Oklahoma State University Athletics
Former Cowboy Wrestler Obe Blanc Qualifies for Olympic Trials
April 02, 2016 | Cowboy Wrestling
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Former Oklahoma State wrestler Obe Blanc produced a championship finish at the US Senior Last Chance Qualifier for the Olympic Team Trials on Saturday afternoon in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Blanc, a former World Team member, ran through the 57-kilogram freestyle bracket. He opened the tournament with an 8-6 decision over Mark McKnight. A pin in the quarterfinals over Stevan Micic sent Blanc to the semifinals, where he faced off against OSU club coach Frank Perrelli. Blanc notched a decisive 9-3 win to move on to the finals. There, he blanked Dan Mitcheff of the Penn Wrestling Club with an 11-0 technical fall, sealing his spot in the Olympic Trials.
Blanc will join several other Cowboys, including 2008 NCAA champion and 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist Coleman Scott (57 kg), two-time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver (65 kg), newly crowned 2016 NCAA champion Dean Heil (65 kg), two-time NCAA champion Chris Perry (74 kg), three-time NCAA champion and 2016 Hodge Trophy winner Alex Dieringer (74 kg), NCAA runner-up Clayton Foster (86 kg), four-time All-American and two-time NCAA finalist Tyler Caldwell (86 kg) and third-place NCAA finisher Cayle Byers (97 kg) in next weekend's Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City on April 9-10.
Other current and former Cowboys competed at the event but fell just short.
Cowboy junior Austin Schafer finished third at 125 kilos, battling back after suffering a loss early in the tournament. All-American Jon Morrison and NCAA runner-up Josh Kindig competed at 57 kilos and 65 kilos, respectively.
Blanc, a former World Team member, ran through the 57-kilogram freestyle bracket. He opened the tournament with an 8-6 decision over Mark McKnight. A pin in the quarterfinals over Stevan Micic sent Blanc to the semifinals, where he faced off against OSU club coach Frank Perrelli. Blanc notched a decisive 9-3 win to move on to the finals. There, he blanked Dan Mitcheff of the Penn Wrestling Club with an 11-0 technical fall, sealing his spot in the Olympic Trials.
Blanc will join several other Cowboys, including 2008 NCAA champion and 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist Coleman Scott (57 kg), two-time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver (65 kg), newly crowned 2016 NCAA champion Dean Heil (65 kg), two-time NCAA champion Chris Perry (74 kg), three-time NCAA champion and 2016 Hodge Trophy winner Alex Dieringer (74 kg), NCAA runner-up Clayton Foster (86 kg), four-time All-American and two-time NCAA finalist Tyler Caldwell (86 kg) and third-place NCAA finisher Cayle Byers (97 kg) in next weekend's Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City on April 9-10.
Other current and former Cowboys competed at the event but fell just short.
Cowboy junior Austin Schafer finished third at 125 kilos, battling back after suffering a loss early in the tournament. All-American Jon Morrison and NCAA runner-up Josh Kindig competed at 57 kilos and 65 kilos, respectively.
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