Oklahoma State University Athletics
Pat Smith
October 06, 2005 | Cowboy Wrestling
Smith will concentrate on OSU's middle weights. Starting in 1990, Smith began a collegiate career unmatched by any Division I wrestler, one capped by a fourth NCAA individual championship and Oklahoma State's 30th overall team crown at the 1994 national tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Amongst the top of several Cowboy record lists, one of the most impressive might be his run of 98 consecutive matches without a loss, tying former wrestling great and former Iowa Head Coach Dan Gable for third on the all-time chart.
Smith's tapestry of NCAA crowns began with 1990's 11-7 win over Navy's Scott Schleicher at College Park, Md. His victory also led the Pokes to their 29th NCAA overall team championship.
In 1991's competition in Iowa City's Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Smith overcame the stiffest challenge during his string of titles by knocking off Iowa's Tom Ryan, 7-6, in front of a harsh Hawkeye audience.
At the 1992 championships inside the Myriad in Oklahoma City, Smith was forced to meet Arizona State's Ray Miller, and the Cowboy prevailed, 3-1.
He ended all speculation in 1994 with a 5-3 defeat of Michigan's Sean Bormet inside the Smith Center on the North Carolina campus.
Fittingly, he became Oklahoma State's 15th “Outstanding Wrestler” at the NCAA Tournament since the format began in 1928.
With his Big Eight Conference championship in 1994, Smith became just the fifth conference wrestler ever to capture four straight crowns, with one of the other four being older brother Lee Roy. On the school charts, he ranks fourth in winning percentage (.953), sixth in total victories (121) and fourth in career falls (46) with 18 in 1992 alone. He won gold medals at the U.S. Olympic Festival in the summers of 1991 and 1993.
Pat was one of 15 wrestlers named to the 75th Anniversary Team to commemorate 75 years of the NCAA Wrestling Championships. His brother John was named to the team as well.
Smith's older brothers Lee Roy and John, both former NCAA champions, also began coaching careers as graduate assistants at Oklahoma State. Pat was born on Sept. 21, 1970.
