Oklahoma State University Athletics
Arias Has Sights Set on Elusive Number 31
June 21, 1999 | Cowboy Wrestling
February 17, 1999
By Matt Gentry
Oklahoma State Media Relations
Jimmy Arias was a senior at Okmulgee High School when Oklahoma State claimed its 30th national championship in the sport of wrestling. Arias is now a fifth-year senior at Oklahoma State, and the Cowboys are still searching for number 31.
As the wrestling season draws to close, Arias, one of four seniors on the top-ranked Cowboy wrestling squad, has his sites set on that elusive national team title.
"A national championship is something that the four seniors on this team have talked about for as long as we've been here," said Arias. "It has been something that has eluded us for the past two years, and it's the only thing we haven't accomplished as team. We've won the National Duals; we've gone undefeated for however long it has been. It would be really nice to go to nationals and get it done." Arias has had his share of success. In high school he compiled a 108-10 record and garnered three state championships. In the collegiate ranks, however, a Big 12 title, an All-American finish, and a career record of 97-39 just make the Okmulgee, Okla. native strive to reach more lofty goals.
"I haven't exactly accomplished everything that I planned to accomplish coming to Oklahoma State," Arias said. "Coming out of high school, I had plans of winning three straight national championships, and that hasn't happened."
Arias qualified for the national tournament in each of his first two seasons at Oklahoma State, but last season was his breakout season. The Cowboy 157-pounder put together a 28-6 record during his junior campaign, captured a Big 12 title and earned All-American honors with a seventh place finish nationally.
In the quarterfinals of last season's national tournament, Arias pushed eventual national champion Eric Seibert of Illinois to sudden death before falling 6-4. Arias' success last season and an 18-4 record this season have the confident fifth-ranked senior eying an individual national title as well.
"If I can just put together a consistent tournament, I think I have a very, very good chance of winning the national tournament. If I wrestle to my capabilities and don't make big mental mistakes, there is no wrestler in the country that can beat me. Not to sound cocky, but that is where I am right now," Arias said.
Arias has been one of Oklahoma State's most consistent performers this season, but he also has struggled at different times during the year. Of his 18 victories, 11 of them have been by two points or less and four of those have come in overtime.
"I've just had a problem putting everything together at once," said Arias. "There are certain times that you just can't get your feet moving, your offense can't open up and you don't score a lot of points. Arias' four losses this season have come at the hands of top-ranked Chad Kraft of Minnesota, No. 2 Casey Cunningham of Central Michigan, No. 4 Larry Quisel of Boise State and No. 5 Brian Snyder of Nebraska. Arias had beaten Snyder early in the season, and he avenged the loss to Kraft with a 3-2 victory in the National duals on Jan. 17. His upset victory keyed Oklahoma State's 20-17 victory over Minnesota in the finals of the National duals.
Arias is currently riding an 11-match winning streak dating back to his Jan.16 loss to Snyder. He is ranked sixth in the 157-pound weight class according to Amateur Wrestling News, and he needs just three more victories to reach the 100-win milestone for a career. "I think everything is starting to come together. The closer we get to the end of the year, the more I'm going to be wrestling like I want to be wrestling," said Arias.
Off of the wrestling mat Arias faces another struggle - balancing his time between school work, wrestling, and his family. He and his wife, Lindsay, have a one-year old son named Jacob. "It's tough. I can't compare it to balancing a family and a job, because I haven't ever had a real job. It's a lot of time management and work," said Arias.
"When other guys get to go home and take a nap after class and before practice, I have to go home and watch my son." Arias credits his wife for making the burden of taking care of a young one easier on him.
"I've been fortunate to have my wife who is really understanding. She doesn't make me carry as much of the responsibility of watching Jacob because of everything I have going on."
On the mat, the last major struggle for Arias and the Cowboys before the postseason is Sunday's dual with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Oklahoma State and Iowa are the two most successful wrestling programs in the nation, as 48 of the 68 wrestling national titles awarded have been either won or shared by either of these two teams. Furthermore, Oklahoma State's 67-dual winning streak and unbeaten season will be on the line when the Cowboys and Hawkeyes renew their bitter rivalry on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Gallagher-Iba Arena. "It's a great atmosphere," Arias said. "Wrestling here at Oklahoma State makes you try to live up to expectations, and doesn't let you settle for being mediocre."
An All-American finish, a Big 12 title and 67-dual home winning streak are not considered mediocre by many standards, but for Arias and the Cowboys, anything less than national championship No. 31 will be a disappointment.
