Cowboy Quartet Still Together

By Mika Ryan, OSU Communications

The greatest sports team in the nation's history, with 34 national championships, found four close friends right in their backyard to carry the tradition forward.

Freshmen Joe Smith, Kaid Brock and Tristan Moran graduated from Stillwater High School in 2015. Not only were they teammates, but also brothers.

"I grew up with JoJo, I remember it was our freshman and sophomore summers when I first started doing summer free style, and after every tournament I'd stay over at Joe's house and we would go turkey hunting and fishing the next day," Brock said. "And Tristan, before he ever came to Stillwater, he and I grew up wrestling each other for about seven years now."

Chandler Rogers, a sophomore on the Cowboy wrestling team, graduated from Stillwater High in 2014. Moving from Spokane, Washington his senior year was an enormous adjustment. He was finally drilling with guys who were equal in size, and the competition was tougher.

Luckily for him, he moved to Stillwater at the perfect time. The team was stacked with talent and promise. To his surprise, there were three nationally ranked wrestlers on the team.

"We were all close when we were at Stillwater High School, I think it was pretty cool seeing them grow while they were at Stillwater, and also them seeing me being sent off before all of them was a great experience," Rogers said.

For Smith and Brock, their relationship goes beyond wrestling. They were childhood best friends. They grew up wrestling little league, continuing on to high school and now in college. The blood, sweat and tears they shared led them to join the most historic wrestling program in NCAA history.

"Kaid and I definitely know each other really well, and want the best for each other. We appreciate the fact that we both came to Oklahoma State," Smith said. "Ever since we grew up, we've been watching Oklahoma State wrestling and we have seen legends wrestle throughout the years, so I think that was our goal in the end."

All four realized they wanted to wrestle for Oklahoma State. As a child, Smith knew he wanted to, not only because the wrestling program was outstanding, but he also had the unique opportunity to wrestle for his father, Head Coach John Smith.

Similarly, Brock set his goals at a young age. Wrestling since the age of four, he grew up dreaming of one day wrestling for Oklahoma State. Being born and raised in Stillwater, and his father being the farm-ranch coordinator for OSU, he has always been a Cowboy at heart.
"I always knew I wanted to be a Cowboy, so I never really took the time to look around at other colleges," Brock said. "It helped a lot knowing that I had close buddies coming to OSU and knowing I would have someone to go through the same experiences."

Even Moran, who was originally from Arizona, knew he wanted to pursue Oklahoma State. By his senior year, his decision was solidified and he signed alongside Smith and Brock in the spring. He frequently traveled to Stillwater to train, where he met Brock years ago.

"One day we got to talking and I said, 'dude how cool would it be if you ended up at OSU, or end up coming to our high school,' and he did," Brock said.

Rogers verbally committed to Oklahoma State his junior year. With the influence of his older brother Jordan, who wrestles for OSU. He grew interested in the university and eventually realized it was where he wanted to be.

All four of them share a special bond created at Stillwater High School. Claiming two state championships for their school and now wrestling for Oklahoma State, they have come a long way. Together, they have dedicated their lives to something they are each passionate about and the fact that they can continue to go through it together is noteworthy.

"The only team state championships that I ever had was with those guys, so I take it in big consideration that not very many people get to do that," Smith said. "It is very cool that all four of us came to OSU, we are really privileged to be still able to wrestle on the same team."

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Kaid Brock

Tristan Moran

Chandler Rogers

Joe Smith

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