Oklahoma State University Athletics
Wrestling Team Begins Season Ranked No. 1
June 21, 1999 | Cowboy Wrestling
November 22, 1998
(0-0, Overall; 0-0 Big Ten)
(1-0, Overall; 0-0 Big Ten)
Meet the Cowboys
125 Teague Moore Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa. Defending national champion 133 Eric Guerrero Sr. San Jose, Calif. 2X Defending NCAA Champ 141 Jamill Kelly Jr. Atwater, Calif. Second season as starter 149 Reggie Wright So. Bellwood, Ill. First start as a Cowboy 157 Jimmy Arias Sr. Okmulgee, Okla. Four-year starter 165 Shawn Smith Jr. Chippewa Falls, Wis. Paid his dues in "the room" 174 Mark Smith Sr. Del City, Okla. Last in line of Smith brothers 184 Mark Mu-oz So. Vallejo, Calif. Second year as starter 197 Pat Popolizio Jr. Niskayuna, N.Y. Three-year starter 275 Dave Anderton Jr. Blackfoot, Idaho First start as a Cowboy
The Cowboys - Oklahoma State opens the season as the winningest program in the nation, in any sport. No other team compares as far as winning percentage and national team titles. The Cowboys are entering their 80th season as a collegiate program and have amassed a 790-81-19 record. The Cowboys have also had 78 wrestlers win 119 individual titles, including two Cowboys that are on the current team. As ironic as it sounds the Cowboys have a losing record to one team in the nation in career match-ups and that is Illinois. The Fightin' Illini defeated the Cowboys in 1993, a year when the Cowboys redshirted most of their front line starters because of NCAA sanctions, and hold a 1-0 advantage over the Cowboys. The only other team the Cowboys don't hold an advantage over is Iowa. The two storied programs are tied in the season series at 15-15-1.
In The Polls - The Cowboys open the season ranked No. 1 by both Intermat and Amateur Wrestling News. It is the third straight year that the Cowboys open the season at No. 1.
The Series' - Oklahoma State holds a 11-3-0 advantage over Wisconsin and won the last meeting 26-8 last season in Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys lead 5-1 in Madison. Against Minnesota the Cowboys hold a 11-2-0 advantage. They won the last meeting 26-10 in Gallagher-Iba in 1997. In Minneapolis the Pokes lead the series 6-1. (See results from the previous match between the two schools later in the notes).
For Openers - The Cowboys have posted a 69-6-4 mark in season openers and have won the last two. This season marks the first time since 1940-41 that the Cowboys have opened the season against a Big 10 school. Actually, the Cowboys opened the 1985-86 season at Penn State but the Nittany Lions were not a member of the Big 10 at that time.
The Streak - A little bit about the Cowboys current 45-dual winning streak. The streak is the third longest streak in school history behind 76 and 70 match skeins. The Cowboys have the longest current streak in any sport. Tennessee's women's basketball team had gone ahead of the Pokes for one day earlier in the season but lost to Purdue in their next game to halt their winning streak at 46. The Pokes have won 35 straight duals on the road and 10 straight over Big 10 Conference foes. In the current streak 31 of the 45 teams were ranked at the time of the dual.
The Schedule - The Cowboys have one of the toughest schedule in the nation. They open the season in hostile Big 10 territory against Wisconsin and Minnesota. They also have several duals against other ranked opponents including Iowa, Oklahoma (twice), Iowa State and possible showdowns with several top opponents at the Reno Duals and the National Duals. Oklahoma State will also host the NWCA All-Star Dual February 1 in Stillwater.
John Smith - The most decorated wrestler in U.S.A. history returns for his seventh season at the helm of the Cowboys. Smith has posted an 86-14-2 record as the Cowboys' skipper. He also has coached the U.S. National Team in a couple of major international events. He first coached Team USA to a gold medal at the Goodwill Games in New York this past summer. He then took the Americans to Tehran, Iran, for the World Championships where the Red, White and Blue took home a bronze. The trip to Iran was the first time in almost 20 years an American flag had flown in Iran. As a wrestler Smith won six world titles, two Olympic titles and two NCAA crowns.
The Starters - Teague Moore (125) - Moore is coming off a national title season. He won last seasons title with a fall over previously unbeaten David Morgan of Michigan State. He is a two-time All-American. He is ranked No.1 in both polls (Intermat & Amateur Wrestling News).
1998: 27-4; OSU Career 77-21; Individual Rank 1 AWN; 1 Intermat
Eric Guerrero (133) - Two-time defending national champion. He looks to become the seventh four-time All-American in school history and the 13th three-time national-champion the history of the school. He won his national title last season with a win over Wisconsin's Eric Jetton. Comes into the season ranked No. 1 in both polls.
1998: 23-5; OSU Career 80-13; Individual Rank 1 AWN; 1 Intermat
Jamill Kelly (141) - Enters his second season as a starter for the Pokes after transferring from Lassen Junior College. He did not place at the NCAA's in his first season but should this year. He has beaten some of the top guys in his weight class it is just a matter of putting it together in March. He won a tough 3-2 decision in the ranking matches over Charles Walker. He is 10th in the latest intermat rankings.
1998: 24-8; OSU Career 24-8; Individual Rank 8 AWN; 10 Intermat
Reggie Wright (149) - Will make his first start as a Cowboy in the Wisconsin dual. He is a transfer from Lassen Junior College and comes into the season ranked 11th. Place fourth at the Espoir Worlds this past summer; he was a Espoir National Champion as well.
1998: 0-0; OSU Career 0-0; Individual Rank NR AWN; 11 Intermat
Jimmy Arias (157) - One of four four-year starters for the Cowboys. He comes into the season ranked third, after a seventh-place finish in the tough 150-pound weight class a year ago. Has the ability to win it all for the Pokes this season.
1998: 28-6; OSU Career 61-30; Individual Rank 4 AWN; 3 Intermat
Shawn Smith (165) - Unorthodox wrestler who upset favorite Ty Wilcox in the ranking matches. He is a native of Chippewa Falls, Wis., so the Wisconsin dual will be a homecoming. In case you were wondering, he is not related to the wrestling Smith family. He is 2-0 in duals in his career as a back-up.
1998: 7-3; OSU Career 20-7; Individual Rank NR AWN; NR Intermat
Mark Smith (174) - Begins his final drive for a national title. He has finished fourth the last two seasons. However, he comes into the season ranked No. 1 in a relatively thin weight. He is the brother of OSU head coach John Smith and assistant coach Pat Smith.
1998: 20-3; OSU Career 59-18; Individual Rank 1 AWN; 1 Intermat
Mark Mu-oz (184) - Begins his second season as the Cowboys starter after a good freshman season. He is ranked seventh at 184 and this could be his break-out season.
1998: 25-9; OSU Career 38-13; Individual Rank 7 AWN; 9 Intermat
Pat Popolizio (197) - Begins his third year as a starter for the Cowboys. He has yet to place at the nationals but this could be the year. He Moore and Guerrero are the only three Cowboys who have not used up their redshirt season.
1998: 21-11; OSU Career 34-19; Individual Rank 10 AWN; 13 Intermat
Dave Anderton (HWT) - Transfer from Ricks Junior College in Idaho. He will be one of the bigger heavyweights in the nation this year. He is a junior in eligibility. One of three Cowboy starters that is married.
1998: 0-0; OSU Career 0-0; Individual Rank NR AWN; 16 Intermat
Intermat
1. Oklahoma St. 2. Minnesota 3. Iowa 4. Penn St. 5. Oklahoma 6. Iowa St. 7. C. Michigan 8. West Vriginia 9. Illinois 10. Northwestern 11. Rider 12. Arizona St. 13. Lehigh 14. Purdue 15. Fresno St. 16. Oregon St. 17. Pennsylvania 18. Michigan St. 19. Northern Iowa 20. Lock Haven
AWN
1. Oklahoma State 2. Iowa 3. Minnesota 4. Penn State 5. Oklahoma 6. C. Michigan 7. Iowa State 8. Illinois 9. Northwestern 10. West Virginia 11. Arizona State 12. Fresno State 13. Oregon State 14. Lehigh 15. Bakersfield 16. Michigan State 17. Pittsburgh 18. Clarion 19. Pennsylvania 20. Nebraska
