Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Cowboys Preview Bedlam, Wyoming
February 07, 2017 | Cowboy Wrestling
STILLWATER – Members of the Oklahoma State wrestling team met with the media Tuesday afternoon to preview this weekend's home duals against Wyoming and Oklahoma.
Head Coach John Smith
On Senior Day:
"We've got a big group of seniors, and several of them didn't really have an opportunity to wrestle for us. That just tells you about those guys. I've got a lot of seniors that are graduating that maybe wrestled a few matches as starters, but were loyal to the program. You just have to recognize that, some of them for four years and a few of them for five years, were in here making a difference for someone else that was a starter. It's a big group of seniors, but I don't think I've ever had a group that was as loyal to the program as this group."
On OSU alumni in the coaching ranks:
"It's good to see it when they don't come in here. I like to pull up their results each week and see how they're doing. They're competitors coming in and they want to have a great performance. It's no joke when they come in here. I know they're here to upset us. I like to watch them from afar. I need to put my best team on the mat."
On the season's second edition of Bedlam:
"I think we need to be a little looser as we approach this weekend. We need to kind of shake off (the idea of) an undefeated season a little bit. When you're trying to be perfect, it doesn't seem like it ever works. I'd like to see us relax and compete at a high level. It's Bedlam. It's going to be a different match than what it was at the beginning of the year. They got a couple guys that are eligible and several wrestling well. I think it's going to be a tough dual meet.
Anthony Collica – Senior, 149 pounds
On breaking onto the 100-wins list:
"It's cool. It's pretty cool to be on that list."
On this Bedlam compared to last:
"I think we've gotten better for sure. Our team overall is more solid. We've been scoring a lot more points. We're in better shape, stronger. All of the above."
On his Senior Day:
"It went by so fast. I'm kind of excited and sad, but it's pretty crazy that it's almost my last match to wrestle here."
Kyle Crutchmer – Senior, 174 pounds
On Bedlam:
"In my career as a senior, having the things that I learned since being here, and being able to end it with Bedlam is going to be pretty cool. I have a lot of history, and a lot of my family is OU fans. My grandpa played football at OU. It's going to be pretty surreal. I'm excited."
On this year compared to last year:
"Last year, it was pretty upsetting how my season ended. In this sport, there are going to be a lot of trials and tribulations you have to go through. Being able to wrestle another Bedlam, as a kid that's something you dream of. I'm excited. They're our rival, we don't like them. They might not like us, but they respect us. To have senior night that night for my family, for my friends and my supporters, that's a big deal for me."
On memories from his first Bedlam dual:
"I got beat. That's going to be in my head for the rest of my life. It's just a rivalry, and it's fun. A lot of people don't get the chance to do stuff like this, so you just don't want to take it for granted. Have fun with it, respect it. We have a lot of people that are probably going to show up because it's an in-state dual."
Head Coach John Smith
On Senior Day:
"We've got a big group of seniors, and several of them didn't really have an opportunity to wrestle for us. That just tells you about those guys. I've got a lot of seniors that are graduating that maybe wrestled a few matches as starters, but were loyal to the program. You just have to recognize that, some of them for four years and a few of them for five years, were in here making a difference for someone else that was a starter. It's a big group of seniors, but I don't think I've ever had a group that was as loyal to the program as this group."
On OSU alumni in the coaching ranks:
"It's good to see it when they don't come in here. I like to pull up their results each week and see how they're doing. They're competitors coming in and they want to have a great performance. It's no joke when they come in here. I know they're here to upset us. I like to watch them from afar. I need to put my best team on the mat."
On the season's second edition of Bedlam:
"I think we need to be a little looser as we approach this weekend. We need to kind of shake off (the idea of) an undefeated season a little bit. When you're trying to be perfect, it doesn't seem like it ever works. I'd like to see us relax and compete at a high level. It's Bedlam. It's going to be a different match than what it was at the beginning of the year. They got a couple guys that are eligible and several wrestling well. I think it's going to be a tough dual meet.
Anthony Collica – Senior, 149 pounds
On breaking onto the 100-wins list:
"It's cool. It's pretty cool to be on that list."
On this Bedlam compared to last:
"I think we've gotten better for sure. Our team overall is more solid. We've been scoring a lot more points. We're in better shape, stronger. All of the above."
On his Senior Day:
"It went by so fast. I'm kind of excited and sad, but it's pretty crazy that it's almost my last match to wrestle here."
Kyle Crutchmer – Senior, 174 pounds
On Bedlam:
"In my career as a senior, having the things that I learned since being here, and being able to end it with Bedlam is going to be pretty cool. I have a lot of history, and a lot of my family is OU fans. My grandpa played football at OU. It's going to be pretty surreal. I'm excited."
On this year compared to last year:
"Last year, it was pretty upsetting how my season ended. In this sport, there are going to be a lot of trials and tribulations you have to go through. Being able to wrestle another Bedlam, as a kid that's something you dream of. I'm excited. They're our rival, we don't like them. They might not like us, but they respect us. To have senior night that night for my family, for my friends and my supporters, that's a big deal for me."
On memories from his first Bedlam dual:
"I got beat. That's going to be in my head for the rest of my life. It's just a rivalry, and it's fun. A lot of people don't get the chance to do stuff like this, so you just don't want to take it for granted. Have fun with it, respect it. We have a lot of people that are probably going to show up because it's an in-state dual."
Players Mentioned
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