Cowboys Set For Friday Doubleheader

Complete Release in PDF Format

Jan. 27, 2010

Oklahoma State Cowboy Wrestling This Week

at Northern Colorado and at Wyoming

Jan. 29, 2010 :: 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Central Time :: Greeley, Colo., and Laramie, Wyo.

Television: None

Radio: 93.7 KSPI-FM

Radio Announcers: Rex Holt & Roger Moore

Live Internet Audio: okstate.com

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The Basics

The No. 4 Oklahoma State wrestling team (8-2-1 overall) wrestles two duals on Fri., Jan. 29, squaring off against Northern Colorado (1-11 overall) at 1 p.m. Central time in Greeley, Colo., before packing into a bus and driving to Laramie, Wyo., for a date with Mark Branch's Wyoming Cowboys (6-2 overall) at 8 p.m. that same night.

On The Air

Both duals will be aired live on KSPI 93.7 FM radio in Stillwater with Rex Holt and Roger Moore on the call.

A Quick Preview

Oklahoma State will be a tough matchup for both Northern Colorado and Wyoming. Strictly based off this week's Amateur Wrestling News individual rankings, OSU wrestlers will be favored in 19 of a possible 20 bouts this weekend, with the lone exception coming at 184 pounds against Wyoming, where returning All-American and sixth-ranked Joe LeBlanc will be a narrow favorite over OSU junior and 12th-ranked Clayton Foster.

Notte Will Be Challenged

Cowboy 125-pounder Chris Notte has the bumpiest road this weekend, as he is slated to face Anthony Mustari of Northern Colorado and No. 10 Michael Martinez of Wyoming.

Notte has never faced Mustari, but has had Martinez's number to date, claiming a resounding 13-3 major decision win to go with a three-minute, 20-second fall over Martinez in their two meetings at this year's Reno Tournament of Champions.

Series Capsule vs. Northern Colorado

Overall: OSU leads, 10-0-1

In Greeley: OSU leads, 3-0-1

In Stillwater: OSU leads, 7-0-0

At Neutral: Never met

John Smith vs. Northern Colorado: 1-0-0

Ben Cherrington vs. OSU: 0-0-0

Last Meeting vs. UNC: 12/5/08 - OSU 41, Northern Colorado 3

125: No. 8 Obenson Blanc (OSU) dec. No. 15 Tony Mustari (NC); 9-3

133: Chris Notte (OSU) maj. dec. Zach Maes (NC); 13-2

141: Jamal Parks (OSU) maj. dec. Lance Gallegos (NC); 19-5

149: Mitchell Polkowske (NC) dec. Luke Silver (OSU); 7-3

157: No. 12 Newly McSpadden (OSU) fall Tanner Weiks (NC); 0:36

165: No. 12 Brandon Mason (OSU) fall Tim Franks (NC); 1:51

174: Kyle Griffin (OSU) maj. dec. Brandon Kammerzell (NC); 17-5

184: No. 20 Jared Shelton (OSU) dec. Ryan Johnson (NC); 13-7

197: No. 15 Clayton Foster (OSU) TF5 Patrick Carey (NC); 16-1; 5:11

285 pounds: No. 1 Jared Rosholt (OSU) fall Justin Tuell (NC); 1:04

Series Capsule vs. Wyoming

Overall: OSU leads, 12-0-1

In Laramie: OSU leads, 4-0-1

In Stillwater: OSU leads, 6-0-0

At Neutral: OSU leads, 2-0-0

John Smith vs. Wyoming: 5-0-0

Mark Branch vs. OSU: 0-1-0

Last Meeting vs. Wyoming: 2/15/09 - OSU 34, Wyoming 4

125: No. 15 Obenson Blanc (OSU) dec. Michael Martinez (WYO); 3-1

133: No. 14 Chris Notte (OSU) dec. Cory VomBaur (WYO); 3-1

141: No. 15 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Cole Dallaserra (WYO); 3-1

149: Quinten Fuentes (OSU) fall Chase Smith (WYO); 2:42

157: No. 10 Neil Erisman (OSU) MD Eric Coxbill (WYO); 11-0

165: No. 10 Brandon Mason (OSU) TF5 Alex Rieder (WYO); 17-0; 4:48

174: No. 14 N. McSpadden (OSU) dec. No. 19 Shane Onufer (WYO); 5-4

184: No. 7 Joe LeBlanc (WYO) MD Jared Shelton (OSU); 16-3

197: No. 8 Clayton Foster (OSU) MD Alfonso Hernandez (WYO); 14-4

285: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. Jacob Scharbrough (WYO); 8-1

Last Time Out: No. 2 Iowa State 20, No. 4 Oklahoma State 18

125: No. 5 Andrew Long (ISU) TF5 No. 9 Chris Notte (OSU); 20-5; 7:00

133: No. 6 Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. No. 9 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU); 7-5

141: No. 7 Jamal Parks (OSU) fall No. 10 Dalton Jensen (ISU); 2:42

149: No. 8 Mitch Mueller (ISU) dec. Quinten Fuentes (OSU); 7-2

157: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. No. 12 Neil Erisman (OSU); 8-7

165: No. 4 Jon Reader (ISU) dec. No. 9 Alex Meade (OSU); 7-5

174: No. 12 Mike Benefiel (OSU) dec. No. 19 Duke Burk (ISU); 10-4

184: No. 13 Clayton Foster dec. Jerome Ward (ISU); 3-1

197: No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) fall No. 6 Alan Gelogaev (OSU); 4:43

285: No. 1 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 2 David Zabriskie (ISU); 8-5

Pokes Belong With The Big Boys This Year

For two years, people have looked at OSU as a team of the future. The future is fast becoming the present, as OSU has already beaten one top-five opponent this year (Minnesota) and has lost only to the top two teams in the country (Iowa and Iowa State) by a combined total of only five points.

It can be argued that upsets to unranked wrestlers in those two duals were the difference between winning and losing. Regardless of how it's analyzed, it's clear that OSU is in the same mix as those teams -- perhaps a year ahead of schedule.

Rosholt Picks Up A Statement Win

Cowboy heavyweight Jared Rosholt toppled No. 2 David Zabriskie of Iowa State by an 8-5 margin last Sunday.

The aggressor throughout the match, Rosholt bagged three takedowns in the bout and roared out to a 5-1 lead. Zabriskie's only scoring of the first two periods came off escapes. After Zabriskie scored his only takedown of the bout in the third period, Rosholt escaped and then crushed the Cyclone's comeback hopes with yet another takedown in the waning moments of the bout to seal his win.

Rosholt Likely To Finish In OSU Wins Top 10

Senior Jared Rosholt, already a Big 12 champion and two-time All-American, continues to etch his name into the OSU record books.

Rosholt claimed his 100th career win when he toppled No. 10 Ben Berhow of Minnesota by an 8-6 score in sudden victory on Dec. 4.

A pair of wins Friday would be Rosholt's 114th and 115th, respectively, and would put him just five wins away from reaching OSU's career top-10.

Cowboy Upper Weights Mean Business

As many observers expected going into the season, the upper weights at Oklahoma State have been a strong point for the team.

The quartet of 174-pounder Mike Benefiel, 184-pounder Clayton Foster, 197-pounder Alan Gelogaev and heavyweight Jared Rosholt has combined to string together a 79-7 overall record and a 31-5 dual match mark.

OSU Starters Are Bonus Point Specialists

Oklahoma State wrestlers have not only been winning individual bouts this year, they have been dominating. With 57 combined pins, the 10 wrestlers who comprise the Cowboys' starting lineup have already exceeded last year's total of 46 pins from the OSU starting lineup.

This year's starters have combined to rack up bonus points in 102 of their 189 victories this season (54.0 percent).

Meade Is Two-Time Big 12 Wrestler of the Week

Cowboy 165-pounder Alex Meade is a two-time selection as Big 12 Wrestler of the Week this season. He earned the recognition after toppling No. 2 Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota on Dec. 4 and beating No. 4 Ryan Morningstar of Iowa in Iowa City on Jan. 16.

OSU Freshmen Making A Name For Themselves

What do Minnesota's Dustin Schlatter, Iowa's Ryan Morningstar, Cal Poly's Boris Novachkov and Iowa's Daniel Dennis all have in common besides the fact that they are all top-five wrestlers nationally? They were all beaten by OSU freshmen this year.

With a 19-2 record that includes four wins over ranked opponents, Cowboy 133-pounder Jordan Oliver joins 165-pounder Alex Meade (21-5 record with three wins over ranked opponents) as part of the young nucleus of the Oklahoma State roster.

Catching Up With The Redshirts

Oklahoma State has a very talented group of true freshmen competing as redshirts this year, led by 184-pounder Chris Perry, who owns a 15-1 overall record and three open tournament titles. Perry's lone defeat was a 7-4 setback at the hands of OSU teammate and All-America candidate Clayton Foster at the Central Missouri Open.

Freshman 125-pounder Jon Morrison is 9-1 on the open tournament circuit this year with his only loss coming to Northwestern All-American Brandon Precin at the Missouri Open.

Family Ties

John Smith is coaching a pair of his nephews this year in true freshmen Chris Perry and Zach White. Perry is the son of John's sister, Cathy and White is the son of Smith's sister Mary Ann.

Both Perry and White are redshirting this season.

Red, White and OSU

A quartet of Cowboys represented the United States on the international scene during the summer of 2009, with John Smith coaching the USA senior freestyle team at the FILA World Championships in Herning, Denmark, head assistant coach Eric Guerrero serving as head coach for Team USA at the FILA junior freestyle world championships in Ankara, Turkey and Jordan Oliver and Chris Perry both suiting up for Team USA at the FILA junior freestyle world championships.

Oliver won bronze in the 60-kilogram bracket and Perry placed sixth in the 84-kilogram bracket at junior worlds.

Foster Has Team USA Experience As Well

Though he did not suit up in the Stars and Stripes this past summer, 184-pounder Clayton Foster represented the USA at the 2008 FILA junior world freestyle championships and had a nice showing, winning the bronze medal at the event.

Call Him "Z"

Oklahoma State 197-pounder Alan Gelogaev is one of the most talked-about wrestlers in the country.

Born in Chechenya, Gelogaev claims Moscow, Russia as his hometown. Prior to enrolling at OSU, he trained for five years under Russian wrestling legend and nine-time world champion Buvaisar Saitiev in Siberia.

During his training in Siberia, he connected with former Cowboy Olympian Daniel Cormier and followed Cormier to Stillwater, where he is now mentored by six-time world champion John Smith.

His nickname, "Z" comes from his middle name, Zelim.

Fargo Champions Everywhere

The 2009-10 Oklahoma State roster includes a staggering seven different Fargo junior freestyle national champions. The list:

Clayton Foster 2006

Albert White 2006

Mike Benefiel 2007

Jon Morrison 2007

Jordan Oliver 2007

Jamal Parks 2007

Chris Perry 2008