Oklahoma State University Athletics
Bedlam Wrestling Comes To Stillwater
February 17, 2001 | Cowboy Wrestling
Feb. 17, 2001
Oklahoma Sooners
The sixth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners enter Sunday's Bedlam showdown with a 17-4-1 record. One of the Sooners' losses came at the hands of OSU on Dec. 10, with the Cowboys winning 22-14 in Norman. Oklahoma is coming off of a 33-7 whipping of eighth-ranked Nebraska last Sunday, where OU's 197-pounder Waymon May upset NU's top-ranked Brad Vering, 3-2. OU's other three losses came from the state of Iowa, as Iowa State won 19-17 at the National Duals and 20-19 in Big 12 action, while the Iowa Hawkeyes won 23-18 at the National Duals. The Sooners' tie came against third-ranked Michigan in the fifth-place match of the National Duals. Michigan was awarded fifth-place on criteria.
The Series:
Oklahoma State holds a 108-24-9 lead in the all-time series that dates back to the 1920-21 season. OSU hasn't lost to the Sooners since the opening dual of the 1995-96 season, Oklahoma picked up a 16-16 tie in last year's season opener.
Senior Night/Alumni Night
The OSU program says goodbye to six longtime Cowboys this afternoon. Daniel Cormier, Billy Gabel, Mark Mu?oz, Pat Popolizio, Charles Walker and Reggie Wright will be making their last dual apperance in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mu?oz, Popolizio and Walker are fifth-year seniors, while Wright is in his third year in the Cowboy program. The 2001 Cowboy Wrestling Reunion is also scheduled for Sunday, beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the Stadium O-Club Room of the Athletics Center.
Bedlam set for Television
The Cowboy Television Network, in cooperation with Learfield Communications and Cox Communication, has picked up Sundays Bedlam wrestling match. Rex Holt, a former voice of OSU Wrestling will do the play-by-play with former Sooner coach Stan Able and OSU Senior Associate Athletics Director Dave Martin on color. The match will be carried by KSBI channel 52 in Oklahoma City, channel 44 in Stillwater, along with KWBT channel 19 in Tulsa and KOMI channel 24 in Woodward.
Live Sports Video to webcast dual
Today's dual with the Hawkeyes will be web cast live on livesportsvideo.com and okstate.com. Livesportsvideo.com is working in partnership with Oklahoma State to bring you today's match live over the Internet. To view today's match, you will need a cable modem, DSL, T1 or Ethernet connection capable of at least 684Kbps download speeds. Also needed is Internet Explorer 5.0, Windows Media Player 6.4 and an IBM PC Pentium II 400 MHz with 32 MB RAM.
Changes for the Big 12 Wrestling Championships
The 2001 Big 12 Wrestling Championships have undergone a few changes. The championship, which is being held in Stillwater, has become a two-day event. Previously scheduled for a one-day championship on Saturday, March 3, it will now be held on Friday and Saturday, March 2 and 3. The first round is scheduled for 6 p.m on Friday with the semifinals at 7 p.m. On Saturday, consolations will start at 10 a.m. with the finals at 2 p.m.
Last time out
OSU dispensed 11th-ranked Arizona State in Tempe, 31-7, winning eight-of-10 matches. The Pokes' 174-pounder Tyrone Lewis opened the match with a fall in 3:52. The Cowboys then proceeded to win the next five bouts and take a commanding 25-0 lead.
Head-to-head
Here is a breakdown of how current Cowboy starters have fared against their rivals to the south.
125: Matt Brown (OSU) vs. Matt Ridings (OU), Ridings leads, 3-1
133: Johnny Thompson (OSU) vs. Witt Durden (OU), Thompson leads, 1-0
141: Charles Walker (OSU) vs. Michael Lightner (OU), Lightner leads, 3-0
149: Reggie Wright (OSU) vs. Jared Frayer (OU), Wright leads, 8-0
157: Shane Roller (OSU) vs. Brian Burrows (OU), First Meeting
165: Chris Pendleton (OSU) vs. Robbie Waller (OU), First Meeting
174: Tyrone Lewis (OSU) vs. Michael Barger (OU), Tied, 1-1
184: Daniel Cormier (OSU) vs. Josh Lambrecht, Cormier leads, 1-0
197: Mark Mu?oz (OSU) vs. Waymon May (OU), Mu?oz leads 2-0
285: James Huml (OSU) vs. Leonce Crump (OU), Crump leads 1-0
Head coach John Smith
In his ninth season on the OSU bench, John Smith owns a career record of 137-20-3.
A win today will tie Smith with Edward C. Gallagher for third on OSU's all-time coaching wins list with 138. Smith's Cowboys claimed the national title in 1994 and have captured five conference championships during his tenure, including the Big 12 title last season. Smith also wrestled for the Cowboys from 1984-88, posting a 154-7-2 record and capturing two national championships. On the international stage, Smith won Olympic Freestyle Gold in 1988 and 1992 along with World Championships in 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991. In 1990, Smith was honored as the only wrestler ever to win the James E. Sullivan Award, honoring the nation's top amateur athlete for the previous year.
True freshman takes over at 165 pounds
True freshman Chris Pendleton, a native of Lemoore, Calif., has taken over the starting spot at 165 pounds due to the loss of junior Ty Wilcox. Wilcox suffered a tear of his ACL and partial tear of his MCL against Joe Heskett of Iowa State at the National Duals. Since joining the lineup, Pendleton has posted a 2-1 record in duals, he is 13-1 overall. In his debut at Gallagher-Iba Arena, Pendleton pinned Oregon State's Jed Penell in 1:17.
Thompson tearing it up at 133 pounds
Oklahoma State redshirt freshman Johnny Thompson (25-2) is making the country take notice. The Putnam City West product is ranked second in this week's AWN poll, behind Iowa's defending national champion Eric Juergens. He will face another challenge on Saturday against fourth-ranked Todd Beckerman. Thompson owns a 1-0 career record against Beckerman, picking up a 3-2 decision. He won the starting job from senior Charles Walker, who defeated Juergens earlier in the year. Thompson defeated Minnesota's second-ranked Brett Lawrence, 4-1, at the National Duals. However, Thompson lost his first ever match at 133 pounds last Saturday, when fourth-ranked Todd Beckerman of Nebraska caught Thompson and pinned him in 1:17.
Tyrone Lewis gets hot
Redshirt freshman Tyrone Lewis is beginning to show why he is considered one of the top freshman in the country. Now 23-4, he just had his 14-match winning streak broken against Northern Iowa. During that stretch he pinned 5 opponents and picked up a 21-6 technical fall in the another. Lewis has posted nine pins and two technical falls on the season.
Cormier in top form
OSU's 184-pound senior Daniel Cormier continues a strong season. Now 21-3, Cormier is ranked third at 184 pounds behind two-time national champion and undefeated Cael Sanderson of Iowa State and Illinois' Nate Patrick. Cormier may have turned in his most impressive performance against second-ranked Minnesota, picking up a 19-7 major decision over fourth-ranked Damion Hahn. Cormier took the highly-touted redshirt freshman down seven times and just missed a pin at the end of the second period.
Cowboys second according to NWCA
OSU remained second in the National Wrestling Coaches Association poll for the second-straight week. OSU received 312 votes, falling to second, while Minnesota received all 13 first-place votes and 325 votes took over the top spot. Minnesota beat the Pokes in 20-12 in the finals of the National Duals, the win gave the Gophers a split with OSU in the season series. Iowa comes in third this week, while Iowa State is fourth. Minnesota is also ranked atop the Intermat poll following their win.
New addition
Head coach John Smith's wife Toni gave birth to their third child on the morning of Jan. 2 at 1:55 a.m. Cecelia Rene Smith weighed in at six pounds and 11 ounces, she was the first baby born in the new year at Stillwater Medical Center. Cecelia is the Smiths' third child, Joseph is now four and Isabella was born in March of 1999.
Mu?oz gets win No. 100
Oklahoma State senior 197-pounder Mark Mu?oz recorded his 100th career win with a 3-2 decision over OU's Waymon May on Dec. 10th. Mu?oz has improved his career record to 113-31 along with a 18-5 mark this season. Mu?oz's 113 wins moves him into 12th place on OSU's career victories chart. He is 16 wins away from Alan Fried and Mike Farrell for second and 41 victories short of Cowboy head coach John Smith for first.
Bonus Points
Bonus points are the key to many dual wins. Major decisions, technical falls and pins are key in deciding those tight duals. The following are OSU's bonus point leaders for the 2000-01 season.
Wrestlers Percentage
Daniel Cormier (184) 65% (16/24)
Chris Pendleton (165) 60% (9/15)
Reggie Wright (149) 56% (14/25)
Tyrone Lewis (174) 56% (15/27)
Mark Mu?oz (197) 48% (11/23)
Johnny Thompson (133) 44% (12/27)
James Huml (285) 35% (9/26)
Charles Walker (133) 29% (6/21)
Shane Roller (157) 20% (4/20)
Matt Brown (125) 19% (5/26)
Gallagher-Iba Arena opening
The Cowboy wrestling team christened the OSU Athletic Center, home of Gallagher-Iba Arena, with a 33-3 thrashing of the 16th-ranked Oregon Ducks. Senior All-American Reggie Wright picked up the first win in OSU's new digs with a 15-8 decision of Tony Overstake. The first pin came at 174 pounds, redshirt freshman Tyrone Lewis stuck Oregon's Luke Larwin in 1:03. The evening's estimated attendance of 3,047 was the largest crowd for an OSU dual this season.
OSU finishes second at National Duals
OSU's 2001 National Duals started with 18th-ranked Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks posted an upset at 197 pounds, where then-No. 4 Jon Trenge beat Mark Mu?oz 11-9 in overtime. However, in the end, the Cowboys overwhelmed Lehigh 26-12. In the quarterfinals, OSU drew Arizona State, and proceeded to whip the 10th-ranked Sun Devils, 26-12. The Pokes blew the fourth-ranked Iowa State Cyclones into the consolation bracket, 25-13, in the semifinals. In the finals, Minnesota exacted a little revenge on OSU with a 20-12 win and its second National Duals title.
OSU continues to roll, smokes Oregon State, 35-6
The Cowboys showed little mercy in a 35-6 clobbering of 12th-ranked Oregon State. Three freshman led the way for the Pokes, 133-pounder Johnny Thompson and 165-pounder Chris Pendleton registered pins, while 174-pounder Tyrone Lewis won an 8-4 decision over eighth-ranked Nathan Coy. Daniel Cormier also picked up a fall at 184 pounds.
Cowboys bag sixth-straight Reno title
The Cowboys dominated enroute to their sixth-straight Reno Tournament of Champions title. The Pokes scored 192.5 points and crowned six individual champions. Arizona State finished second with 120.5 points and two titlest. Matt Brown (125), Johnny Thompson (133), Jerrod Sanders (141), Reggie Wright (149), Tyrone Lewis (174) and Daniel Cormier (184) finished first, while Ty Wilcox lost a heartbreaker, 6-5, to ASU's third-ranked Steve Blackford.
Pokes romp over second-ranked Golden Gophers
Top-ranked Oklahoma State won six of 10 matches and cruised past second-ranked Minnesota in front of 9,625 fans at the Williams Arena. OSU picked up bonus points at 184, 197 and 285 pounds, including falls from Mark Mu?oz (197) and James Huml (285). At 125 pounds, OSU's No. 9-ranked Matt Brown pulled the upset of the day with a 4-3 win over third-ranked Leroy Vega.
Cowboys Upend Hawkeyes
OSU derailed the mighty Iowa Hawkeyes 21-14 at the Myriad Convention Center in Oklahoma City. Sparked by bonus-point wins at 197 and 285 pounds, OSU's 133-pounder Charles Walker capped off the afternoon with a 3-2 upset win over Iowa's No. 1-ranked Eric Juergens. Walker scored the decisive takedown in the final 30 seconds to seal the match and the dual. OSU also picked up wins at 149, 165 and 184 pounds in the win.
Longtime Cowboys depart
All-American Jeff Ragan, Dave Anderton and Jamill Kelly said goodbye to the Cowboy program in 2000. Ragan spent five years in Stillwater, toiling behind national champions Eric Guerrero and Teague Moore, before placing sixth in 2000. Kelly spent two years in the starting lineup at 141 pounds, while Anderton, a junior college transfer, started at heavyweight for two seasons.
OSU tradition
It ranks right up there with Notre Dame football or UCLA basketball. Few schools in the nation have a tradition in any sport as strong as the one Oklahoma State has built in wrestling. OSU won the first NCAA wrestling championship in 1928 and have won a total of 30 -- more than any other school in the country. The Cowboys all-time record is 841-87-20 (.897) in 81 years of varsity wrestling. The Pokes claimed six Southwest Conference title, 25 of a possible 38 Big Eight titles and three of four Big 12 titles. Seventy-four Oklahoma State wrestlers have won 120 individual NCAA Champions, including the only four-time NCAA Champion Pat Smith.
On the air
Oklahoma State Cowboy wrestling will once again be carried live by Stillwater Radio Y-105.5 FM. J. Carl Guymon will be the play-by-play voice of the Cowboys in 2000-01 Fans unable to pick up the over-the-air broadcast will be able to listen to the games via the internet at www.okstate.com. You can also catch the John Smith Show on KSPI 93.7 FM every Monday night at 6 p.m. A live webcast can be found on the web at www.wrestlingmall.com.
