Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Battle No. 3 Minnesota
December 02, 2010 | Cowboy Wrestling
Dec. 2, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Cowboy Wrestling This Week
No. Oklahoma State (1-0) at No. 3 Minnesota (3-0)
Dec. 5, 2010 | 2 p.m. | Sports Pavilion (5,700 capacity)
Television: None
Radio: 93.7 KSPI-FM
Radio Announcer: Roger Moore
Live Internet Video: bigtennetwork.com
Live Internet Audio: okstate.com
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The Basics
The No. 2 Oklahoma State wrestling team (1-0 overall) is on the road this week to battle No. 3 Minnesota (3-0 overall) at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Sports Pavilion (5,700 capacity).
On The Air
The dual will be aired live on KSPI 93.7 FM radio in Stillwater with Roger Moore on the call.
Also, the Big Ten Network will provide a subscription-based webcast of the dual on its web site, www.bigtennetwork.com.
Featured Bout
With as many as seven potential matchups pitting ranked Cowboys against ranked Golden Gophers, there are several to choose from, but the most intriguing could come at 197 pounds, where No. 5 Clayton Foster of Oklahoma State tangles with No. 6 Sonny Yohn of Minnesota. Foster leads the all-time series between the two by a 2-0 margin, though technically the series is only 1-0 in Foster's favor since his 7-3 beating of Yohn at this year's NWCA All-Star Classic doesn't count on either wrestler's season record. Foster handed Yohn a 13-1 major decision beating when the two met in last year's dual.
Series Capsule
Overall OSU leads, 19-10-0
In Minneapolis OSU leads, 11-2-0
In Stillwater OSU leads, 7-4-0
At Neutral Minnesota leads, 1-4-0
John Smith vs. Minnesota 12-10-0
J Robinson vs. Oklahoma State 10-12-0
Two Of America's Elite Programs
Sunday's dual matches two of the country's best wrestling programs. Oklahoma State and Minnesota combined to win seven NCAA team titles from 2000-10, with the Cowboys roping the crown in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and the Gophers winning it all in 2001, 2002 and 2007.
Oklahoma State has 34 NCAA team titles all-time, 133 NCAA individual champions and 422 All-Americans. Minnesota owns three NCAA team titles and has 20 NCAA individual champions and 145 All-Americans.
Legendary Coaches
Oklahoma State coach John Smith and Minnesota coach J Robinson are two of the giants in the sport of college wrestling. Smith owns five NCAA team titles, has coached 23 individual NCAA champs and has led 89 of his wrestlers to All-America finishes. Robinson has three NCAA team titles to his name, to go with 12 NCAA individual champs and 98 All-Americans.
Smith Nearing Win No. 300
Oklahoma State head coach John Smith is on the cusp of a career milestone, as he enters the Minnesota dual with 297 career dual victories. Smith would become the first coach in Oklahoma State's storied history to reach the 300-win plateau.
Last Meeting - No. 3 OSU 21, No. 5 Minnesota 8
Nov. 20, 2009 :: Gallagher-Iba Arena :: Att. 2,535
125: No. 4 Zach Sanders (MINN) dec. No. 8 Chris Notte (OSU); 11-5
133: No. 2 Jayson Ness (MINN) dec. No. 11 Jordan Oliver (OSU); 3-0
141: No. 16 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. No. 10 Mike Thorn (MINN); 4-1
149: No. 12 Mario Mason (MINN) dec. Quinten Fuentes (OSU); 13-9
157: No. 9 Neil Erisman (OSU) dec. Joe Grygelko (MINN); 7-0
165: No. 17 Alex Meade (OSU) dec. No. 2 Dustin Schlatter (MINN); 3-2
174: Chris McNeil (OSU) dec. Cody Yohn (MINN); 9-6
184: No. 9 Clayton Foster (OSU) MD No. 17 Sonny Yohn (MINN); 13-1
197: No. 9 Alan Gelogaev (OSU) dec. Brent Eidenschink (MINN); 13-6
285: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 10 Ben Berhow (MINN); 8-6 SV
OSU Leaders
Wins: 10, Dallas Bailey & Julian Feikert
Bonus Point Wins: 6, Morrison, Bailey & Feikert
Falls: 6, Dallas Bailey
Tech Falls: 2, Jordan Oliver & Jamal Parks
Dual Takedowns: 6, Jordan Oliver
Dual Nearfalls: 4, Jordan Oliver
Last Time Out - OSU 39, Bucknell 3
125: Jon Morrison MD No. 19 Derek Reber; 9-0
133: Jordan Oliver TF5 Alex Pellicciotti; 22-4, 4:48
141: Luke Silver MD Zac Hancock; 9-0
149: No. 4 Kevin LeValley dec. Jamal Parks; 6-2
157: Albert White dec. Brantley Hooks; 8-2
165: Dallas Bailey fall Corey Lear; 0:45
174: Mike Benefiel MD David Thompson; 10-2
184: Chris Perry fall Joe McMullan; 0:55
197: Clayton Foster dec. Jay Hahn; 11-7
285: Blake Rosholt MD Conor Sweeney; 13-1
Oliver Earns Big 12 Wrestler of the Month
Oklahoma State sophomore 133-pounder Jordan Oliver was recognized as the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month for November.
Oliver rattled off a perfect 5-0 record in November, and that figure did not count his 8-7 victory over No. 1 Andrew Hochstrasser of Boise State at the NWCA All-Star Classic because bouts at the All-Star Classic do not count toward a wrestler's season record.
Four of Oliver's five wins in November came with bonus points attached, as he pinned two of his opponents to go with one victory coming by technical fall.
In addition to his statement victory over top-ranked Hochstrasser, Oliver also won the 133-pound bracket at the Oklahoma City Open.
Oliver's Big 12 Wrestler of the Month honor in November marked the first time in his career that he has earned that particular distinction, though he was recognized as the Outstanding Wrestler at the 2010 Big 12 Championships.
Newcomers Making Statements
Oklahoma State is breaking in new starters at 125 pounds, 165 pounds, 184 pounds and at heavyweight.
Redshirt freshman Jon Morrison is off to a fast start at 125 pounds. He is a perfect 9-0 and has two bonus-point wins over ranked opponents. Morrison handed No. 10 Ben Kjar of Utah Valley a 9-0 major decision defeat in the championship of the Kaufman-Brand Open and was a 9-0 major decision winner over No. 19 Derek Reber of Bucknell in dual match action.
Fellow redshirt freshmen Dallas Bailey and Chris Perry have combined to go 18-1 with 10 of those 18 wins by fall. Bailey pinned No. 12 Cody Yohn of Minnesota in the championship of the Kaufman-Brand Open.
Redshirt freshman Blake Rosholt made his career debut at heavyweight in OSU's dual over Bucknell and handed Conor Sweeney a 13-1 major decision beating in that bout.
Cowboys Roll At All-Star Classic
Oklahoma State wrestlers Jordan Oliver and Clayton Foster were both comfortable winners at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 21, with Oliver claiming an 8-7 win over No. 1 Andrew Hochstrasser of Boise State and Foster rolling to a 7-3 win over No. 6 Sonny Yohn of Minnesota.
Oliver's match was not as close as the score would indicate, as the Cowboy sophomore took Hochstrasser down three times and scored a reversal to lead, 8-4 after two periods. Hochstrasser wiggled free for an escape to start the third period and scored a takedown with five seconds left in the bout to make the margin closer. Five of Hochstrasser's seven points came on escapes.
Foster bagged a pair of single-leg takedowns and added two escapes and riding time in his win over Yohn. He was in complete control of the match before Yohn was able to score a takedown in the third period, but the bout was already well in hand for Foster at that point.
Returning All-Americans
OSU has two of the nation's best wrestlers in 133-pounder Jordan Oliver and 197-pounder Clayton Foster, both of whom were All-Americans last year.
Oliver placed fourth at the 2010 NCAA Championships to cap a redshirt freshman season that saw him compile a 32-4 overall record and a 8-4 mark against ranked opponents. Not only did he win the 2010 Big 12 title at 133 pounds, but he was also recognized as the Outstanding Wrestler of the Big 12 Championships.
Foster is in his fourth year as a starter in the Oklahoma State lineup. He competed at 197 pounds his first two years before moving to 184 pounds last season and now is back at 197 pounds. Foster was sixth at last year's NCAA Championships and his win over eventual NCAA champion Max Askren of Missouri at the Big 12 Championships was a vital key to the Cowboys winning the 2010 conference crown.
Asics All-Americans Live Here
Oklahoma State has a staggering eight former Asics High School First-Team All-Americans competing in its wrestling room this season.
Jordan Oliver 2006
Albert White 2007
Mike Benefiel 2007
Clayton Foster 2007
Alex Meade 2007
Alex Meade 2008
Chris Perry 2009
Josh Kindig 2010
Fargo Champs, Too
A similar note can be made about the fact that Oklahoma State has six former Fargo champions on the roster this year.
Clayton Foster 2006
Albert White 2006
Mike Benefiel 2007
Jon Morrison 2007
Jordan Oliver 2007
Jamal Parks 2007
Chris Perry 2008
Smith Family Ties
While many coaches use the analogy of the team as a family, Oklahoma State's John Smith can take that one step further as three of his nephews currently wrestle for the Cowboys.
Chris Perry is the son of Smith's sister, Cathy, and Zach White and Matt White are the sons of Smith's sister, Mary Ann.
Up Next
Oklahoma State hosts Bedlam Series rival Oklahoma at 6 p.m. on Dec. 12.
