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
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.
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.
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