Cowboys, Hawkeyes Continue Historic Rivalry in GIA

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STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State wrestling team returns to dual competition this Sunday, Jan. 15 as it plays host to third-ranked Iowa at 2 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Watch the Cowboys
Fans can watch the Cowboys locally on Fox Sports Oklahoma, while the match will be streamed nationally and around the world on FloWrestling.org for a subscription fee.

Live Stats and Play-By-Play
Fans can follow the action online through live results and play-by-play on www.trackwrestling.com. Simply go to the site and the link to live results and play-by-play will be prominently displayed..

Listen to the Dual Live
Fans can listen to the dual live on 93.7 KSPI-FM or okstate.com with Rex Holt and Roger Moore on the call.

About the Cowboys
Facing the challenge of replacing three starters from last season's squad, including three-time NCAA Champion Alex Dieringer and two-time All-American Austin Marsden, the 2016-17 Oklahoma State wrestling team is up to the task of chasing the program's 35th team championship.

There is reason for optimism, as the Pokes' roster boasts plenty of wrestlers that can make an impact this season. Head coach John Smith returns 2016 NCAA Champion at 141 pounds Dean Heil, along with All-Americans Nolan Boyd, Anthony Collica and Joe Smith from an NCAA Runner-Up finish at the NCAA Championships in Madison Square Garden last spring.

The Cowboys have started the 2016-17 campaign off strong, winning four of their first five dual matches by 30 points or more, including a 39-0 shutout of Pittsburgh earlier this month. The Pokes are looking to build off a 23-19 victory over No. 8 Cornell in Gallagher-Iba Arena in their last time out. The Cowboys will look to build off a record-breaking showing at the Southern Scuffle earlier this month in which they brought home the team title.

Along with Smith, who enters his 26th season at the helm of the Oklahoma State wrestling program, the Cowboys are led by associate head coaches Eric Guerrero and Zack Esposito, along with volunteer assistant coach Chris Perry.

In the Polls
The Cowboys enter this weekend's tournament ranked No. 1 in both the USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll and the Intermat Tournament Rankings.

Individually, Oklahoma State has all 10 starters ranked in each of the four major national polls. Returning NCAA Champion 141-pounder Dean Heil remains slotted at No. 1 in all four major polls. Aside from Heil, seven other Cowboys received top-eight rankings from Intermat, including Kaid Brock (133, No. 5), Anthony Collica (149, No. 3), Joe Smith (157, No. 6), Chandler Rogers (165, No. 6), Kyle Crutchmer (174, No. 5), Nolan Boyd (184, No. 5) and Preston Weigel (197, No. 4). At 125 pounds, Nick Piccininni is ranked No. 11 by Intermat, while heavyweight Austin Schafer comes in at No. 9.

Series Notes
?This weekend's match will mark the 51st meeting between the two teams.
?The Cowboys hold a 27-21-2 edge in the series over the Hawkeyes, including a 12-7-2 mark in Stillwater.
?Head Coach John Smith has posted a 16-10-2 record in his coaching career over the Hawkeyes, making him the winningest coach in the series.
?The Hawkeyes currently hold a three-dual win streak in the series, but it is OSU that holds the rivalry's longest win streak at nine from 2000-08.
?The Cowboys won the first dual between the two programs, knocking off the Hawkeyes, 24-8, in Iowa City on Feb. 22, 1954 on their way to the program's 17th national championship.
?Iowa didn't get its first win in the series until 1977, when it defeated OSU, 22-10, in Iowa City.
?OSU is one of four schools to hold an edge in the all-time series against Iowa. The other three are Kansas State, Oklahoma and Toledo.

Last Time Out
Four members of the Oklahoma State wrestling team took home individual titles at the Southern Scuffle Monday night, leading the Cowboys to the program's first team title at the event behind a tournament record 198 points. Oklahoma State finished 72 points ahead of second-place Missouri to shatter the tournament record for margin of victory as well.

Cowboys Kaid Brock, Dean Heil, Anthony Collica and Chandler Rogers each took home individual championships to set a program record for titles won at the Scuffle. Eight other Cowboys placed at the event.

Cowboy Medalists - Southern Scuffle
125: Nick Piccininni (6th)
133: Kaid Brock (1st)
141: Dean Heil (1st), Tristan Moran (6th)
149: Anthony Collica (1st)
157: Joe Smith (2nd)
165: Chandler Rogers (1st)
174: Kyle Crutchmer (2nd)
184: Nolan Boyd (2nd)
197: Preston Weigel (3rd), Derek White (4th)
HWT: Austin Schafer (3rd)

Stanley Henson to Receive Gallagher Award
Head Coach John Smith has chosen Stanley Henson as the recipient of the 2017 Gallagher Award, which will be presented prior to Sunday's match. The Gallagher Award is presented annually to an OSU alumnus who exemplifies the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions.

Stanley Henson joined the Oklahoma State University team under Edward C. Gallagher. Defeated only once in three seasons, Henson won three NCAA championships and each time led the Cowboys to the team title. In 1937, he became the first sophomore to be voted outstanding wrestler of the national tournament. He continued to excel the next two years, but the nation's coaches were not yet ready to present their cherished award to any man a second time.

During a European tour in the fall of 1938, he suffered a severe shoulder injury which hampered him during his senior year but couldn't prevent a third NCAA title, this one at 155 pounds after two at 145.

After five years as a physical instructor and wrestling assistant at the Naval Academy, Henson was able to concentrate fully on the study of medicine, completing his degree in 1950 at the University of Maryland. A highly respected surgeon, he was one of the first to combine his athletic and medical interests in the rapidly growing field of sports medicine, where he became a nationally known lecturer and consultant.

As a dominant figure in the sport of wrestling and a continuing example of the qualities of self-discipline, sportsmanship and integrity, Dr. Stanley Willard Henson Jr. is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Creeping up on 100
Oklahoma State seniors Anthony Collica and Nolan Boyd each find themselves within five wins of joining the program's 100-win club. The exclusive club currently features 39 former Cowboy greats, led by John Smith, who wrapped up his career with 152 wins.

Collica currently owns 95 career wins to go against 29 losses, putting him only five wins away. With a 98-32 overall record for his career, Boyd is only two wins away from breaking onto the list.

No current Cowboy wrestlers are on the list as it stands now; however, all four members of the OSU coaching staff are part of the club.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Nolan Boyd

Kaid Brock

Anthony Collica

Kyle Crutchmer

Alex Dieringer

Dean Heil

Austin Marsden

Tristan Moran

Nick Piccininni

Chandler Rogers

Austin Schafer

Joe Smith

Preston Weigel

Derek White

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