Cowboy Wrestling Heads To NCAAs

Complete Release in PDF Format

March 12, 2010

Up Next For Cowboy Wrestling

2010 NCAA Championships

March 18-20, 2010 :: All Day :: Qwest Center (Omaha, Neb.)

Thursday Live Video: NCAA.com

Fri. Morning Live Video: ESPNU/ESPN360.com

Fri. Evening Live Video: ESPNU

Sat. Morning Live Video: ESPNU

Sat. Evening Live Video: ESPN/ESPN360.com

Live Radio: 93.7 KSPI-FM

Radio Announcers: Rex Holt & Roger Moore

Live Internet Audio: okstate.com

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The Basics

Fresh off winning its ninth Big 12 championship, the No. 4 Oklahoma State wrestling team (15-2-1 overall) travels to Omaha to compete at the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships from March 18-20 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb.

On The Air

Thursday's action will be streamed live on NCAA.com, but will not be televised. Sessions 3, 4 and 5 on Friday and Saturday will be aired live on ESPNU and ESPN360.com. Saturday night's final round action will be aired live on ESPN and ESPN360.com.

The entire event will be aired live on KSPI 93.7 FM radio in Stillwater with Rex Holt and Roger Moore on the call. The feed from KSPI's broadcast will also be streamed live online at okstate.com.

Event Schedule (Live Video Broadcast Info)

Thursday, March 18

11 a.m. - Session I: Pigtails and First Round (NCAA.com)

6:30 p.m. - Session II: Second Round and Wrestlebacks (NCAA.com)

Friday, March 19

9:30 a.m. - Session III: Quarterfinals and Wrestlebacks (ESPNU/ESPN360.com)

6 p.m. - Session IV: Semifinals and Wrestlebacks (ESPNU)

Saturday, March 20

10 a.m. -Session V: Wrestleback Semifinals and Placing Matches (ESPNU)

6:30 p.m. - Session VI: Finals (ESPN/ESPN360.com)

Last Time Out: OSU Wins Big 12 Title

The No. 4 Oklahoma State wrestling team crowned three individual champions in winning its ninth Big 12 team title and its 43rd overall conference title March 6 at McCasland Fieldhouse in Norman.

OSU 133-pounder Jordan Oliver, 141-pounder Jamal Parks and 184-pounder Clayton Foster were all crowned as Big 12 individual champions at the event, with 157-pounder Neil Erisman, 174-pounder Mike Benefiel and heavyweight Jared Rosholt placing second at their respective weight classes.

The Cowboys finished with 70.5 team points. No. 2 Iowa State took second with 69 points and No. 8 Oklahoma was third with 64 points. Missouri (33 points) and Nebraska (32 points) rounded out the team leader board.

The title was the 11th of coach John Smith's career, as the Cowboy mentor owns two Big Eight titles to go with his nine Big 12 crowns. Oliver and Oklahoma 125-pounder Jarrod Patterson were recognized with co-outstanding wrestler honors.

Cowboys Pull Greatest One-Year Improvement In Big 12 History

With 70.5 team points at the 2010 Big 12 Championships, OSU improved on last year's team total at the event by 30.5 points, making it the largest one-year improvement in conference history.

Greatest One-Year Improvements In NCAA Championships History

Team (Years) - Improvement

1. Iowa State (1986 to 1987) - 62.0 points

T2. Oklahoma State (2002 to 2003) - 60.5 points

3. Iowa (2007 to 2008) - 60.5 points

4. Oklahoma State (1996 to 1997) - 59.0 points

5. Minnesota (2000 to 2001) - 58.5 points

6. Iowa (1994 to 1995) - 57.5 points

7. Arizona State (1987 to 1988) - 57.25 points

8. Oklahoma State (1963 to 1964) - 55.0 points
9. Iowa (1990 to 1991) - 54.25 points

T10. Iowa (1974-75) - 53.5 points

T10. Michigan State (1994 to 1995) - 53.5 points

More On Oliver's Big 12 Outstanding Wrestler Honor

With a 10-2 major decision win over Missouri's Nathan McCormick in the first round and a comfortable 6-2 win over No. 7 Nick Fanthorpe of Iowa State in the title bout, OSU freshman 133-pounder Jordan Oliver was recognized with co-outstanding wrestler honors at the Big 12 Championships. In receiving the honor, he joins Hardell Moore (1988), Mark Munoz (2001) and Coleman Scott (2005) as Cowboys to be recognized with Big 12 outstanding wrestler accolades.

Silver, Erisman Are Unsung Heroes Of The Big 12 Championship

Whenever an underdog wins a team title, there are bound to be some heroes. In the case of Oklahoma State's Big 12 title this year, Jordan Oliver, Jamal Parks and Clayton Foster are obvious choices as conference champions, but one of the key moments of the tournament came when 149-pounder Luke Silver pinned Nebraska's Dustin Payne in the consolation round to add two bonus points to OSU's team total. The Cowboys edged No. 2 Iowa State by 1.5 points at the event, making Silver's pin a significant factor.

Another key for OSU was 157-pounder Neil Erisman's win over top-seeded Andrew Sorenson of Iowa State in the semifinals. Erisman lost to Sorenson during the regular season, but avenged that loss and more importantly, delivered a head-to-head win vs. the Cyclones in a tight team race.

OSU Career Records vs. the 2010 NCAA Championships Field

125: Chris Notte: 5-8

133: Jordan Oliver: 7-2

141: Jamal Parks: 16-8

157: Neil Erisman: 13-11

165: Alex Meade: 7-8

174: Mike Benefiel: 9-4

184: Clayton Foster: 9-6

197: Alan Gelogaev: 4-7

285: Jared Rosholt: 44-11

Rosholt A Legit NCAA Title Contender

With 121 career victories, Jared Rosholt is the winningest heavyweight in OSU history. He has won 28 of his last 29 bouts heading into the NCAA Championships and has won nine of his last 10 bouts vs. ranked opponents, including four over foes ranked in the top 10.

Rosholt Could Join Elite Heavyweight Company

Heavyweight Jared Rosholt is a two-time All-American, having placed fourth in 2008 and third in 2009.

Should he earn his third All-America honor this year, he would become the 55th three-time All-American in Oklahoma State's rich history and only the fifth heavyweight to accomplish the feat, joining Jimmy Jackson (1976-78), Gene Nicks (1952-54), Loyd Arms (1941-42, 1946) and Earl McCready (1928-30).

Rosholt Off The Mat

Oklahoma State's Jared Rosholt comes from a athletic family. He is the younger brother of three-time NCAA champion Jake Rosholt and the older brother of current Cowboy freshman Blake Rosholt. His older sister Jesyca was an all-Big 12 soccer player for Oklahoma State in 2005 and another younger brother, Adam, wrestled for OSU from 2007-09.

Originally from Sandpoint, Idaho, Rosholt and his family moved to Ponca City, Okla., after his second year of high school. He won two Idaho state high school wrestling titles and two Oklahoma state high school titles.

A redshirt in 2005-06, Rosholt is the only wrestler on this year's roster who was at OSU when the Cowboys won their most recent NCAA team championship in 2006.

He lists chopping down trees as one of his hobbies.

Team Of The Future (And Maybe The Present)

Oklahoma State coach John Smith has perhaps the best stable of young talent in America. Jordan Oliver is a top-five wrestler nationally and a Big 12 champion as a freshman. Fellow freshman Alex Meade has been ranked in the top 10 for most of the season. Sophomore Jamal Parks is a Big 12 champion, with fellow sophomores Mike Benefiel and Alan Gelogaev ranked among the top 10 in the nation for most of the season and strong All-America candidates.

Add to that a pair of dynamic freshmen redshirting in the reigning Junior Hodge Award winner in Chris Perry and Fargo champion Jon Morrison and things are looking bright for the Cowboys next year. That doesn't even count sophomore Fargo champion Albert White, who had his 2009-10 season cut short due to injury after wrestling only one dual.

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 28-2 record that includes six wins over ranked opponents, Cowboy 133-pounder Jordan Oliver joins 165-pounder Alex Meade (28-8 record with four wins over ranked opponents) as part of the young nucleus of the Oklahoma State roster.

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.

Foster, Rosholt Have Won Big 12 Honors As Well

OSU 184-pounder Clayton Foster and 285-pounder Jared Rosholt have also been singled out as Big 12 Wrestlers of the Week this year. Foster secured the honor after toppling No. 6 Joe LeBlanc of Wyoming on Jan. 29 and Rosholt took home the recognition after beating reigning NCAA champion Mark Ellis of Missouri on Feb. 7.

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.

Gelogaev, Wainscott Earn Big 12 Academic Honors

Oklahoma State's Alan Gelogaev and Kevin Wainscott both earned spots on the 2010 academic all-Big 12 wrestling team. Gelogaev was a first-team selection (3.20 or better grade point average) with Wainscott earning a spot on the second team (3.00-3.19 GPA)

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