Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Preview NCAA Championships
March 13, 2017 | Cowboy Wrestling
STILLWATER – Head coach John Smith and members of the Oklahoma State wrestling team met with the media Monday morning to preview this week's NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo.
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Head Coach John Smith
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On the NCAA Championships:
"It reminds you of what you did in your season. Whatever you do at the end of the year isn't always a reflection of your season, but with wrestling it pretty much is. You get to the NCAA Championships and your whole year is judged about how you perform at that tournament."
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On how the Big 12 Championships prepared the team for NCAA's:
"The Big 12 Championships being a two-day tournament in Tulsa is nice to have. Now with 10 teams, two weigh-ins and three matches, does it prepare you for the NCAA Championships? It does, but more importantly, the season does too; making weight 21 times during the year, traveling twice a week on the east coast or the Midwest, having two matches at home one weekend and making weight a couple of times a week. The season prepares you, so it isn't just the Big 12 Championships."
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On Dean Heil's season thus far:
"Well, I reminded him a month ago that he really has about three losses because he walked off the mat disgusted with himself. Sometimes you don't need to lose to feel the pain of not performing how you want to. Champions will do that, and say 'I'm undefeated, but I could have lost three of those.' It's been a good year for him, and it's good to see him wrestle the way he did at the Big 12 Championships. He picked up two falls at the Big 12 tournament and four takedowns in the finals against last year's national finalist. He didn't have a fall all season, so does that mean that rolls over into the NCAA Championships? It just means that he better take that same focus into the NCAA Championships because this is a tough weight."
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On coaching his son, Joe:
"I don't think you treat him the same just because he's your son. It's been a year for him that's been riddled with injuries that he's had to get over. As a coach, you may have a little bit of compassion for him, but as a dad I think it will be good for him. It's been rough on him and he's dealt with adversity, which isn't the worst thing in the world as long as you get back up. As a father, some of the things that have happened to him, I don't think I would change. They'll help him be an adult."
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Nolan Boyd – Senior, 184 pounds
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On preparing for the NCAA Championships:
"I'm excited. Last chance to wrestle with all you've got. I'm not really worried about results. I think we've done plenty this year to be able to get the results we want. We're going to go out and wrestle fearlessly, so I'm pumped."
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On how the Big 12 Championships prepared the team:
"It definitely did. We had a huge stadium packed with fans, and it was about as close as you get to nationals."
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On what the week leading up to NCAA's is like:
"You just trust in your training and what you've done. In the end, we don't choose the results, God does. We just want to go out, wrestle fearlessly and leave the results in his hands...You've been through a whole season. You know what works and what mindset you need to be in. It's almost calming when it gets to this time."
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Kyle Crutchmer – Senior, 174 pounds
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On how the team's energy is heading into this weekend:
"The energy's great. We know that we have a team that has a chance to win a title, so this week and the past couple of weeks, training has been great. I still don't think you've seen our best team yet. This week, with the way we prepared, I think you're going to see our best team."
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On Dean Heil:
"That kid is a hard worker, he's tough, he's dedicated, but as far as this weekend goes, you still have to wrestle five matches. He has to put together five matches, and he'll tell you the same thing. Him and I are pretty close, and as team captains and older guys that have done it, we're going to try to carry this team and try to win a national title."
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Head Coach John Smith
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On the NCAA Championships:
"It reminds you of what you did in your season. Whatever you do at the end of the year isn't always a reflection of your season, but with wrestling it pretty much is. You get to the NCAA Championships and your whole year is judged about how you perform at that tournament."
Â
On how the Big 12 Championships prepared the team for NCAA's:
"The Big 12 Championships being a two-day tournament in Tulsa is nice to have. Now with 10 teams, two weigh-ins and three matches, does it prepare you for the NCAA Championships? It does, but more importantly, the season does too; making weight 21 times during the year, traveling twice a week on the east coast or the Midwest, having two matches at home one weekend and making weight a couple of times a week. The season prepares you, so it isn't just the Big 12 Championships."
Â
On Dean Heil's season thus far:
"Well, I reminded him a month ago that he really has about three losses because he walked off the mat disgusted with himself. Sometimes you don't need to lose to feel the pain of not performing how you want to. Champions will do that, and say 'I'm undefeated, but I could have lost three of those.' It's been a good year for him, and it's good to see him wrestle the way he did at the Big 12 Championships. He picked up two falls at the Big 12 tournament and four takedowns in the finals against last year's national finalist. He didn't have a fall all season, so does that mean that rolls over into the NCAA Championships? It just means that he better take that same focus into the NCAA Championships because this is a tough weight."
Â
On coaching his son, Joe:
"I don't think you treat him the same just because he's your son. It's been a year for him that's been riddled with injuries that he's had to get over. As a coach, you may have a little bit of compassion for him, but as a dad I think it will be good for him. It's been rough on him and he's dealt with adversity, which isn't the worst thing in the world as long as you get back up. As a father, some of the things that have happened to him, I don't think I would change. They'll help him be an adult."
Â
Nolan Boyd – Senior, 184 pounds
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On preparing for the NCAA Championships:
"I'm excited. Last chance to wrestle with all you've got. I'm not really worried about results. I think we've done plenty this year to be able to get the results we want. We're going to go out and wrestle fearlessly, so I'm pumped."
Â
On how the Big 12 Championships prepared the team:
"It definitely did. We had a huge stadium packed with fans, and it was about as close as you get to nationals."
Â
On what the week leading up to NCAA's is like:
"You just trust in your training and what you've done. In the end, we don't choose the results, God does. We just want to go out, wrestle fearlessly and leave the results in his hands...You've been through a whole season. You know what works and what mindset you need to be in. It's almost calming when it gets to this time."
Â
Kyle Crutchmer – Senior, 174 pounds
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On how the team's energy is heading into this weekend:
"The energy's great. We know that we have a team that has a chance to win a title, so this week and the past couple of weeks, training has been great. I still don't think you've seen our best team yet. This week, with the way we prepared, I think you're going to see our best team."
Â
On Dean Heil:
"That kid is a hard worker, he's tough, he's dedicated, but as far as this weekend goes, you still have to wrestle five matches. He has to put together five matches, and he'll tell you the same thing. Him and I are pretty close, and as team captains and older guys that have done it, we're going to try to carry this team and try to win a national title."
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Players Mentioned
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
