Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Set for Rematch with Minnesota
February 11, 2006 | Cowboy Wrestling
Oklahoma State's second-ranked wrestling team will venture south to Oklahoma City to wrestle top-ranked Minnesota in the first ever ESPNU Double Sport Wrestling Invitational. The Cowboys and Gophers will hit the mat at 2 p.m., following the Oklahoma and Hofstra match at noon. Both matches will be televised live by ESPNU. Minnesota won the last meeting between the two schools, 21-14, in the finals of the National Duals. The Gophers have won six of the last nine meetings in the series, but OSU still leads overall 16-8. The Cowboys are 15-1 on the season and coming off of a 34-9 victory over Hofstra. The Cowboys won eight of the 10 bouts in the dual, including wins by all five seniors on senior night. OSU currently has six wrestlers ranked in the top six in the country at their respective weight classes. Junior Johny Hendricks leads the way as the top-ranked 165-pounder, while sophomore Nathan Morgan has the team's best record at 24-1 and is currently ranked third at 133.
Scouting the Gophers
Minnesota is currently undefeated at 18-0 and is ranked No. 1 by most publications. The Gophers handed Oklahoma State its only loss in the finals of the National Duals back on Jan. 15, 2006. The Gophers currently have two wrestlers ranked atop their weight class. Dustin Schlatter vaulted to No. 1 at 149 after defeating the previous two No. 1 wrestlers in the same week, including OSU's Zack Esposito. Schlatter is 31-1 on the year. Cole Konrad is undefeated on the season at heavyweight. Konrad shook up the wrestling world by pinning the previous No. 1, OSU's Steve Mocco. Minnesota boasts five other wrestlers ranked inside the top 10. The Gophers claim eight wins over top 10 opponents. They have defeated Central Michigan and Iowa State both twice this season in addition to their victory over three-time defending national champion and previous No. 1 Oklahoma State.
Seniors Say Goodbye
Five Oklahoma State seniors wrestled their final match inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. It has been one of the most productive senior classes over the last 50 years combining to win three NCAA team titles, four individual titles, six All-American finishes and five Big 12 championships. The Cowboys have gone 33-1 inside Gallagher-Iba Arena over the last four years and 70-3 overall in duals. The seniors made senior day memorable all recording wins in their final match insidde Gallagher-Iba Arena. Steve Mocco recorded a fall and Rusty Blackmon rallied from a 7-0 deficit to win in sudden victory.
Gopher Bitten
Oklahoma State has dominated collegiate wrestling since the NCAA started conducting a championship in 1928. The Cowboys have been even more dominating of late winning the last three NCAA titles and compiling a 107-7 record over the last six seasons. There has been one team that has continually stuck out and that is Minnesota. The Gophers have handed OSU four of those seven losses and have won six of the last nine meetings in the series. Oklahoma State still leads the all-time series at 16-8, but Minnesota is closing the gap.
Freshmen Become Sophomores
Head coach John Smith made a decision last winter to pull two freshmen out of redshirt because the Cowboys were struggling at both 125 and 133. Coleman Scott and Nathan Morgan both became Big 12 champions later on that year, while Scott went on to finish eighth at the NCAA Championships at 125. The freshmen have become sophomores and have turned into two of the better wrestlers at their weight class in the country. Scott is 21-3 and is ranked as high as fourth in the country. Morgan has the best record on the team at 24-1 and is ranked second by the NWCA/Intermat Individual Rankings at 133 after defeating fourth-ranked Mack Reiter of Minnesota and third-ranked Darrell Vasquez of Cal Poly.
