest team score under head coach K.J. Kindler to top No. 16 Iowa State (197.250-196.225).

Jarrod Patterson got the ball rolling for Oklahoma with an 11-6 decision over Demetrius Johnson at 125 pounds. The 18th-ranked Sooner posted four takedowns to improve to 24-9 on the year.

Kendric Maple (29-7) then turned in a dominating 16-1 performance over 133-pound Josh Statum to put Oklahoma up 8-0. Third-ranked Zack Bailey (21-5) made it a 12-0 Sooner lead by recording a 12-1 major decision over Ben Johnson at 141 pounds.

Senior Kyle Terry, ranked No. 3 at 149 pounds, next topped Dean Pavlou by a 22-7 final behind 10 takedowns. Dating back to last season, Terry (22-2) has won 33-straight dual matchups.

Shane Vernon (18-4), ranked No. 12, next defeated Josh Condon by a 4-3 final by scoring a takedown with six seconds remaining in the final period. Vernon's win at 157 pounds gave the Sooners a 20-0 team lead.

Tyler Caldwell (25-10) next defeated Brandon Wright, 3-0, at 165 pounds, followed by an 8-2 decision by No. 15 Jeff James (21-6) over 174-pound Jake Young.

Jason McCroskey claimed Chattanooga's only win of the evening with a 4-0 shutout over Erich Schmidtke (14-14) at 184 pounds.

Eric Lapotsky (20-5), ranked sixth at 197 pounds, turned in a 9-3 decision over Niko Brown to give Oklahoma a 28-3 team advantage. Heavyweight Nathan Fernandez (23-9) gave OU its ninth win of the night by posting a commanding 18-5 major decision win over Matt Lettner.

Next up, Oklahoma hosts its final home dual of the season against No. 15 Oregon State this Sunday, Feb. 14 inside Howard McCasland Field House at 2 p.m.

With a win over the Beavers, it would mark the second straight 16-win season for the Sooners.

"Oregon State is a very tough team," Spates said. "If we wrestle Sunday like we wrestled tonight, we will be fine. What a great home finale it should be as we say goodbye to four special seniors. What a great cause worth celebrating after all they have accomplished."

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125: No. 18 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Demetrius Johnson (UTC), 11-6
133:  Kendric Maple (OU) tech. fall Josh Statum (UTC), 16-1
141: No. 3 Zack Bailey (OU) maj. dec. Ben Johnson (UTC), 12-1
149:  No. 3 Kyle Terry (OU) tech. fall Dean Pavlou (UTC), 22-7
157: No. 12 Shane Vernon (OU) dec. Josh Condon (UTC), 4-3
165: No. 15 Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Brandon Wright (UTC), 3-0
174: No. 15 Jeff James (OU) dec. Jake Young (UTC), 8-2
184:  Jason McCroskey (UTC) dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 4-0
197: No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. Niko Brown (UTC), 9-3
HWT: No. 15 Nathan Fernandez (OU) maj. dec. Matt Lattner (UTC), 18-5
Oklahoma Sooners Notch Big 12 Road Win vs. Missouri, 25-10

Oklahoma wins second Big 12 match of the season for the first time since 2002-03 season.

NORMAN, Okla. - The ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team completed a Big 12 road sweep Saturday evening with a dominating 25-10 victory over No. 17 Missouri in Columbia.

The Sooners, who defeated Nebraska by a 22-15 final Thursday evening, improved to 14-2-1 on the year and 2-1-1 in the Big 12. Missouri falls to 7-5 and 1-1 in the Big 12.

"This was the best team effort of the season," head coach Jack Spates said. "Even in our losses, we were competitive. I couldn't be prouder of our guys for closing out this week with another Big 12 victory."

It marks the first time since the 2002-03 campaign Oklahoma has recorded two victories in a season. The win was also the fifth against a top-20 team this season.

"This year has been all about restoring attitudes and our guys buying into what we are teaching them," Spates said. "We have a youthful group that has grown up fast. Our assistants have done a fabulous job and it is all coming together."

Missouri's only lead of the night came after the opening match at heavyweight when No. 7 Mark Ellis defeated No. 12 Nathan Fernandez, 3-1.

Eighteenth-ranked freshman Jarrod Patterson quickly grabbed momentum for Oklahoma with a 14-5 major decision win over 125-pound Eric Wilson to give OU a 4-3 lead. The Cushing, Okla., native posted six takedowns to improve to 23-9 on the year.

Kendric Maple (28-10) then dominated the 133-pound match with a 16-0 technical fall over Nathan McCormick. The true-freshman recorded three takedowns and three nearfalls against the Tiger.

Zack Bailey (20-5) made it a 12-3 Sooner lead with a 3-0 victory over Todd Schavrien at 141 pounds. The third-ranked Sooner posted an escape in the second and was awarded a penalty point to seal the win.

At 149 pound, third-ranked Kyle Terry bested Scott O'Donnell by a 12-2 final with four takedowns and three minutes 28 seconds of riding time. Terry, now 21-2 this season, has recorded 31-straight dual wins dating back to last season.

Shane Vernon, ranked twelfth, increased OU's lead to 19-3 with a 5-2 win over Patrick Wright at 157 pounds. The Broken Arrow, Okla., product improved to 17-4 on the season and 3-0 versus Big 12 competition this year.

Tiger Nick Marable, ranked fifth, stopped the bleeding for Missouri by posting an 8-5 decision over No. 16 Tyler Caldwell at 165 pounds. Caldwell (23-10) could only muster four escapes in the loss.

Jeff James, ranked 18th, pushed OU's team lead to 22-6 with a 7-5 win over Dorian Henderson. James (20-6) posted two takedowns and was awarded two minutes 38 seconds of riding time in the win.

No. 3 Max Askren then handed Erich Schmidtke a 15-5 major decision loss before Sooner Eric Lapotsky ended the evening by recording a 7-1 decision over Brent Haynes at 197 pounds. The sixth-ranked Sooner improved to 19-5 on the season.

Oklahoma will break from Big 12 competition next week when it hosts Chattanooga next Friday, Feb. 12 in the third annual "Beauty and the Beast" event. Competing alongside the OU women's gymnastics team, the match will begin at 7 p.m.

OKLAHOMA VS. MISSOURI RESULTS
Columbia, Mo.

HWT: Mark Ellis (MU) dec. Nathan Fernandez (OU), 3-1
125: Jarrod Patterson (OU) maj. dec. Eric Wilson (MU), 14-5
133: Kendric Maple (OU) tech. fall Nathan McCormick (MU), 16-0
141: Zack Bailey (OU) dec. Todd Schavrien (MU), 3-0
149: Kyle Terry (OU) maj. dec. Scott O'Donnell (MU), 12-2
157: Shane Vernon (OU) dec. Patrick Wright (MU), 5-2
165: Nick Marable (MU) dec. Tyler Caldwell (OU), 8-5
174: Jeff James (OU) dec. Dorian Henderson (MU), 7-5
184: Max Askren (MU) maj. dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 15-5
197: Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. Brent Haynes (MU), 7-1
Oklahoma Sooners Storm Back to Defeat Nebraska in Lincoln, 22-15

No. 9 Oklahoma overcomes 15-0 deficit to earn Big 12 road victory over Huskers.

LINCOLN, Neb. - Trailing 15-0 after four bouts Thursday evening in Lincoln, the ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (13-2-1, 1-1-1 Big 12) stormed back to defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 22-15, to earn its first Big 12 victory of the season.

"Big 12 wins are tough to come by," head coach Jack Spates said. "We are pleased to get the win, but we are a better team than we wrestled tonight. We weren't as sharp as we have been. At the same time we had some guys show some great character to secure the win."

Beginning at 174 pounds, Nebraska (9-9, 0-2) claimed the initial four matchups to lead 15-0. Stephen Dwyer, ranked No. 4 at 174 pounds, put Nebraska on the board first by posting a 10-2 major decision win over No. 18 Jeff James (19-6). Josh Ihnen made it a 7-0 NU lead by topping 184-pound Erich Schmidtke (14-12), 5-1.

Second-ranked Craig Brester then defeated sixth-ranked Sooner Eric Lapotsky (18-5) by technical fall, 18-2, to extend the Husker lead to 12-0. Nathan Fernandez (22-8), ranked No. 12 at heavyweight, next fell to No. 19 Tucker Lane, 6-3.

With the team score 15-0 in favor of Nebraska, the remainder of the match belonged to the Sooners.

True-freshman Jarrod Patterson (22-9) posted Oklahoma's first points with a 4-3 overtime decision over David Klingsheim at 125 pounds. The Cushing, Okla., product, ranked No. 18, posted an escape in the extra period then prevented Klingsheim to tie the match by riding the Husker the entire 30 seconds to win.

Kendric Maple (27-10), a freshman at 133 pounds, then posted his first Big 12 victory of his career with a 4-0 decision over C.J. Napier to pull the Sooners to within nine, 15-6.

Third-ranked Zack Bailey (19-5) then dominated Mike Koehnlein by a 12-4 major decision, and 149-pound and third-ranked Kyle Terry (20-2) was then awarded a victory by forfeit, giving Oklahoma's its first lead of the evening, 16-15.

Shane Vernon (16-4) extended OU's lead to 19-15 by blanking Tyler Koehn, 2-0, at 157 pounds. No. 12 Vernon posted an escape in the second period after choosing the down position and racked up 1 minute 56 seconds of riding time to earn his second Big 12 win of the season.

Leading by four, Tyler Caldwell (23-9) secured a Sooner victory by shutting out James Nakashima by a 3-0 decision at 165 pounds. It marked the 16th-ranked freshman's first Big 12 win of his career.

Oklahoma will trek from Lincoln to Columbia, Mo., to take on No. 17 Missouri (7-4, 1-0 Big 12) this Saturday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. CST. Oklahoma will attempt to win two Big 12 matches in a season for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign.

"Fans will see some great action on Saturday night," Spates said. "One of the challenges for us will be in the upper-weights where we didn't perform so well tonight. We will have to be much better than we were."

No. 9 Oklahoma 22, Nebraska 15
Feb. 4, 2010 Devaney Center
Lincoln, Neb.
Attendance: 1,640

174-#4 Stephen Dwyer (NU) by major decision over #18 Jeff James (OU), 10-2 (NU 4, OU 0)
184-Josh Ihnen (NU) by decision over Erich Schmidtke (OU), 5-1 (NU 7, OU 0)
197-#2 Craig Brester (NU) by technical fall over #6 Eric Lapotsky (OU), 18-2 (NU 12, OU 0)
285-#19 Tucker Lane (NU) by decision over #12 Nathan Fernandez (OU), 6-3 (NU 15, OU 0)
125-#18 Jarrod Patterson (OU) wins by decision over David Klingsheim (NU), 4-3 (NU 15, OU 3)
133-Kendric Maple (OU) wins by decision over C.J. Napier (NU), 4-0 (NU 15, OU 6)
141-#3 Zack Bailey (OU) by major decision over Mike Koehnlein (NU), 12-4 (NU 15, OU 10)
149-#3 Kyle Terry by forfeit (OU 16, NU 15)
157-#12 Shane Vernon (OU) by decision over Tyler Koehn (NU), 2-0 (OU 19, NU 15)
165-#16 Tyler Caldwell (OU) wins by decision over James Nakashima (NU), 3-0 (OU 22, NU 15)
Big 12 Road Tests Await No. 9 Oklahoma Wrestling

Sooners set to take on Big 12 foes Nebraska (2/4) and Missouri (2/6) on the road.

NORMAN, Okla. - The ninth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad (12-2-1, 0-1-1 Big 12) hits the road this week to take on two Big 12 opponents. The Sooners visit the Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-8, 0-1 Big 12) in Lincoln on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. CST, and the 17th-ranked Missouri Tigers (7-4, 1-0) on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. CST.

"Our team is really excited for this trip," head coach Jack Spates said. "We have had two weeks off and we are eager for competition, especially Big 12 competition. The break has allowed us to regroup, refresh and improve and we look forward to this weekend. This should be a good bonding time for our guys and we hopefully will bring back two victories."

The Sooners hold significant leads over both teams in the all-time series. OU leads Nebraska by a 35-16-1 margin and Missouri by a 39-8-0 mark.

Despite leads in the all-time series against the Big 12 foes, Nebraska owns a three-match winning streak against the Sooners, while the Tigers have topped Oklahoma the past four matchups.

Last season, the Tigers defeated Oklahoma, 18-12, in Norman on Feb. 6. The Cornhuskers then edged OU that same weekend by an 18-15 margin on Feb. 8.

Probable Sooner Starters (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record No. 18 Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Fr.) 21-9 Kendric Maple (133) Wichita, Kan. (Fr.) 26-10 No. 3 Zack Bailey (141) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 18-5 No. 3 Kyle Terry (149) Midwest City, Okla. (Sr.) 19-2 No. 12 Shane Vernon (157) Broken Arrow, Okla. (Sr.) 15-4 No. 16 Tyler Caldwell (165) Santa Fe, N.M. (RSo.) 22-9 No. 18 Jeff James (174) El Reno, Okla. (Jr.) 19-5 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RFr.) 14-11 No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (197) Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Sr.) 18-4 No. 12 Nathan Fernandez (HWT) Lawton, Okla. (Jr.) 22-7

Oklahoma boasts eight individuals ranked this week by InterMat, led by Zack Bailey at 141 pounds and 149-pound Kyle Terry, both ranked third. Also ranked in the top 10 is No. 6 Eric Lapotsky competing at 197 pounds.

Sooners Shane Vernon and Nathan Fernandez are 12th at 157 pounds and heavyweight, respectively. Ranked 16th is 165-pound Tyler Caldwell, followed by Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds) and Jeff James (174), both ranked No. 18.

Nebraska owns three ranked this week, including two in the top five. Craig Brester leads all Huskers with a No. 2 ranking at 197 pounds, followed by No. 4 Stephen Dwyer at 174 pounds. Wrestling at heavyweight, Tucker Lane is 19th.

Missouri counters with six ranked this week, led by No. 3 Max Askren at 184 pounds. Also ranked in the top five is No. 5 Nick Marable competing at 165 pounds. Mark Ellis is seventh at heavyweight and Dorian Henderson and Brent Haynes are 15th at 174 and 197 pounds, respectively. Todd Schavrien rounds out ranked Tigers with a No. 19 ranking at 141 pounds.

"Right now we are 0-1-1 in the Big 12, with competitive matches against the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country," Spates said. "This is another gauge to see exactly where our program stands."
No. 2 Iowa State 21, No. 10 Oklahoma 12

QUICK STATS
No. 10 Oklahoma
Statistics
No. 2 Iowa State
0
Pins
1
6
Takedowns
20 23
Escapes
18 0
Near Falls
4 12
Final
21

NORMAN, Okla. - Second-ranked Iowa State (8-2, 1-0 Big 12) proved to be too tough for the 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (12-2-1, 0-1-1 Big 12), as the Cyclones posted a 21-12 victory at the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman Friday evening.

On a night when members of the legendary 1951-1960 Sooner squads were honored, Iowa State took control of the top-10 battle by winning five straight matches from 184 to 133 pounds in front of an Oklahoma crowd of 1,213.

"That is the difference between No. 2 and No. 10," head coach Jack Spates said. "We had some bright spots, but we were looking for something extravagant and didn't get it."

Beginning at 157 pounds, Chad Terry put Oklahoma on the board first with a 3-2 decision over Cyclone Andrew Sorenson. The Midwest City, Okla., product scored the match's only takedown in the first period and scored an escape in the third to improve to 7-2 (1-0 Big 12) on the season.

Jon Reader, ranked No. 3 nationally for ISU at 165 pounds, quickly took control of No. 18 Tyler Caldwell of OU (18-8, 0-2 Big 12) by posting a 19-4 technical fall to put the Cyclones up, 5-3. Reader recorded five takedowns, two nearfalls and a reversal to claim the evening's second bout.

Junior Jeff James (11-3, 2-0 Big 12) put the Sooners back on top, 6-5, with a 3-1 decision over Duke Burk at 174 pounds. James scored the bout's first points in the second period after choosing the down position to lead 1-0. After scoring a takedown with 11 seconds remaining in the second, James allowed only an escape in the third period to win.

Cyclone Jerome Ward, ranked eighth, gave the visitors an 8-6 team lead with a 10-3 decision win over Erich Schmidtke (14-11, 0-2 Big 12) at 184 pounds. Schmidtke only mustered three escapes to counter Ward's four takedowns in the loss.

The nation's top-ranked 197-pounder gave Iowa State its first back-to-back win of the evening with a 9-3 win over No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (18-4, 1-1 Big 12). Varner posted two takedowns and a reversal to put ISU on top, 11-6.

Fourth-ranked Cyclone David Zabriskie then took down No. 12 Nathan Fernandez (22-7, 0-2 Big 12), 5-3, in overtime to give Iowa State a 14-6 team lead. Dating back to last season, it marked the second straight overtime battle between the Big 12 foes.

Moving to 125 pounds, fifth-ranked Andrew Long handed No. 20 Jarrod Patterson (19-7, 1-1 Big 12) a 10-4 defeat. Patterson scored a takedown in the final period but saw his rally fall short, as the Cyclones extended their lead to 17-6.

Twelfth-ranked Nick Fanthorpe then made it a 21-6 ISU lead by topping Sooner freshman Kendric Maple (20-5, 0-1 Big 12) by a 14-6 major decision at 133 pounds.

Fifth-ranked Zack Bailey (18-5, 1-1 Big 12) finally stopped the bleeding for Oklahoma, halting a five-match Cyclone win streak at 141 pounds. The Kansas City, Mo., native scored two takedowns and a pair of escapes to win, 6-4, narrowing the ISU lead to 21-9.

Kyle Terry (19-2, 2-0 Big 12) made it back-to-back wins for Oklahoma with a 6-4 decision over No. 10 Mitch Mueller at 149 pounds. It marked No. 10 Terry's 29th-straight dual win dating back to last season (11-0 this season, 18-0 last year).

"It was a good job, just not extravagant," Spates said. "That is what you need to beat a team as good as Iowa State."

Oklahoma returns to Big 12 action on Feb. 4 when it takes on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln at 7 p.m.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125: No. 5 Andrew Long (ISU) dec. No. 20 Jarrod Patterson (OU), 10-4
133: No. 12 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) maj. dec. Kendric Maple (OU), 14-6
141: No. 5 Zack Bailey (OU) dec. Dalton Jenson (ISU), 6-4
149: No. 4 Kyle Terry (OU) dec. No. 10 Mitch Mueller (ISU), 4-0
157: Chad Terry (OU) dec. Andrew Sorenson (ISU), 3-2
165: No. 3 Jon Reader (ISU) tech. fall No. 18 Tyler Caldwell (OU), 19-4
174: No. 19 Jeff James (OU) dec. No. 13 Duke Burk (ISU), 3-1
184: No. 8 Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 10-3
197: No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) dec. No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (OU), 9-3
HWT: No. 4 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 12 Nathan Fernandez (OU), 5-3
No. 10 Oklahoma Wrestling Hosts No. 2 Iowa State in Big 12 Showdown

No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 2 Iowa State battle Friday in Norman.

NORMAN, Okla. - The 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (12-1-1) hosts a top-10 Big 12 battle this Friday, Jan. 22, when the second-ranked Iowa State Cyclones visit Norman at 7 p.m. inside the Howard McCasland Field House.

Oklahoma will attempt to snap a seven-match skid against the squad from Ames, Iowa, dating back to 2003.

The Sooners are coming off an impressive 4-0 weekend at the Lonestar Duals in Arlington, Texas, as they sprinted past Northwestern (40-3), Harvard (44-6), Brown (36-4) and Nebraska-Kearney (34-4).

Iowa State (7-2), winners of back-to-back Big 12 titles (co-champion in 2009 with Nebraska), topped Oklahoma last season by a 23-15 final on Feb. 23. Both losses for Iowa State this season have come from the hands of No. 1 Iowa.

Additionally, members from the 1951-60 Oklahoma wrestling squads will be honored at Friday's match. Deemed the "Golden Decade of Oklahoma Wrestling," the teams claimed four national championships (1951, 1952, 1957 and 1960), 15 individual national titles, 42 individual conference champions and seven conference championships (1951-57).

The teams combined for a .868 winning percentage (76-9-6) during the ten-year span, the most successful decade in program history.

Doors to the conference showdown open at 6 p.m. and admission is free to the public. First 250 fans will receive a beanie and fans can enjoy 50-cent hot dogs while supplies last.

RANKINGS RUNDOWN

Oklahoma enters the battle on Friday boasting eight ranked in this week's InterMat Top 20 individual rankings, led by No. 4 Kyle Terry at 149 pounds. Also ranked in the top ten are fifth-ranked Zack Bailey and sixth-ranked Eric Lapotsky at 141 and 197 pounds, respectively.

Shane Vernon is No. 11 at 157 pounds and heavyweight Nathan Fernandez is No. 12. True-freshman Tyler Caldwell is 18th at 165 pounds, Jeff James is 19th at 174 pounds and 125-pound Jarrod Patterson is 20th.

The Cyclones counter with nine ranked this week, including two grapplers voted No. 1 in the country in Nick Gallick (141 pounds) and Jake Varner (197). Also ranked in the top five are No. 3 Jon Reader at 165 pounds, No. 4 David Zabriskie at heavyweight and No. 5 Andrew Long wrestling at 125 pounds.

Jerome Ward is No. 8 at 184 pounds, Mitch Mueller is 10th at 149 pounds, and Nick Fanthorpe is 12th at 133 pounds. Duke Burk, No. 13 at 174 pounds, rounds out ranked Cyclones.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE

The Cyclones, ranked No. 2 in the country, enter Friday's contest against the Sooners with a 7-2 record overall dual, with both losses coming from No. 1 Iowa (16-18, 12-19). The co-defending Big 12 champions are coming off of a 33-9 stomping of Illinois on Jan. 16. In its wins, ISU is outscoring its opponents 32-7.

The match against the Sooners will mark Iowa State's first Big 12 matchup of the season. The Cyclones will travel to Stillwater this Sunday, Jan. 24 to take on Oklahoma State to complete the Oklahoma swing.

The Cyclones are led by first year head coach Kevin Jackson, a former Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Champion. Jackson is an alum of ISU, as he transferred to the program his senior year after attending Louisiana State. He is assisted by Chris Bono and Yero Washington.

Probable Sooner Starters (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record No. 20 Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Fr.) 20-5 Kendric Maple (133) Wichita, Kan. (Fr.) 20-5 No. 5 Zack Bailey (141) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 17-5 No. 4 Kyle Terry (149) Midwest City, Okla. (Sr.) 18-2 No. 11 Shane Vernon (157) Broken Arrow, Okla. (Sr.) 15-4 No. 18 Tyler Caldwell (165) Santa Fe, N.M. (RSo.) 18-7 No. 19 Jeff James (174) El Reno, Okla. (Jr.) 18-5 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RFr.) 14-10 No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (197) Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Sr.) 18-3 No. 12 Nathan Fernandez (HWT) Lawton, Okla. (Jr.) 22-6

SOONER MATCH NOTES

UP NEXT
Oklahoma continues Big 12 competition when it hits the road to take on Nebraska in Lincoln on Friday, Feb. 4, followed by a matchup with Missouri later that weekend in Columbia on Feb. 6. Both matches are scheduled to commence at 7 p.m. CST.

BAILEY BATTLE-TESTED
Perhaps no other Sooner will be more prepared for the postseason as Sooner redshirt-junior Zack Bailey (17-5), as the Kansas City, Mo., product has competed in six matches vs. ranked opponents this season, including four in the top five. Friday's test only gets tougher for fifth-ranked Sooner, as he is set to face No. 1 Nick Gallick of the Cyclones.

OKLAHOMA VS. CYCLONE HISTORY
Iowa State leads the all-time series by a 47-33-3 margin. The Cyclones have won the last seven meetings against the Sooners, dating back to 2003.

Last season, ISU defeated Oklahoma by a 23-15 final in Ames on Jan. 23. Only two Sooners on the current roster recorded wins a year ago against Iowa State (Kyle Terry and Jeff James).

YOUNG PUPS
The Sooners will fire three true freshmen on the mat Friday against the Cyclones. The trio were a part of the nation's No. 2 recruiting class last season and are an impressive 58-17 overall on the season and 20-6 in duals. Additionally, redshirt freshman Erich Schmidtke starts at 184 pounds for OU.

SPATES TOUGH AT HOME
Sooner head coach Jack Spates' career mark at home stands at 88-26-3 (.785) now in his 17th season in Norman, including a 4-0-1 record this season.

ANOTHER TOP CLASS HEADED TO NORMAN
Oklahoma wrestling coach Jack Spates recently signed nine high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, including four ranked in the top 12 nationally in their respective weight classes by Intermat and five from the state of Oklahoma.

Leading ranked recruits is Kyle Colling from Yorkshire, N.Y., ranked No. 4 nationally among 215 pounders. Colling's accomplishments include a New York state title and champion at High School Nationals.

Jenks, Okla., product Justin Deangelis, a two-time state champion and Junior National All-American, is seventh in the 145 pound division and Stilwell, Kan., native Parker Madl is 11th at 171 pounds. Madl is a Kansas state champion and a Junior National All-American.

Ronnie Balfour, an Oklahoma state champion and Junior National All-American, from Tulsa, Okla., rounds out the group ranked No. 12 among 160 pounders.

Other Oklahomans joining the roster next season are Dustin Reed from Choctaw, Pawhuska native Dax Perrier and Quincy Mondaine from Muskogee. All three have earned runner-up finishes at the Oklahoma state championships.

The class is completed with the signings of Sean Datte from Las Flores, Calif., and Chase Gordon of Oveido, Fla. Gordon joins the Sooners as a Florida state champion and Junior Nationals runner-up.

2010 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS IN NORMAN, TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
All-session tickets are now available for the 2010 Big 12 Wrestling Championships. Fans can purchase tickets online or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU.

All-Session Prices Lower Reserved $25 Upper Reserved $15 2 & Under (Must Sit on Lap) Free Single-Session Prices Lower Reserved $15 Upper Reserved $10 2 & Under (Must Sit on Lap) Free
There are a total of two sessions for this event. Both sessions are on March 6, 2010. Times will be announced as they become available.

An all-session ticket consists of a ticket for both sessions. Single-session tickets will be made available at the event on the first day of competition and are based on availability. All seats are reserved.
No. 11 Oklahoma Wrestling Cruises at Lonestar Duals

Oklahoma picks up four wins on Saturday at the Lonestar Duals in Arlington, Texas.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The 11th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team breezed through the Lonestar Duals in Arlington, Texas on Saturday by dominating four opponents to improve its season dual record to 12-1-1.

The Sooners overpowered Northwestern (40-3), Harvard (44-6), Brown (36-4) and Nebraska-Kearney (34-4), winning by an average score of 39-4 and claiming 35 of 40 total bouts.

The 12 victories this season marks the 15 straight year under head coach Jack Spates the Sooners have recorded 10-plus dual wins.
The Sooners trailed only once the entire day when they faced a 3-0 deficit against Harvard after Steven Keith knocked off No. 13 Jarrod Patterson (20-5) of Oklahoma, 7-4 at 125 pounds. Oklahoma quickly took the lead, 6-3, after the next bout.

Ten non-starters for Oklahoma saw action on the day, going a combined 10-2 against opponents.

Highlights of the day included true-freshman Kendric Maple (20-5) going 3-0 with three pins at 133 pounds for OU. The Wichita, Kan., product now has nine falls (five in duals) on the year, a team high.

Sooner Kyle Terry, ranked fourth nationally at 149 pounds, picked up another win over a ranked opponent versus Northwestern's No. 15 Andrew Nadhir, 8-3. The senior's two victories on Saturday improve his dual win streak to 28 straight dating back to last season (10-0 this year).

The competition gets much stiffer in Oklahoma's next dual, as No. 2 Iowa State visits Norman this Friday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. inside the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman. Oklahoma will attempt to snap a seven-match Cyclone win streak dating back to 2003.

DUAL RESULTS

OU 40, NORTHWESTERN 3

125: No. 13 Jarrod Patterson (OU) winner by forfeit
133: Kendric Maple (OU) fall Eric Melzler (NW), 4:04
141: No. 6 Zack Bailey (OU) maj. dec. Bobby Joyce (NW), 12-3
149: No. 4 Kyle Terry (OU) dec. No. 15 Andrew Nadhir (NW), 8-3
157: Chad Terry (OU) maj. dec. Kevin Bialka (NW), 11-2
165: No. 18 Tyler Caldwell (OU) maj. dec. Robert Kellogg (NW), 14-2
174: No. 19 Jeff James (OU) dec. Brian Roddy (NW), 7-4
184: Aaron Jones (NW) dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 3-1
197: No. 6 Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. John Schoen (NW), 8-0
HWT: No. 13 Nathan Fernandez (OU) winner by forfeit

OU 44, HARVARD 6

125: Steven Keith (Harvard) dec. No. 13 Jarrod Patterson (OU), 7-4
133: Kendric Maple (OU) fall Fermin Mendez (Harvard), 0:45
141: Zack Bailey (OU) winner by forfeit
149: Seth Vernon (OU) fall Spencer Friedman (Harvard), 1:21
157: Shane Vernon (OU) tech. fall JP OConnor (Harvard), 16-0
165: Tyler Caldwell (OU) tech. fall Michael Sadler (Harvard), 19-4
174: Jeff James (OU) tech. fall David Lalo (Harvard), 15-0
184: Louis Caputo (Harvard) dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 7-0
197: Keldrick Hall (OU) tech. fall Sean Murphy (Harvard), 22-7
HWT: Nathan Fernandez (OU) fall Spencer Desena (Harvard), 4:23

OU 36, BROWN 4

125: Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Greg Einfrank (BU), 13-7
133: Kendric Maple (OU) fall Tedora Popolizio (BU), 2:53
141: Stephen DeLorenzo (BU) maj. dec. Nick Burnham (OU), 11-1
149: Kyle Terry (OU) maj. dec. Phillip Marano (BU), 14-4
157: Shane Vernon (OU) dec. Gabriel Brotzman (BU), 7-2
165: Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Jeffrey Lemmer (BU), 4-0
174: Jeff James (OU) tech. fall Ziad Kharbush (BU), 19-4
184: Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Bran Crudden (BU), 6-4 (SV1)
197: Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. Branden Stearns (BU), 6-3
HWT: Nathan Fernandez (OU) fall Tyler Cowman (BU), 4:09

OU 34, NEBRASKA-KEARNEY 4

125: Justin Forrest (OU) dec. Greg Einfrank (NK), 2-0
133: Alex Ekstrom (OU) maj. dec. Joey Morrison (NK), 8-0
141: Zack Bailey (OU) tech. fall Tyler Bakey (NK), 26-9
149: Seth Vernon (OU) dec. T.J. Hepburn (NK), 7-4
157: Chad Terry (OU) maj. dec. Jordan Geinger (NK), 16-2
165: Derek Peperas (OU) dec. Drew Comito (NK), 4-2
174: Kamarudeen Usman (NK) maj. dec. Ben Bridell (OU), 11-0
184: John Weakly (OU) fall Derek Ross (NK), 4:15
197: Keldrick Hall (OU) dec. Justin McKain (NK), 3-2
HWT: Joe Back (OU) dec. Ben Hohensee (NK), 6-0
Lehigh Rallies to Overtake No. 10 Oklahoma Wrestling in Virginia

No. 11 Lehigh overcomes 16-0 deficit to beat No. 10 Oklahoma, 18-16, at Virginia Duals.

HAMPTON, Va. - Leading 16-0 after four bouts versus No. 11 Lehigh at the Virginia Duals, the 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (7-1-0) witnessed the third-seeded Hawks mount a furious comeback by winning the final six matchups to steal the semifinal battle, 18-16.

Second-seeded Oklahoma, who suffered its first dual loss of the season, falls to the consolation bracket to face No. 14 Penn State Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. CT.

True freshman and 13th-ranked Jarrod Patterson (19-3) continued his dominance at the tournament, claiming his third win on the weekend at 125 pounds with a 4-2 decision over John McDonald to put OU up 3-0 over Lehigh.

Freshman Kendric Maple gave Oklahoma a huge bolt of momentum at 133 pounds by posting a pin over Mitch Berger (1:34) to give the Sooners a 9-0 team advantage. Maple (16-4) came out of redshirt this weekend and is 2-1 in his first three duals.

Fifth-ranked Zack Bailey (13-5) made it a 12-0 lead with a 5-1 decision over Seth Ciasulli at 141 pounds. Fourth-ranked Sooner Kyle Terry (15-2) would then record Oklahoma's last victory of the match with a 10-2 major decision over Brian Tanen at 149 pounds, giving OU a 16-0 lead.

The Hawk rally began at 157 pounds when Sean Bilodeau edged OU's Chad Terry, 8-7, followed by a Mike Galanfe win over NO. 16 Tyler Caldwell (16-5) at 165 pounds, 6-5.

Lehigh's Robert Hamlin cut Oklahoma's lead to 16-9 by handing No. 8 Jeff James (14-5) a 6-2 defeat at 174 pounds and David Craig topped John Weakly (0-1), 6-2, at 184 pounds. It marked Weakly's first action as a Sooner after transferring from Ohio State.

Joe Kennedy then handed No. 3 Eric Lapotsky (15-3) his second straight loss at the tournament with a 4-1 decision at 197 pounds.

Heavyweight Zach Rey gave Lehigh its first lead of the match, 18-16, by posting a 3-2 decision over No. 12 Nathan Fernandez (19-5).

Oklahoma and Penn State will battle for third place while Lehigh will take on Oklahoma State in the championship. The Nittany Lions own a 14-10-1 lead in the all-time series against the Sooners.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125 - Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma) over John McDonald (Lehigh) Dec 4-2
133 - Kendric Maple (Oklahoma)over Mitch Berger (Lehigh) Pin 1:34
141 - Zack Bailey (Oklahoma) over Seth Ciasulli (Lehigh) Dec 5-1
149 - Kyle Terry (Oklahoma) over Brian Tanen (Lehigh) Maj 10-2
157 - Sean Bilodeau (Lehigh) over Chad Terry (Oklahoma U) Dec 8-7
165 - Mike Galanfe (Lehigh) over Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma) Dec 6-5
174 - Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) over Jeff James (Oklahoma) Dec 6-2
184 - David Craig (Lehigh) over John Weakly (Oklahoma) Dec 6-2
197 - Joe Kennedy (Lehigh) over Eric Lapotsky (Oklahoma) Dec 4-1
HWT - Zach Rey (Lehigh) over Nathan Fernandez (Oklahoma) Dec 3-2
Oklahoma Wrestlers Topple Bucknell, Advance in Virginia

No. 10 Oklahoma defeats Bucknell Friday at the Virginia Duals, 28-7.

NORMAN, Okla. - The 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad (6-0-1) advanced in the championship bracket at the 30th Annual Virginia Duals Friday afternoon with a dominant 28-7 victory over Bucknell.

Second-seeded Oklahoma claimed eight of 10 bouts against the Bison (4-4) and advances to face seventh-seeded Virginia Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. CT.

Fifth-ranked Zack Bailey (11-5) and No. 12 Nathan Fernandez (18-4) scored OU's only bonus points against the Bison. Bailey earned a 13-5 major decision over John Regan which spurred on four straight wins by Oklahoma to put the match out of reach for the Bison.

Heavyweight Fernandez posted a pin to close out the dual over Conor Sweener (4:24), his sixth fall of the year.

In the marquee matchup of the dual, fourth-ranked Sooner Kyle Terry outlasted seventh-ranked Kevin LeValley by a 6-4 decision in the second sudden victory period. Tied at three after the final period, Terry outscored the Bison 3-1 in overtime to push his season record to 13-2.

Earning decision wins for Oklahoma were Jarrod Patterson at 125 pounds, Shane Vernon at 157 pounds, Tyler Caldwell at 165 pounds, Erich Schmidtke at 184 pounds and 197-pounder Eric Lapotsky.

Bison David Marble, ranked No. 18 at 133 pounds, defeated Kendric Maple by a 14-2 major decision and No. 17 Shane Riccio earned a 3-0 upset win over eighth-ranked Jeff James at 174 pounds.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Derrik Russell (BU), 3-0
133 David Marbie (BU) maj. dec. Kendric Maple (OU), 14-2
141 Zack Bailey (OU) maj. dec. John Regan (BU), 13-5
149 Kyle Terry (OU) dec. Kevin LeValley (BU), 6-4 (SV2)
157 Shane Vernon (OU) dec. Brantley Hooks (BU), 3-0
165 Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. Corey Lear (BU), 6-2
174 Shane Riccio (BU), dec. Jeff James (OU), 3-0
184 Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Rob Waltko (BU), 6-2
197 Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. Jay Hahn (BU), 6-2
HWT Nathan Fernandez (OU) pin Conor Sweeney (BU), 4:24
10th-Ranked Oklahoma Wrestlers Head to Virginia

Oklahoma competes at the Virginia Duals this weekend, Jan. 8-9.Oklahoma

OklahomaNORMAN, Okla. - The 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (5-0-1) hits the road this weekend, Jan. 8-9, to compete in the 30th Annual Virginia Duals in Hampton, Va.

Oklahoma, the No. 2 seed for the tournament, is one of 16 teams in the National Bracket, including eight ranked in InterMat's Top 25. Oklahoma State, ranked No. 4 nationally, is the top seed.

Also ranked are No. 11 Lehigh, No. 14 Penn State, No. 18 Virginia, No. 19 Kent State, No. 20 Edinboro and No. 24 Virginia Tech.

"This is a great venue, a great event with outstanding competition," OU head coach Jack Spates said. "We will have to be ready, prepared and be tough in order to be successful."

The Sooners are scheduled to kick off the tournament against Bucknell (4-3) on Friday at 10 a.m. CT. It will mark the first ever matchup between the programs.

With a win over Bucknell, Oklahoma would face the winner the Virginia/Michigan matchup Friday at 2 p.m. CT. Lose, and the Sooners would face the loser of the Virginia/Michigan battle Friday at 2 p.m.

In-state rivals Oklahoma and Oklahoma State would each need to win three matches in order to face off in the finals, held Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT. The two Oklahoma schools battled to a 16-16 tie this season on Dec. 1 in their first matchup.

Probable Sooner Starters (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record No. 13 Jarrod Patterson (125) Cushing, Okla. (Fr.) 16-3 Kendric Maple (133) Wichita, Kan. (Fr.) 14-4 No. 5 Zack Bailey (141) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 10-5 No. 4 Kyle Terry (149) Midwest City, Okla. (Sr.) 12-2 No. 11 Shane Vernon (157) Broken Arrow, Okla. (Sr.) 11-3 No. 16 Tyler Caldwell (165) Santa Fe, N.M. (RSo.) 13-5 No. 8 Jeff James (174) El Reno, Okla. (Jr.) 14-2 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RFr.) 12-6 No. 3 Eric Lapotsky (197) Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Sr.) 14-1 No. 12 Nathan Fernandez (HWT) Lawton, Okla. (Jr.) 17-4

Oklahoma will run eight nationally ranked wrestlers onto the mat this weekend, including three in the top five. Senior Eric Lapotsky leads all Sooners ranked No. 3 at 197 pounds, followed by No. 4 Kyle Terry at 149 pounds and No. 5 Zack Bailey at 141 pounds.

Additionally, junior Jeff James is eighth at 174 pounds, 157-pound Shane Vernon is No. 11 and heavyweight Nathan Fernandez is slotted No. 12. Rounding out ranked Sooners are true freshmen Jarrod Patterson (No. 13 at 125 pounds) and Tyler Caldwell (No. 16 at 165 pounds).

Making his first appearance in the Oklahoma starting lineup at 133 pounds this weekend will be freshman Kendric Maple. The Wichita, Kan., native has competed this year at 141 pounds and owns a 14-4 record this season with second place finishes at the Lindenwood, Oklahoma City and Missouri Opens. Maple also earned third place last weekend at the Ron Beaman Open.

"We think Kendric will surprise a lot of people," Spates said. "He has made the weight change very comfortably and we are excited to see him on the mat."

Bucknell counters with four ranked, led by No. 7 Kevin LeValley at 149 pounds. Andy Rendos is No. 10 at 165 pounds, Shane Riccio is No. 17 at 174 pounds and Dave Marble is No. 18 competing at 133 pounds.
No. 10 Oklahoma Rolls No. 16 Cal Poly, 27-13

Sooners win seven of 10 bouts, improve to 5-0-1 on the season.

NORMAN, Okla. - The 10th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (5-0-1) began the New Year by recording its second top 20 victory of the season over No. 16 Cal Poly (3-2) by a 27-13 final Sunday at the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman.

It marked the first dual of the season Oklahoma appeared as a top-10 team. OU vaulted up the rankings after a 16-16 tie versus then-No. 3 Oklahoma State on Dec. 1.

"Cal Poly is a good team and we knew that coming in," head coach Jack Spates said. "We knew we had to come to wrestle. One big positive for us is the third period belonged to us. If you look at the third periods in all of our matches, we did most of the scoring. That is a compliment to our training."

Freshman Jarrod Patterson (16-3) put the Sooners on the board first with a 6-1 decision over Micah Ferguson. The Cushing, Okla., product scored takedowns in the first and third period and accumulated over two minutes of riding time to record his second dual win (2-0) of the season.

Cal Poly took a 10-3 lead after ninth-ranked Boris Novachkov blanked Greg Cannon at 133 pounds, 9-0, and No. 13 Filip Novachkov pinned No. 4 Zack Bailey of Oklahoma (4:18) at 141 pounds.

Fifth-ranked Kyle Terry closed the Mustang lead to 10-7 with a dominate 12-3 major decision win at 149 pounds over Eric Maldonado. Terry posted five takedowns in the victory to push his season record to 12-2.

Cal Poly then extended its lead, 13-7, when No. 4 Chase Pami defeated 11th-ranked Shane Vernon by a 4-1 decision at 157 pounds. Pami scored all four points in the final period with an escape and a takedown and was awarded a riding time point.

A 10-1 major decision by 17th-ranked 165-pound Sooner Tyler Caldwell (13-5) brought Oklahoma within two team points, 13-11. The Wichita, Kan., product dominated Mustang Steven Vasquez by recording four takedowns and accumulating three minutes 18 seconds of riding time.

Jeff James, ranked eighth at 174 pounds, gave Oklahoma its first lead, 14-13, since after the opening bout with a 7-2 decision over Ryan DesRoches. James posted three takedowns in the 174-pound win to improve his season record to 14-2.

Erich Schmidtke (12-6) then posted an impressive 16-8 major decision over Kelan Bragg at 184 pounds. The redshirt freshman recorded a match-high eight takedowns in the victory while gathering 2 minutes 13 seconds of riding time to give Oklahoma an 18-13 team lead.

Sooner heavyweight Nathan Fernandez (17-4) closed out the afternoon with a 2-0 victory over Jim Powers.
A Cal Poly forfeit at 197 pounds gave Eric Lapotsky his 14th victory of the season (14-1) and the Sooners a 24-13 team lead heading into the final bout of the afternoon.

Next up, the Sooners will travel to the highly competitive Virginia Duals in Hampton, Va., on Jan. 8. The team will resume its home slate on Jan. 22 when it takes on Big 12 foe Iowa State at 7 p.m.

"There will be some great competition at the Virginia Duals with teams like Oklahoma State, Lehigh, Penn State and Edinboro," Spates said. "We will have to be ready, prepared and tough."

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125:
No. 12 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. Micah Ferguson (CP), 6-1
133: No. 9 Boris Novachkov (CP) maj. dec. Greg Cannon (OU), 9-0
141: No. 13 Filip Novachkov (CP) fall No. 4 Zack Bailey (OU), 4:18
149: No. 5 Kyle Terry (OU) maj. dec. Eric Maldonado (CP), 12-3
157: No. 4 Chase Pami (CP) dec. No. 11 Shane Vernon (OU), 4-1
165:  No. 17 Tyler Caldwell (OU) maj. dec. Travis Rasmussen (CP), 10-1
174:  No. 8 Jeff James (OU) dec. Ryan DesRoches (CP), 7-2
184:  Eric Schmidtke (OU) maj. dec. Tyler Holt (CP), 16-8
197: No. 4 Eric Lapotsky (OU) winner by forfeit
HWT: No. 9 Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Jim Powers (CP), 2-0
Oklahoma Wrestlers Earn Third Over Talented Field in Nevada

Sooners earn five medals at Cliff Keen Invitational in Primm, Nev.

PRIMM, Nev. - The 12th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (4-0-1) took home five individual medals and placed third over a talented field of 42 teams at the 28th Annual Cliff Keen Invitational in Primm, Nev.

Ohio State won the title and Cornell took home second. OU finished higher than many impressive teams at the tournament, including No. 9 Boise State and No. 11 Nebraska.

Senior Eric Lapotsky, ranked sixth in the country, led the way for Oklahoma by advancing to the finals at 197 pounds. Lapotsky dropped his first match of the season (12-1) to No. 2 Craig Brester of Nebraska in the finals, 5-3, to earn the silver medal.

Finishing in third place for the Sooners were Zack Bailey (141 pounds) with a 6-1 effort on the weekend, 149-pound Kyle Terry and heavyweight Nathan Fernandez, both with 5-1 records.

Defending Big 12 champion and fifth-ranked Terry was defeated in the semifinals by Ohio State's Lance Palmer, 4-3, marking the second time this season the fourth-ranked Buckeye topped the Sooner.

Jeff James also earned a medal with a fourth place finish, as the eighth-ranked Sooner compiled a 4-2 record after reaching the consolation finals at 174 pounds.

Additionally, senior Shane Vernon picked up three wins en route to a seventh place finish.

The Sooners now break for the holidays before resuming competition on Jan. 3 when Cal Poly visits Norman at 2 p.m.
No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 3 Oklahoma State Bedlam Wrestling Ends Deadlocked, 16-16

No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 3 Oklahoma State tie, 16-16, in first matchup of the season in Norman on Tuesday.

No. 12 OKLAHOMA 16, No. 3 Oklahoma State 16

FINAL STATS |
QUICK STATS
No. 12 Oklahoma
Statistics
No. 3 Oklahoma State
0
Pins
0
13
Takedowns
17 19
Escapes
17 1
Reversals
1 16
Final
16

NORMAN, Okla. --Ten bouts proved to be not enough to decide the first installment of Bedlam wrestling, as No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 3 Oklahoma State ended the evening deadlocked at 16 in Norman.

Oklahoma, trailing 16-13 heading into the evening's final bout, eliminated the gap with a 6-3 decision by No. 5 Kyle Terry over Quinten Fuentes at 149 pounds.

With both teams recording the same number of dual wins and overall bonus points, the match ended in a tie.

"I feel about as good as I can with a tie," head coach Jack Spates said. "Our guys came to wrestle. Bedlam is all about fighting, scratching and clawing."

The evening began at 157 pounds and Oklahoma quickly took a 3-0 team lead after No. 8 Shane Vernon recorded a mild 3-1 upset over OSU's seventh-ranked Neil Erisman.

Alex Meade, ranked No. 12, then tied the match with a 5-1 decision over Sooner true-freshman and 16th-ranked Tyler Caldwell at 165 pounds.

No. 8 Jeff James (9-0) quickly turned the match back into Oklahoma's favor, 6-3, by dominating Chris McNeil at 174 pounds. The junior recorded a 14-5 major decision, his fourth of the season.

The see-saw battle continued, as Oklahoma State's 11th-ranked Clayton Foster squared the team score by posting a 17-5 major decision victory over 184-pound Sooner Erich Schmidtke.

Sooners claimed victory in arguably the most anticipated matchup of the night, as No. 7 Eric Lapotsky took down No. 4 Alan Gelogaev by a 10-4 final. Lapotsky, who was awarded Big 12 Wrestler of the Month earlier in the day, remained undefeated (9-0) on the season and gave OU a 10-7 team lead.

Two overtime periods then were not enough to decide the heavyweight battle, as No. 13 Nathan Fernandez fell to No. 2 Jared Rosholt by a riding time in the fourth-tie breaking period, 3-3.

With the team score once again deadlocked at 10, Sooner freshman Jarrod Patterson, who was brought out of redshirt prior to the match, provided the biggest upset of the night, knocking down No. 7 Chris Notte by a 6-3 final. The match was all-square at two when the Marlow, Okla., product scored two takedowns in the final nine seconds to steal the win.

"It was a joint decision to pull his redshirt," Spates said. "It was encouraged and he was all for it. He was dominated a few weeks ago by Notte, and it took a lot of courage to come out and face him in his first career dual start."

Leading 13-10, Oklahoma State posted back-to-back wins to stake its first lead, 16-13. No. 7 Jordan Oliver defeated Alex Ekstrom by an 8-2 decision at 133 pounds and No. 5 Jamal Parks posted a 5-3 victory over No. 15 Zack Bailey at 141 pounds.

Oklahoma returns to action this weekend, Dec. 4-5, when it travels to Primm, Nev., to compete in the Cliff Keen Invitational.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

125: Jared Patterson (OU) dec. Chris Notte (OSU), 6-3
133: Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. Alex Ekstrom (OU), 8-2
141: Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Zack Bailey (OU), 5-3
149: Kyle Terry (OU) dec. Albert White (OSU), 6-3
157: Shane Vernon (OU) dec. Neil Erisman (OSU), 3-1
165: Alex Meade (OSU) dec. Tyler Caldwell (OU), 5-1
174: Jeff James (OU) maj. dec. Chris McNeil (OSU), 14-5
184: Clayton Foster (OSU) maj. dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU), 17-5
197: Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. Alan Gelogaev (OSU), 10-4
HWT: Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. Nathan Fernandez (OU), 3-3 RT TB4
Bedlam Wrestling Hits the Mat Tuesday Hosted by University of Oklahoma in Norman

No. 11 Oklahoma hosts No. 3 Oklahoma State Tuesday at 7 p.m.

No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Oklahoma State Date Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Location Norman, Okla. Howard McCasland Field House Tickets OU Athletics Ticket Office TV/Radio Cox TV (Channel 7 in OKC and Channel 3 in Tulsa) Online Live Stats Promotions - Free pizza for OU students
- $300 MidFirst Bank gift card to randomly selected student
- $300 MidFirst Bank gift card to greatest attending Greek house

NORMAN, Okla. - The 11th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (4-0) is set to host the first installment of Bedlam this Tuesday, Dec. 1, when it hosts third-ranked Oklahoma State (1-0) at 7 p.m. inside the Howard McCasland Field House.

The Sooners are coming off of two dual wins last Saturday at the Oklahoma Open. The Sooners improved their record by cruising past Oklahoma City (30-16) and North Carolina State (26-15).

"It's Bedlam," Spates said. "We want to follow in the footsteps of our football team and get a victory. Our team wants to encourage all Sooner fans to come out and support us and root us on to victory."

The Sooners and Cowboys have split the last four meetings, with each squad winning on its home mat.

The match will air to the state of Oklahoma on Cox Television with Toby Rowland calling (Cox channel 7 in OKC, channel 3 in Tulsa). Woodward (KOMI), Enid (KXOK), Lawton (KSWO) and

Ponca City (KTEW) are also scheduled to pick up the in-state rivalry match.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are still available for purchase. Prices are $15 for reserved seating, $10 for general admission and $5 for pre-arranged group tickets. Fans can purchase online or call the OU Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free (800) 456-GoOU.

SCOUTING THE COWBOYS

The match versus the Sooners will mark just the second dual of the season for the Cowboys, as the squad from Stillwater is 1-0 on the season after defeating Arizona State, 21-9, on Nov. 20. OSU also crowned seven champions at the 2009 Central Missouri Open on Nov. 15, including six making the start against Oklahoma.

The Cowboys, who is the nation's leader in NCAA championships with 34, is led by head coach John Smith (OSU, 1988). The OSU alum is 282-42-4 now in his 19th year in Stillwater. He is assisted by Eric Guerrero and Tyrone Lewis.

Last season, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State tied for a fourth place finish in the Big 12 regular season with 1-4 records. After splitting regular season matches against the Sooners, OSU finished fourth at the Big 12 Championships and 16th at the NCAAs.

Probable Sooner Starters (Weight) Hometown (Year) Record Justin Forrest (125) Peculiar, Mo. (RFr.) 7-6 Alex Ekstrom (133) Palmyra, N.Y. (Fr.) 4-5 Zack Bailey (141) Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.) 4-2 Kyle Terry (149) Midwest City, Okla. (Sr.) 6-1 Shane Vernon (157) Broken Arrow, Okla. (Sr.) 6-0 Derek Peperas (165) Santa Fe, N.M. (RSo.) 14-3 Jeff James (174) El Reno, Okla. (Jr.) 8-0 Erich Schmidtke (184) Aberdeen, Wash. (RFr.) 9-3 Eric Lapotsky (197) Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Sr.) 8-0 Nathan Fernandez (HWT) Lawton, Okla. (Jr.) 11-2

SOONER NOTES

LAST TIME OUT
The University of Oklahoma wrestling team posted two victories at the Oklahoma Open last weekend, besting Oklahoma City (30-16) and North Carolina State (26-15).

Sooners picking up two wins on the day were No. 8 Jeff James (174 pounds), Erich Schmidtke (184), No. 7 Eric Lapotsky (197) and No. 14 Nathan Fernandez (285).

Lapotsky was again impressive, earning his sixth pin of the season in eight victories (8-0). James also kept his undefeated season alive, now 8-0 heading into Bedlam.

Schmidtke also dominated by recording a 19-4 technical fall over OCU's Jake Mabry and a pin against Jonathan Becker of the Wolfpack (6:37).

Also recording victories were Alex Ekstrom at 141 pounds and 165-pounders Derek Peperas and No. 17 Tyler Caldwell. Chad Terry and Shane Vernon split the matches at 157 pounds for OU and each claimed wins. With the victory, Vernon also remains unbeaten on the season (6-0).

YOUNG PUPS
The future looks bright in Norman, as Oklahoma features four freshmen in its starting lineup. True freshmen Alex Ekstrom (133 pounds) and Tyler Caldwell (165) join redshirt freshmen Justin Forrest (125) and Erich Schmidtke (184) on the mat.

UNDEFEATED SOONERS
Three Sooners - Shane Vernon (6-0), Jeff James (8-0) and Eric Lapotsky (8-0) - boast undefeated records heading into Bedlam. Each picked up wins last Saturday at the Oklahoma Open and look to keep the streaks alive on Tuesday.

TELEVISION EXPOSURE
The Sooners and Cowboys' match Tuesday will be featured to the state of Oklahoma by Cox channel 7 in OKC, channel 3 in Tulsa and picked up in the cities of Woodward (KOMI), Enid (KXOK), Lawton (KSWO) and Ponca City (KTEW).

SPATES, SOONERS TOUGH AT HOME
Sooner head coach Jack Spates' career mark at home stands at 87-26-2 (.765) now in his 17th season in Norman, including a 3-0 record this season. OU has topped Oklahoma State the last two seasons the Cowboys have ventured into Howard McCasland Field House.

LAST SEASON VS. OKLAHOMA STATE
The in-state rivals split last year's matches, with Oklahoma winning in Norman on Dec. 7 by an 18-15 final and the Cowboys defeating OU 27-5 on Feb. 22 in Stillwater.

Oklahoma is 2-2 against the Cowboys in the last two seasons, but trails in the overall series, 26-125-9. The last time Oklahoma took three victories from the Cowboys in a five match span

was 1979-1981.

Ronnie Balfour, an Oklahoma state champion and Junior National All-American, from Tulsa, Okla., rounds out the group ranked No. 12 among 160 pounders.

The class is completed with the signings of Sean Datte from Las Flores, Calif., and Chase Gordon of Oveido, Fla. Gordon joins the Sooners as a Florida state champion and Junior Nationals runner-up.

2010 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS IN NORMAN, TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
All-session tickets are now available for the 2010 Big 12 Wrestling Championships. Fans can purchase tickets online or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU.

All-Session Prices

Lower Reserved

$25

Upper Reserved

$15

2 & Under (Must Sit on Lap)

Free

Single-Session Prices

Lower Reserved

$15

Upper Reserved

$10

2 & Under (Must Sit on Lap)

Free

There are a total of two sessions for this event. Both sessions are on March 6, 2010. Times will be announced as they become available.

An all-session ticket consists of a ticket for both sessions. Single-session tickets will be made available at the event on the first day of competition and are based on availability. All seats are reserved.
Oklahoma Wrestling Tallies Two Victories at Oklahoma Open

No. 11 Oklahoma defeats Oklahoma City and North Carolina State Saturday.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The 11th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team took care of business Saturday at the Oklahoma Open, topping Oklahoma City, 30-16, and North Carolina State, 26-15, at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

OU (4-0) will now turn its focus to its opening Big 12 match of the season on Tuesday versus in-state rival Oklahoma State, ranked third nationally.

"We rested some guys in preparation for Tuesday," head coach Jack Spates said. "I thought we faced some adversity but our guys fought back and showed great effort. I believe we had some guys make big strides today."

Sooners picking up two wins on the day were No. 8 Jeff James (174 pounds), Erich Schmidtke (184), No. 7 Eric Lapotsky (197) and No. 14 Nathan Fernandez (285).

Lapotsky was again impressive, earning his sixth pin of the season in eight victories (8-0). James also kept his undefeated season alive, now 8-0 heading into Bedlam.

Schmidtke also dominated by recording a 19-4 technical fall over OCU's Jake Mabry and a pin against Jonathan Becker of the Wolfpack (6:37).

Also recording victories were Alex Ekstrom at 141 pounds and 165-pounders Derek Peperas and No. 17 Tyler Caldwell. Chad Terry and Shane Vernon split the matches at 157 pounds for OU and each claimed wins. With the victory, Vernon also remains unbeaten on the season (6-0).

Starters Zack Bailey (ranked 15th at 141 pounds) and No. 5 Kyle Terry (149) did not suit up for the Sooners at the Open.

The Sooners and Cowboys are scheduled to square off at 7 p.m. this Tuesday, Dec. 1 inside the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman. Fans can <http://www.soonersports.com/tickets/ticket-information_wrestling.html>click here to order tickets or call toll-free (800) 456-GoOU. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.

"It's Bedlam," Spates said. "We want to follow the footsteps of our football team and get a victory. Our team wants to encourage all Sooner fans to come out and support us and root us on to victory."

Oklahoma 30, Oklahoma City 16

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

Oklahoma 26, North Carolina State 15

|
125: Taylor Cummings (NCS) dec. Justin Forrest (OU), 7-3
133: Darrius Little (NCS) dec. Alex Ekstrom (OU), 7-5
141: Dale Shull (NCS) fall Richard Immel (OU), 1:47
149: Brett Farina (NCS) dec. Nick Burnham (OU), 8-6
157: Chad Terry (OU) dec. Bobby Ward (NCS), 2-0
165: No. 17 Tyler Caldwell (OU) maj. dec. Kasey Young (NCS), 15-4
174: No. 8 Jeff James (OU) maj. dec. Quinton Godley (NCS), 10-1
184: Erich Schmidtke (OU) fall Jonathan Becker (NCS), 6:37
197: No. 7 Eric Lapotsky (OU) fall Andrew Tumlin (NCS), 4:28
HWT: No. 14 Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Eloheim Palma (NCS), 3-1 (SV)
Oklahoma Wrestling Reels in Another Top Recruiting Class

Nine Sooners recently signed National Letters of Intent.

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma wrestling coach Jack Spates recently signed nine high school seniors to National Letters of Intent, including four ranked in the top 12 nationally in their respective weight classes by Intermat and five from the state of Oklahoma.

"This is the second straight year we have put together an extremely strong class," Spates said. "I have every expectation that this is going to be a top 10 class. They are the right young men for this program. We are also extremely pleased to have five Oklahoma wrestlers on board."

Leading ranked recruits is Kyle Colling from Yorkshire, N.Y., ranked No. 4 nationally among 215 pounders. Colling's accomplishments include a New York state title and champion at High School Nationals.

Jenks, Okla., product Justin Deangelis, a two-time state champion and Junior National All-American, is seventh in the 145 pound division and Stilwell, Kan., native Parker Madl is 11th at 171 pounds. Madl is a Kansas state champion and a Junior National All-American.

Ronnie Balfour, an Oklahoma state champion and Junior National All-American, from Tulsa, Okla., rounds out the group ranked No. 12 among 160 pounders.

Other Oklahomans joining the roster next season are Dustin Reed from Choctaw, Pawhuska native Dax Perrier and Quincy Mondaine from Muskogee. All three have earned runner-up finishes at the Oklahoma state championships.

The class is completed with the signings of Sean Datte from Las Flores, Calif., and Chase Gordon of Oveido, Fla. Gordon joins the Sooners a a Florida state champion and Junior Nationals runner-up.

"All in all, it is a really strong recruiting class," Spates said. "These young men have great character and are great students with a great passion for wrestling. It is going to be a great class that will assist us in recapturing our national prominence."
Coach Jack Spates on 2009 Oklahoma Recruiting Class

On Ronnie Balfour (Tulsa, Okla., Union HS)

"He really flew under the radar until this last year. Ronnie is a kid who has really come into his own the last year and was a runner-up at Junior Nationals after almost defeating one of the premier wrestlers in the finals this summer. At the Junior National Duals, he beat one of the top wrestlers in the country. He has a great future and is ready to make a big mark on this program."

Balfour in the Rankings
No. 12 by Intermat
No. 9 by Amateur Wrestling News

Projected College Weight: 165 pounds

On Kyle Colling (Yorkshire, N.Y., Pioneer HS)
"Kyle is a great kid and a behemoth. He is from a small community in upstate New York and we are confident he is going to make a big mark here at Oklahoma. He is bordering 6-6 and we are trying to keep him from (Oklahoma basketball coach) Jeff Capel. He is a New York state champion and a champion at High School Nationals last year. He goes about 225 pounds now, but we easily envision him being a 260 to 270 pounder in a couple of years."

Colling in the Rankings
No. 4 by Intermat
No. 7 by Amateur Wrestling News

Projected College Weight: Heavyweight

On Sean Datte (Las Flores, Calif., Tesoro HS)
"He is really coming into his own recently. He is looking to earn his first California state championship this year. He has known and worked with Sammie Henson for years, so Sammie is well acquainted with his character and work ethic and we are excited to welcome him on campus."

Projected College Weight: 184 Pounds

On Justin Deangelis (Jenks, Okla., Jenks HS)
"He is a great young man with a great pedigree. His dad was a former Sooner and national runner-up. Justin is pursuing his third state title and has proven to be a force at the national level. He has an outstanding work ethic and never breathes. He is going to be a great one for us."

Deangelis in the Rankings
No. 7 by Intermat
No. 9 by Amateur Wrestling News

Projected College Weight: 149/157 Pounds

On Chase Gordon (Oveido, Fla., Oviedo HS)
"Chase is a young man from Florida. He is a great student who eats, sleeps and lives the sport. He has a tremendous work ethic and attitude and will have a great future at Oklahoma. He is from one of the premier programs in the country out of Florida. In addition to winning the Florida state title, he earned All-American status at Junior Nationals. He has the success and determination to make big things happen here at Oklahoma."

Projected College Weight: 141/149 Pounds

On Parker Madl (Stilwell, Kan., Blue Valley HS)
"Parker is in line with a great group of Kansas student-athletes in last year's recruiting class that have already made a big impact on this program. He was a two-time Kansas runner-up his freshman and sophomore years and won the championship this past year. He also earned All-American status at Junior Nationals. He is another kid who is really coming into his own and is as tough as nails."

Madl in the Rankings
No. 11 by Intermat

Projected College Weight: 165/174 Pounds

On Quincy Mondaine (Muskogee, Okla., Muskogee HS)
"Quincy is an Oklahoma runner-up and is a rare big guy who hasn't played football, despite the best efforts of the Muskogee football staff. We were really impressed with his ability and knew we wanted him to be a Sooner. He loves the sport and is another good student whose best years on the mat are ahead of him."

Projected College Weight: 197 Pounds

On Dax Perrier (Pawhuksa, Okla., Pawhuska HS)
"Dax is a two-time Oklahoma state runner-up and lost to two premier wrestlers both years. Dax is eager for this to be his year. He is a prolific worker who has big dreams and the determination to make those reality. He started out as a lightweight but is still growing and could end up being as big as a 174-pounder."

Projected College Weight: 165/174 Pounds

On Dustin Reed (Choctaw, Okla., Choctaw HS)
"Dustin is just an excellent student from great family and has great passion for the sport. He came a hair away from beating a three-time champion in the state finals last year to place second. He has only gotten better and just loves the sport. We are really excited for Dustin to join the Sooner family."
Oklahoma Wrestling Rallies, Claims Victory Over No. 20 ASU

Down 11-0, No. 12 Oklahoma wins final seven matches to improve to 2-0 on the season.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Trailing 11-0 after the first three bouts to No. 20 Arizona State (2-2), No. 12 Oklahoma (2-0) stormed back with authority, capturing the final seven matches to take the victory, 24-11.

"We knew we were wrestling a great team today and that it had a chance to go down to the wire," head coach Jack Spates said. "We knew we were not wrestling badly and that if we would keep wrestling hard, good things would happen. That's exactly what happened."

Senior Kyle Terry posted Oklahoma's first points of the day with a 4-0 decision over Vicente Varela. Fifth-ranked Terry recorded a takedown in the first, an escape in the second and rode the Sun Devil for the entire third period to post his sixth win of the season.

Shane Vernon then chipped away at ASU's lead by outlasting Te Edwards at 157 pounds, 17-10. The Sooner senior recorded five takedowns, a near-fall and a reversal to extend his perfect season to 6-0.

The gap closed to an 11-9 ASU advantage after OU true-freshman Tyler Caldwell posted a 5-2 decision over Kyle DeBerry at 165 pounds. It was the Wichita, Kan., product's first dual appearance and win of his young career, pushing his season record to 13-3.

Oklahoma took its first lead of the afternoon, 12-11, after Jeff James extended his perfect season (6-0) by edging Eric Starks by a 4-3 final. James trailed 2-1 after the opening period but posted a takedown and an escape in the second period to overtake the Sun Devil.

A takedown and escape in the second period proved to be enough for 184-pound Erich Schmidtke, as the redshirt freshman claimed a 3-1 victory over Jake Meredith.

Senior Eric Lapotsky, ranked No. 7 nationally, needed just 47 seconds to record a pin over ASU's Anthony Pike. With the fall, Lapotsky (6-0) ensured an Oklahoma victory by putting Oklahoma on top, 21-11, entering the final bout.

"It is my goal to come out looking for the pin," Eric Lapotsky said. "It was big because it clinched the win."

The pin was Lapotsky's fifth of the season in six victories.

"Eric is a leader on this team in terms of aggressiveness," Spates said. "He is always looking for the pin and is a great example and role model for this team."

In the heavyweight battle, Nathan Fernandez and Erik Nye were locked at one late in the third period. With one minute 22 seconds remaining, the Sooner junior posted a takedown to lead 3-1. Nye could only muster an escape to give Fernandez the win, 3-2.

Arizona State All-American Anthony Robles, ranked third in the country at 125 pounds, recorded four near falls and two takedowns to win by a 16-0 technical fall over Justin Forrest to begin the match. Ben Ashmore then recorded a 7-5 decision over OU's Alex Ekstrom at 133 pounds to put the Sun Devils up by a 8-0 team score.

It became an 11-0 lead for ASU after fifth-ranked Chris Drouin downed 18th-ranked Sooner Zack Bailey at 141 pounds, 3-1.

"This was a great win today," Spates said. "Our guys are improving every day and we are really concentrating on us early in the season, not our opponents."

The Sooners will return to the mat this Saturday, Nov. 28 when they host a double-dual against Oklahoma City and North Carolina State at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. Oklahoma will wrestle OCU at 9 a.m. and the Wolfpack at 4 p.m.
Oklahoma vs Bedlam Wrestling Tickets Now on Sale
Tickets for Dec. 1 matchup of in-state rivals in Norman on sale now.

NORMAN, Okla. - Sooner fans wanting to attend the first installment of Bedlam wrestling in Norman may now purchase tickets. The Sooners are set to host the Cowboys on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. inside Howard McCasland Field House.

Tickets are $15 for reserved seating and $10 for general admission (includes youth k-12). Group tickets are also available pre-arranged for $5.

Fans wishing to attend the match can call the OU ticket office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU. Tickets can also be purchased online by http://www.soonersports.com/tickets/ticket-information_wrestling.html

The in-state rivals have split in the last four matchups, with each winning on its home mat. The Sooners are currently 1-0 on the season and ranked No. 18, while Oklahoma State is No. 6.
Oklahoma Wrestlers Claim Impressive Title in Brockport, N.Y.
OU wins team championship over stout field, claims three individual titles.

BROCKPORT, N.Y.-The 18th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team (1-0) won its 11th straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title Saturday over an impressive field that included 2009 NCAA runner-up Ohio State and sixth place finisher Edinboro. Additionally, three Sooners claimed individual titles and seven more garnered top-four finishes.

"This was an outstanding team performance," head coach Jack Spates said. "Everybody battled hard and our guys recorded some big upsets and we had some clutch performances."

The Sooners edged the Buckeyes 144.5 team points to 144. Oklahoma took the lead from Ohio State on the final bout of the night, a matchup between OU's Nathan Fernandez and OSU's Corey Morrison for third place. Fernandez claimed a 7-2 decision to give the Sooners the team championship.

Rutgers (120.5), Edinboro (110) and Kent State (100.5) rounded out the top five.

Recording 4-0 outings on the day to capture individual crowns were Shane Vernon (157 pounds), Jeff James (174) and Eric Lapotsky (197). Lapotsky recorded three falls on the day, giving him a team-leading four pins on the young season.

Sooners earning second place finishes were Zack Bailey at 141 pounds, Kyle Terry at 149 pounds and Chad Terry at 157 pounds.

Additionally, Justin Forrest was awarded third place at 125 pounds and Derek Peperas (165 pounds) and Erich Schmidtke (184) each earned fourth place finishes.

"This is a great building block for the future," Spates said. "With a competitive tournament like this, it can expose you in areas where you need to get stronger. But it also showed a lot about our character. We had a lot of guys step up and we had some young guys gain valuable experience."

Oklahoma returns to dual action next Sunday, Nov. 22, when it hosts Arizona State at 2 p.m. inside Howard McCasland Field House in Norman.
Red Team Dominates Oklahoma Wrestling Ranking Matches

Red team defeats White, 27-6, in the annual Red/White Classic in Norman Thursday evening.

Nov. 5, 2009
NORMAN, Okla. -- In its final preseason event of the season, the University of Oklahoma's wrestling squad saw the Red team dominate the White squad by a 27-6 final margin at the annual Red/White scrimmage in Norman Thursday evening.

"I thought this was a good outing for us," head coach Jack Spates said. "This team has to improve in several areas, but in reality you have to remember this is the beginning of the season and guys will get better. Tonight was the first time this year our guys have been under the lights and we have identified where we need to get better."

The evening began with a defensive battle at 125 pounds between redshirt freshman Justin Forrest and true freshman Jarrod Patterson. Patterson struck first late in the opening period with a takedown to lead 2-0. Patterson added an escape in the second and only surrendered an escape point to Forrest in the third to take the victory, 3-1, and give the White team a 3-0 advantage.

The 133-pound bout was decided late in the third period between a pair of freshmen, Nick Lester and Alex Ekstrom. Lester led 6-2 in the final period after two early takedowns before Ekstrom stormed back with a takedown and nearfall to steal the advantage, 7-6. With just 25 seconds remaining, Lester reclaimed the lead with a reversal and held on to win 9-7 after riding time, tying the team scores at three.

Zack Bailey then recorded the victory at 141 pounds over Kendric Maple with a takedown in each of the first two periods. Maple was only able to post an escape in the final stanza to give Bailey a 6-1 win after riding time.

Defending Big 12 champion Kyle Terry controlled the 149-pound bout, blanking Matt Lester by a 7-0 margin. The Midwest City, Okla., product posted a takedown in the first and second periods and added a reversal in the third to win 7-0 after riding time and give the Red team a 9-3 lead.

Next up was the 157-pound bout, and for the second match in a row a Terry came out on top. Chad Terry, twin brother of Kyle, posted a narrow win over fellow senior Shane Vernon, 5-4. After a scoreless opening period, Terry struck first with a reversal after choosing the down position to begin the second. Vernon quickly countered with a reversal of his own to tie the match at two. A Terry escape to end the second period gave the Midwest City, Okla., product a 3-2 lead. Vernon took back the lead, 4-3, with a reversal after choosing the down position to start the final stanza. Terry then recorded another reversal with 38 seconds to go to take the win, 5-4.

At 165 pounds, freshman Tyler Caldwell posted a 4-1 victory over redshirt sophomore Derek Peperas. Caldwell used a takedown in the first and an escape in the second to lead 3-0 entering the third. Peperas posted an escape in the third but could not overcome the early deficit, bringing the White team back within six points, 12-6.

Junior Jeff James then posted an impressive 16-3 major decision win over Nolan McBryde at 174 pounds. The El Reno, Okla., product posted four takedowns and two nearfalls to defeat the freshman, extending Red's lead to 16-6.

Sooner fans witnessed a battle at 184 pounds between Erich Schmidtke and Ian Daube. Schmidtke jumped out to an early 4-2 lead after the first period off two takedowns, but Daube pulled back to within one, 5-4, with a takedown in the second. Schmidtke put the match out of reach with 13 seconds left in the match with a takedown to win 7-5, giving the Red team a 19-6 advantage.

Eric Lapotsky took the drama out of the 197-pound bout with a 15-0 blanking over Keldrick Hall. Lapotsky, a senior from Mt. Carmel, Pa., recorded two takedowns and four nearfalls on the night.

After a scoreless first period in the heavyweight match, Joe Bach posted the bout's first points over Nathan Fernandez in the second frame with an escape. After choosing the down position to begin the third period, Fernandez recorded a reversal to lead 2-1. The Lawton, Okla., native held on to win, 3-1, after riding Bach the remainder of the final period.

"I am pleased about this evening, but now it is time to go against someone else," Spates said. "Our guys will get back in the room and focus on getting better. We look forward to the start of the season."

The Sooners will begin the 2009-10 campaign on the road next Wednesday, Nov. 11 when they travel to Edmond to take on the University of Central Oklahoma at 7 p.m.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
125: Jarrod Patterson (White) dec. Justin Forrest (Red), 3-1
133: Nick Lester (Red) dec. Alex Ekstrom (White), 9-7
141: Zack Bailey (Red) dec. Kendric Maple (White), 6-1
149: Kyle Terry (Red) dec. Mat Lester (White), 7-0
157: Chad Terry (Red) dec. Shane Vernon (White), 5-4
165: Tyler Caldwell (White) dec. Derek Peperas (Red), 4-1
174: Jeff James (Red) maj. dec. Nolan McBryde (White), 16-3
184: Erich Schmidtke (Red) dec. Ian Daube (White), 7-5
197: Eric Lapotsky (Red) tech fall Keldrick Hall (White), 15-0
HWT: Nathan Fernandez (Red) dec. Joe Bach (White), 3-1
Oklahoma Wrestling Hosts Red/White Ranking Matches Thursday

Sooner wrestling will host Red/White scrimmage Thursday in Norman at 7 p.m.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma wrestling squad will conclude the preseason this Thursday, Nov. 5 by hosting its annual Red/White scrimmage held inside the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman at 7 p.m.

The ranking matches will pit the top two wrestlers in each weight class to help determine starters for the upcoming season. The University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos will also hold its Bronze/Blue ranking match alongside the Sooners.

"This is going to be fan's delight with a lot of great matches right out of the gate for us," head coach Jack Spates said. "A lot of returning starters are going to be pushed by a very talented freshmen class."

Oklahoma, ranked preseason No. 18 by Intermat and No. 17 by W.I.N., returns eight starters from a squad that collected 16 dual wins last season, the most since 2002. Highlighting the returning group is 2009 Big 12 champion Kyle Terry, who collected a 30-3 overall record last season.

Other returning starters include Zack Bailey (141), Seth Vernon (149 pounds), Chad Terry (157), Shane Vernon (157), Jeff James (174), Eric Lapotsky (197) and Nathan Fernandez (285).

"There are going to be a lot of great bouts, a lot of great action," Spates said. "We are excited to see where we are and what we need to improve on to start the season."

OU will officially kick off the 2009-10 slate next Wednesday, Nov. 11 when it hosts Central Oklahoma at 7 p.m. in Norman.

TENTATIVE RED/WHITE SCRIMMAGE MATCHUPS WEIGHT CLASS Justin Forrest (R. Freshman) vs. Jarrod Patterson (Freshman) 125 Pounds Nick Lester (Freshman) vs. Alex Ekstrom (Freshman) 133 Pounds Zack Bailey (Junior) vs. Kendric Maple (Freshman) 141 Pounds Kyle Terry (Senior) vs. Matt Lester (Freshman) 149 Pounds Chad Terry (Senior) vs. Shane Vernon (Senior) 157 Pounds Derek Peperas (R. Sophomore) vs. Tyler Caldwell (Freshman) 165 Pounds Jeff James (Junior) vs. Nolan McBryde (Freshman) 174 Pounds Erich Schmidtke (R. Freshman) vs. Ian Daube (Freshman) 184 Pounds Eric Lapotsky (Senior) vs. Kendrick Hall (R. Freshman) 197 Pounds Nathan Fernandez (Junior) vs. Joe Bach (R. Freshman) 285 Pounds
Oklahoma University Wrestling Announces 2009-10 Slate

Oklahoma will begin this season's campaign Nov. 11 at Central Oklahoma.

Sept. 9, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma Head Wrestling Coach Jack Spates announced the 2009-10 wrestling schedule Wednesday.

"As always, this is a very challenging schedule," Spates said. "The competition at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic has been bolstered with 2009 national runner-up Ohio State joining the field. We have added the Las Vegas tournament and will also compete in the Virginia Duals this season. This is a schedule that will challenge our young men and prepare them for the NCAAs."

The Sooners will kick off the season by holding the annual Red/White intrasquad scrimmage on Nov. 5 at the McCasland Field House in Norman before official competition begins Nov. 11 on the road at Central Oklahoma.

Oklahoma will host its home opener on Nov. 22 against the Pac-10's Arizona State. The 15-match season also includes seven home duals versus Oklahoma City and North Carolina State (Nov. 28), Oklahoma State (Dec. 1), Cal Poly (Jan. 3), Iowa State (Jan. 22), Chattanooga (Feb. 12) and Oregon State (Feb. 14).

The dual versus Chattanooga will mark the third annual Beauty and the Beast event, where Sooner wrestlers will compete alongside the women's gymnastics team at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

Spates' squad will challenge for its 11th straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic title on Nov. 14 in Brockport, N.Y. Also on this season's slate is the Cliff Keen Invitational in Primm, Nev., held Dec. 4-5 and the Virginia Duals held Jan. 8-9 in Virginia Beach, Va.

Other road contests include Big 12 matchups at Nebraska (Feb. 4) and Missouri (Feb. 6). OU will close its schedule on the road with its second matchup of the season versus in-state rival Oklahoma State on Feb. 21 in Stillwater, Okla.

For the first time since 2002, Oklahoma will play host to the 2010 Big 12 Championships in Norman at the McCasland Field House on March 6. Omaha, Neb., will host this season's NCAA Championships March 18-20 at the Qwest Center.

"One of the highlights of our year will be hosting the Big 12 Championships in Norman," Spates said. "We won the championship last time we hosted in 2002. We are eager to once again bring the Big 12's best to Norman."

Visit www.SoonerSports.com for full Oklahoma wrestling coverage.

2009-10 Oklahoma Wrestling Schedule
Date Opponent Location Nov. 5 Red/White Match (scrimmage) Norman Nov. 11 at Central Oklahoma Edmond, Okla. Nov. 14 Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic Brockport, N.Y. Nov. 22 Arizona State Norman Nov. 28 Oklahoma City and North Carolina State Norman Dec. 1 Oklahoma State Norman Dec. 4-5 Cliff Keen Invitational Primm, Nev. Jan. 3 Cal Poly Norman Jan. 8-10 Virginia Duals Virginia Beach, Va. Jan. 16 Lonestar Duals Arlington, Texas Jan. 22 Iowa State Norman Feb. 4 at Nebraska Lincoln. Neb. Feb. 6 at Missouri Columbia, Mo. Feb. 12 Chattanooga (Beauty and the Beast) Norman Feb. 14 Oregon State Norman Feb. 21 at Oklahoma State Stillwater, Okla. March 6 Big 12 Championships Norman March 18-20 NCAA Championships Omaha, Neb.

-OU-

Mitch Heckart
University of Oklahoma
Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant
Wrestling Contact

McClendon Center for Intercollegiate Athletics
180 W. Brooks, Suite 2525
Norman, OK 73019

O: (405) 325-8299
F: (405) 325-7623
Cell: (405) 863-0515
E-mail: mitch86@ou.edu

www.SoonerSports.com

Lightner Hired as New Oklahoma University Wrestling Assistant

Former Sooner champion Michael Lightner completes wrestling staff.

Aug. 27, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. - University of Oklahoma head wrestling coach Jack Spates announced the hiring of Michael Lightner as assistant coach Thursday.

"It is with great joy that I announce the official hiring of Michael Lightner," Spates said. "He will make a tremendous addition to our staff. His passion for our great sport, our student-athletes and this university is going to have a great impact on our program. "

Lightner served as volunteer assistant last season with the Sooners and club coach in 2007. His new duties include recruiting for the program, directing the Oklahoma Open and summer camps, as well as training and instructing current Sooner wrestlers.

A product of Marlow, Okla., Lightner recorded one of the most impressive wrestling careers in Oklahoma history from 1998-2001. He claimed the national title in 2001 and was four times crowned Big 12 champion at 141 pounds.

Lightner became a four-time All-American, an honor only nine others in school history have claimed. He can be found in various school records, including second in career wins with a 144-16 record. His 37-0 record his senior season led him to the national title and he became the 13th Sooner to go undefeated in a season.

"I loved my time here at OU and am excited to have a bigger role in the program," Lightner said. "I am excited to step in and help bring the program back to national prominence. This staff's goal is to lead OU to its first national title since 1974."

Wrestling at Marlow High School, Lightner recorded a 130-1 overall record, capturing the state title all four years. The four-year letterman also claimed second at Junior Nationals.

After his career with the Sooners, Lightner remained at OU as a club coach from 2001-2004 while training for international competition. During that three year stint, Oklahoma won the Big 12 conference title in 2002, claimed seven individual conference champions, 17 All-Americans and three national champions.

In 2005 Lightner moved to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., to focus on his international wrestling career. In 2005 he was crowned champion at U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials and was named as a World Team member. The following year he was runner-up at U.S. Nationals and placed second at the U.S. World Team Trials.

He is married to his wife of two years, Lindsey.

For complete OU wrestling coverage, visit www.SoonerSports.com.

-OU-

Mitch Heckart
University of Oklahoma
Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant
Wrestling Contact

McClendon Center for Intercollegiate Athletics
180 W. Brooks, Suite 2525
Norman, OK 73019

O: (405) 325-8299
F: (405) 325-7623
Cell: (405) 863-0515
E-mail: mitch86@ou.edu

www.SoonerSports.com

OU Wrestling Class Among Elite
Sooner recruiting class ranked in top three in two national publications.

July 7, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma wrestling team's 2009 recruiting class continued to gain recognition Tuesday, as the class was notched in the top three in two national rankings. The Sooners landed at No. 2 overall according to The Open Mat and third by InterMat.

"We are really excited about this class and for the fact that major wrestling publications have recognized the excellence of the group," OU head coach Jack Spates said. "Some of the men have already arrived on campus and are eager to return the program to its storied excellence."

The 11-member class is highlighted by five commitments in InterMat's Top 100, led by No. 7 Jake Kememer of Hempfield, Pa. Twins Matt and Nick Lester out of Eureka, Mo., are slated 18th and 86th overall, respectfully. Alex Ekstrom from Palmyra-Macedon, N.Y., ranks 28th and No. 46 Tyler Caldwell from Goddard, Kan., complete the ranked group.

Additionally, Oklahoma picked up two commitments from wrestlers ranked in the top 15 in their respective weight classes. The class combined to win 24 state championships, spanning seven states across the country.

The Open Mat described the Sooner program as gaining "A bona fide No. 1 (Kememer) and several more within the top eight in the country at their respective weights. That's a ton of talent, and most of them have significant national credentials. This class could contribute the bulk of their starters for years to come."

The Open Mat Team Rankings

1. Oklahoma State
2. Oklahoma
3. Nebraska
4. Minnesota
5. Penn State
6. Iowa
7. Michigan
8. Cornell
9. Virginia
10. Oregon State
11. Ohio State
12. Wisconsin
13. Illinois
14. North Carolina State
15. Wyoming
16. Stanford
17. Lehigh
18. Virginia Tech
19. Boise State
20. Missouri
21. Old Dominion
22. Purdue
23. Indiana
24. Columbia
25. Bucknell

Intermat Team Rankings

1. Oklahoma State
2. Minnesota
3. Oklahoma
4. Nebraska
5. Iowa
6. Penn State
7. Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Michigan
10. Ohio State
11. Old Dominion
12. Purdue
13. Illinois
14. Cal Poly
15. Missouri
16. Stanford
17. Wisconsin
18. Cornell
19. Boise State
20. Wyoming
21. Columbia
22. North Carolina State
23. Indiana
24. West Virginia
25. Lehigh

For full OU wrestling coverage, visit www.SoonerSports.com.

-OU-

Mitch Heckart
University of Oklahoma
Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant
Wrestling Contact

McClendon Center for Intercollegiate Athletics
180 W. Brooks, Suite 2525
Norman, OK 73019

O: (405) 325-8299
F: (405) 325-7623
Cell: (405) 863-0515
E-mail: mitch86@ou.edu

www.SoonerSports.com

Oklahoma head coach Jack Spates announces 2009-10 signees.

June 19, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. – University of Oklahoma head wrestling coach Jack Spates recently wrapped up the 2009-10 recruiting class, signing five Intermat Top 100 recruits, including two in the top 20. The 11-member class also included two that ranked among the top 15 nationally in their respective weight classes.

Collectively, the future Sooners combined to win 24 state championships, spanning seven states across the country. Additionally, two were crowned champions at High School Nationals and three more placed in the top six.

“We are extremely excited about this year’s recruiting class,” said Spates, who is entering his 17th season at Oklahoma. “With three, four-time state champions, two national champions and numerous high school All-Americans, it looks to be the strongest recruiting class in my tenure at OU.”

Headlining the class is two-time Pennsylvania state champion Jake Kemerer, ranked No. 7 overall in the 2009 recruiting class by Intermat. The Greensburg, Pa., native is notched as the No. 1 160-pound recruit by Intermat and is expected compete for the 165-pound starting job at OU next fall.

Also signing with Oklahoma are the Lester twins, Matt and Nick, of Eureka, Mo. Both own two Missouri state championships. Matt is ranked as the 18th-best wrestler overall by Intermat and the second best at 160 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News after winning the title at High School Nationals. Nick is tabbed as the 86th best senior wrestler in the country and No. 11 overall at 152 pounds after a runner-up finish at High School Nationals. Matt is expected to compete at 149 pounds for Oklahoma, while Nick will wrestle at 141 pounds.

Alex Ekstrom, ranked No. 28 overall by Intermat and the fourth best wrestler at 135 pounds, also inked with the Sooners. The Palmyra Macedon, N.Y., native was crowned champion at High School Nationals and was a four-time New York state champion.

Another pair of four-time state champions, Jarrod Patterson and Tyler Caldwell, will provide depth for the Sooners at 125 pounds and 174 pounds, respectively. A Cushing, Okla., product, Patterson is tabbed as the eighth best wrestler in his weight class by Intermat. Caldwell, hailing from Goddard, Kan., is ranked as the 43rd best wrestler in the country and No. 8 overall at 160 pounds after a third place finish at High School Nationals.

Expected to wrestle at 133 pounds for the Sooners, Kendric Maple from Wichita Heights High School in Wichita, Kan., is notched as the 14th-best wrestler at 135 pounds. Maple was twice crowned Kansas state champion and placed third at High School Nationals.

Spates also gained commitments from two-time state champions Kyle Detmer (Wichita, Kan.) and Nolan McBryde (Eagle River, Alaska). Rounding out the class is Clay Reeb from Cheektowaga, N.Y. and Joe Lospinoso from Kenilworth, N.J. Reeb (157 pounds) and Lospinoso (133/141) earned fourth and sixth place finishes at High School Nationals, respectively.

“These are all great young men with great passion and work ethic,” Spates said. “They all possess big dreams, and it will be fun to help make them come true.”

2009 WRESTLING RECRUITING CLASS

TYLER CALDWELL
From Goddard, Kan. … Was a four-time Kansas state champion … Placed third at High School Nationals … Projected college weight class is 174 pounds … Ranked No. 43 overall in 2009 recruiting class by Intermat … No. 8 in 160-pound weight class by Intermat and No. 10 by Amateur Wrestling News.

KYLE DETMER
From Wichita, Kan. … Was a two-time Kansas state champion … Expected to compete at 157 pounds for the Sooners.

ALEX EKSTROM
From Palmyra Macedon, N.Y. … Ranked No. 28 overall in 2009 recruiting class by Intermat … Notched at No. 4 in 135 pound-class by both Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat … Projected college weight is 133 pounds … Was a four-time New York state champion ... Crowned champion at High School Nationals.

JAKE KEMERER
From Greensburg, Pa. … Is the highest ranked Sooner recruit overall, notched at No. 7 by Intermat … Ranked No. 1 in 160-pound weight class by Intermat and No. 4 by Amateur Wrestling News … Was a two-time Pennsylvania state champion in high school … Projected college weight is 165 pounds.

KENDRIC MAPLE
From Wichita, Kan. … Was a two-time Kansas state champion in high school … Placed third at High School Nationals … Ranked at the 14th-best 135 pound recruit … Projected to compete at 133 or 141 pounds for the Sooners.

NOLAN MCBRYDE
From Eagle River, Alaska … Was a two-time Alaska state champion … Projected to compete at 174 pounds for Oklahoma.

JOE LOSPINOSO
From Kenilworth, N.J. … Placed sixth at High School Nationals … Projected to compete at 133 or 141 pounds for the Sooners.

JARROD PATTERSON
From Cushing, Okla. … Ranked No. 8 and No. 20 at 130 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat, respectively … Is projected to compete in 125-pound weight class in college … Was a four-time Oklahoma state champion.

MATT LESTER
From Eureka, Mo. … Ranked No. 18 overall in 2009 recruiting class by Intermat … Ranked No. 2 in 160-pound weight class by Amateur Wrestling News and No. 5 by Intermat … Projected college weight is 149 pounds … Was a two-time Missouri state champion … Crowned champion at High School Nationals … Took title at Junior Nationals … Twin brother, Nick, also committed to the Sooners.

NICK LESTER
From Eureka, Mo. … Was a two-time Missouri state champion … Runner up at High School Nationals … Placed fifth at Junior Nationals … Ranked No. 86 overall in 2009 recruiting class … Ranked No. 11 in 152-pound weight class by both Intermat and Amateur Wrestling News … Projected college weight class is 141 pounds.

CLAY REEBFrom Cheektowaga, N.Y. … Placed fourth in the New York state championships … Projected college weight is 157 pounds.

Mitch Heckart
University of Oklahoma
Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant
Wrestling Contact

McClendon Center for Intercollegiate Athletics
180 W. Brooks, Suite 2525
Norman, OK 73019

O: (405) 325-8299
F: (405) 325-7623
Cell: (405) 863-0515
E-mail: mitch86@ou.edu

www.SoonerSports.com