Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Olympians Cormier, Mocco Wrestle Today
August 21, 2008 | Cowboy Wrestling
STILLWATER, Okla. – Former Oklahoma State wrestlers Daniel Cormier and Steve Mocco will compete for the first time at the 2008 Olympic Games today. Preliminary matches in the 96 kg weight class (Cormier's class) and in the 120 kg weight class (Mocco's class) begin live tonight at 8:30 p.m. Central Time. The medal round for the 96 kg weight class is set for 4:55 a.m. Thursday and the medal round for the 120 kg weight class is set for 5:50 a.m. Thursday.
The only place to watch the preliminary and medal rounds live is online at nbcolympics.com. There is no live television coverage.
MSNBC will air a tape-delay broadcast of the preliminary rounds at 8:30 a.m. Central time on Thursday, with CNBC airing a tape-delayed broadcast of the medal-round action from 4-7 p.m. Central time on Thursday.
Cormier, the 2008 winner of the John Smith Award as the top American freestyle wrestler, won the bronze medal at the 2007 World Championship. He placed fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympics and is a five-time member of the United States freestyle world team.
By beating past nemesis Tommy Rowlands at the Olympic Team Trials, Mocco made the U.S. World Team for the first time in his career after posting runner-up finishes in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He was also the runner-up at the U.S. Nationals in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008.
Including Cormier and Mocco, a total of 34 former Oklahoma State Cowboys have wrestled in 39 Olympic Games and Cormier is set to join John Smith, Kendall Cross, Kenny Monday, Gene Davis, Harry Geris and Yojiro Uetake as former Cowboys to wrestle at more than one Olympic gamesÂÂ.
