Oklahoma State University Athletics
Mason Looks to Make Impact at First NCAA Tournament
March 14, 2006 | Cowboy Wrestling
After arriving in Stillwater he knew the shoes he had to fill were bigger than any he had ever put on. We all didn't know how nicely they would fit.
Freshman Brandon Mason had the job of replacing two-time NCAA champion, and Cowboy legend, Chris Pendleton. The 174-pound Iowa native has done a fine job of maintaining the high standard set by his predecessor.
He boasts a 22-11 record, including seven wins over ranked opponents. Even though he finished fourth in the Big 12 championships, Mason is still confident entering the NCAA Championships. This confidence stems from the team concept head coach John Smith has instilled in his wrestlers.
“I mean throughout the year we've pushed through duals. We haven't taken any breaks or let up, we've practiced through them. Our bodies are finally going to be 100% for this tournament so I think we are fairly confident”
It is never easy for a freshman to wrestle in such a storied program. It makes things even tougher when prior success in your weight class has been so prevalent. Nevertheless, Mason shows maturity beyond his years and this has helped him garner success at such a young age.
He said the Cowboy seniors deserve a lot of credit for the work ethic he has learned here. “They're great leaders, mostly unspoken. You know they're working hard and you just want to follow in their footsteps and work hard and train just as hard as they are. That's how they've been great leaders for us all.”
Mason is soft-spoken and seems to fit the “lead by example” mold at OSU. A deep run in the NCAA tournament would likely give him an enormous amount of confidence as he looks to take on a leadership role in his remaining years as a Poke.
Thankfully, Mason and the Pokes will be in a comfortable environment when they take the mat next week at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City.
Mason seems excited about the prospect of having a “home crowd” in his first NCAA tournament. “We have a great fan base. Even when the NCAA tournament was in St. Louis we have the most fans. Since it's in Oklahoma City, I think we will have even more, it will probably be half OSU fans there.”
There will be great experiences in store for Brandon Mason as his career at Oklahoma State develops. It is obvious that he has the same determined, indomitable attitude that so many Cowboy greats have shown in the past.
His first such experience will come next weekend as Mason has an opportunity to step into the national spotlight for the first time. He will come out hard in his first match and from there he will take it one step at a time.
