Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Wrestling Set to Open 2014-15 Season
November 14, 2014 | Cowboy Wrestling
The Basics
Oklahoma State opens its 96th dual season against the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Norsemen at 4 p.m. CST on Nov. 16 in Miami, Okla. Following the dual against the Norsemen, the Cowboys will take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at 6 p.m.
Live Stats And Play-by-Play
Fans can follow the action online through live tweets on at twitter.com/cowboywrestling (@CowboyWrestling).
Listen to the Dual Live
The dual will be aired live on 93.7 KSPI FM radio in Stillwater with Rex Holt and Roger Moore on the call. The audio stream can also be heard live on okstate.tv, but a subscription is required to listen online.
In the Polls
Oklahoma State enters 2014-15 ranked No. 9 in the USA Today/NWCA/Division 1 Coaches Poll and No. 8 in the Intermat Rankings. South Dakota State is unranked in both polls. NEO A&M is ranked No. 9 in the National Junior College Athletic Association rankings as well as in the Junior College division of the Intermat rankings.
The Cowboys are the top-ranked team from the Big 12 in both the USA Today/NWCA/Division 1 Coaches Poll and the Intermat rankings. Seven of the team's 10 potential starters are ranked among the top 20 in the nation at their respective weight classes in at least one poll, including a No. 1 ranking for defending national champion Alex Dieringer from The Open Mat, Intermat and WIN Magazine.
2014 Recap
The Oklahoma State wrestling team finished the 2013-14 season, producing two individual national champions and three other All-Americans along with a Big 12 tournament title. The Cowboys turned in an 11-5 overall dual record and a perfect 3-0 conference record.
At the NCAA tournament, the Cowboys sent four to the finals, including Josh Kindig, Alex Dieringer, Tyler Caldwell and Chris Perry. Dieringer and Perry came out on top, while Kindig and Caldwell suffered tough losses in tight matches. Austin Marsden was the fifth All-American for the squad, finishing eighth at heavyweight.
The Pokes crowned six Big 12 champions in Dieringer, Caldwell, Perry, Marsden, Jon Morrison and Anthony Collica.
Cowboys in Season Openers
The Cowboys own an 85-6-4 all-time record in season openers and have won their last 18, dating back to the 1995-96 opener. Under coach John Smith, Oklahoma State is 21-1-1 in season openers. The dual vs. Northeastern Oklahoma marks the first season opener for the Cowboys away from Gallagher-Iba Arena since 2007.
New Territory
Oklahoma State will face both Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and South Dakota State for the first time in program history. NEO A&M finished the 2013-14 season as the Junior College Athletic Association National Champions and are 1-1 on the season. South Dakota State wrapped up 2013-14 with a 6-8 record and three NCAA qualifiers.
Two Places at Once
While the Cowboys' starting 10 take to the mat on Sunday in duals versus NEO A&M and South Dakota State, several other Pokes will be competing at the Oklahoma Open in Tulsa, Okla., this weekend.
Dieringer, Kindig Compete at NWCA All-Star Classic
Returning national champion Alex Dieringer and 2014 NCAA finalist Josh Kindig were selected to compete in the NWCA All-Star Classic, which was held on Nov. 1 in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dieringer won his debut match at 165 pounds, defeating No. 2 Nick Sulzer, a two-time All-American for the University of Virginia, 4-1.
Kindig suffered a 4-1 loss to No. 1 Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern in a rematch of the 2014 149-pound finals.
Three Cowboys Win at OCU Open
Newcomers Gary Wayne Harding, Chance Marsteller and Luke Bean each won their respective brackets at the OCU Open in Oklahoma City on Nov. 2.
At 133 pounds, Harding earned two wins by fall en route to winning his first collegiate tournament. Marsteller began his tourney with a pin in 27 seconds and continued to dominate for the 157-pound title. Bean blew past UCO's Conner and Labette's Ballard to take home the title at 197 pounds.
Four other Cowboys placed with Austin Miller (125), Mike Magaldo (133) and Chris Koo (157) producing third-place finishes and Ryan Blees finishing fourth at 157 pounds.
Look Who's Back
Returning to the Cowboy lineup for the 2014-15 season is an NCAA champion, two other All-Americans and three Big 12 champions.
Junior Alex Dieringer earned his first NCAA individual title at 157 pounds during his sophomore campaign and also picked up his second Big 12 championship while going 32-1 on the year.
Josh Kindig, a senior for the Pokes, grabbed his first All-America honor after finishing second at the 2014 NCAA Championships.
Austin Marsden also received All-American status in 2014, when he finished eighth at the national tournament. In addition, the junior picked up a Big 12 title in 2014 at 285 pounds.
NCAA qualifier and 2014 Big 12 champion Anthony Collica rounds out the notable returners for the Pokes.
Switching It Up
Junior Alex Dieringer, the 2014 NCAA champion at 157 pounds, is making the move to 165 pounds this season. Taking his place at 157 pounds, is sophomore Anthony Collica, who is moving up from 141 pounds, where he won the 2014 Big 12 title. Also changing weight classes are sophomores Kyle Crutchmer and Jordan Rogers, who will step down from 184 pounds to battle it out for the 174-pound starting spot.
Welcome to Oklahoma State
The Cowboy Wrestling squad welcomes two transfers this season in Luke Bean and Kyle Garcia. Garcia traded in his crimson and cream for orange and black, transferring across the state from the University of Oklahoma. While at OU, Garcia compiled a 12-17 record his true freshman year at the starting 125-pound spot. He redshirted during the 2013-14 year and comes to OSU as a redshirt sophomore. Bean, a transfer from Arizona State, strung together a 6-6 record during the 2013-14 season, his first season of varsity competition. He joins the Pokes as a sophomore.
Guerrero Inducted into National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Marsteller Honored
On June 21, 2014, associate head coach Eric Guerrero was one of four men inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member, the highest honor a wrestler can receive. Guerrero became the 26th Cowboy to receive the NWHOF Distinguished Member honor. He joined fellow Cowboy greats such as Ed Gallagher, Yojiro Uetake and John Smith.
Oklahoma State freshman Chance Marsteller was also honored by the NWHOF that weekend as the National Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award recipient.
Follow Cowboy Wrestling
Stay up to date with the Oklahoma State Wrestling team on several social media outlets:
Twitter: @CowboyWrestling
Facebook: facebook.com/cowboywrestling
Instagram: @CowboyWrestling
Snapchat: OSUathletics
YouTube: youtube.com/osuathletics
Last Time Out
Last weekend, 37 Cowboys battled it out in 40 intrasquad matches to help determine the starters for the 2014-15 season. Below are some key results:
125: Austin Miller (RJr.) dec. Eddie Klimara (Jr.), 10-4
133: Brian Crutchmer (So.) dec. Dean Heil (RFr.), 6-4
133: Gary Wayne Harding (Fr.) fall Dean Heil (RFr.), 1:38
133: Gary Wayne Harding (Fr.) dec. Brian Crutchmer (So.), 10-4
141: Davey Dolan (RFr.) dec. Joe Schumacher (Fr.), 3-2
141: Mike Magaldo (Fr.) dec. Davey Dolan (RFr.), 3-1
149: Josh Kindig (Sr.) MD Michael Martin (Jr.), 14-6
157: Anthony Collica (So.) dec. Keilan Torres (RFr.), 8-6
157: Anthony Collica (So.) dec. Ryan Blees (Fr.), 9-2
157: Anthony Collica (So.) MD Chris Koo (RFr.), 10-2
157: Keilan Torres (RFr.) fall Chris Koo (RFr.), 7:38
157: Keilan Torres (RFr.) dec. Chris Koo (RFr.), 10-8
157: Chris Koo (RFr.) dec. Chance Marsteller (Fr.), 13-7
157: Ryan Blees (Fr.) dec. Chance Marsteller (Fr.), 5-1
165: Chandler Rogers (Fr.) fall Colton Thomas (So.), 1:16
165: Chandler Rogers (Fr.) fall Sam Mehan (So.), 1:46
174: Jordan Rogers (So.) dec. Kyle Crutchmer (So.), 9-4
184: Nolan Boyd (So.) TF Landry Chappell (So.), 19-4
197: Austin Schafer (RSo.) MD Luke Bean (So.), 10-0
285: Austin Marsden (Jr.) MD Ethan Driver (Sr.), 11-2
All-Time Dual Wins Leaders
As of Nov. 14, 2014
1. Oklahoma State 1,054-120-23
2. Iowa State 1,037-297-20
3. Oregon State 999-326-28
4. Iowa 941-224-31
5. Minnesota 922-427-24
Signing Day Recap
In mid-November, John Smith announced the signing of four wrestlers during the 2014 early signing period.
Joining the Cowboys are three Stillwater, Okla., natives in Kaid Brock, Tristan Moran and Joe Smith, and Nick Piccininni of New York. Brock and Piccininni are ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively at 126 pounds. Moran, a 145-pounder is ranked No. 12 at his weight class, and Smith, son of head coach John Smith, rounds out the class, ranked No. 5 at 160 pounds.
ASICS All-Americans Live Here
There are three different wrestlers on this year's Oklahoma State roster who were ASICS first-team All-Americans during their prep days:
Josh Kindig 2010
Jordan Rogers 2012
Chance Marsteller 2014
Fargo Champs, Too
There are three different wrestlers on this year's Oklahoma State wrestling roster who won titles at the ASICS Junior Freestyle National Championships in Fargo, N.D., during their prep days:
Alex Dieringer 2011
Jordan Rogers 2011
Anthony Collica 2012 and 2013
Coached by the Best
Members of the Oklahoma State wrestling staff combine for six world championships and two Olympic gold medals.
They also combine for six NCAA championships and 10 All-America honors. The breakdown:
Olympic Medalists
John Smith 1988 and 1992 Gold
Senior World Championships Medalists
John Smith 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991 Gold
NCAA Individual Championships
John Smith 1987, 1988
Eric Guerrero 1997, 1998, 1999
Zack Esposito 2005
