JimBob
03-20-2008, 09:07 AM
Cowboys aim for turnaround
OSU head wrestling coach John Smith says he’s focused on the NCAA Championships.
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
3/20/2008
After a dismal Big 12 tournament, OSU is fired up.
The time has come for Oklahoma State's wrestlers to perform at their best, Cowboys head coach John Smith said.
But what exactly awaits OSU at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis? Smith is not sure.
Smith admits OSU is not in a prime position as it enters the national tournament, which starts Thursday morning. The Cowboys closed the regular season with their first dual loss to Oklahoma in nearly 13 years and a disappointing third-place showing at the Big 12 Championship in Stillwater.
"For us to have a great tournament, it's likely we will have to beat people we're not supposed to beat," Smith said. "Really, that's the only way for us to have a successful tournament. We have to get excited about doing that and we have to create that opportunity with more than one guy."
The Cowboys have eight wrestlers in the tournament. Seven are seeded in their respective brackets. But projections have OSU finishing anywhere between fourth and seventh behind Iowa, Minnesota and Iowa State.
Smith feels eight competi tors are enough to make a successful run through the tournament. However, a few athletes are headed to the championships on the heels of disappointing outings.
Sophomore heavyweight Jared Rosholt salvaged an otherwise dismal Big 12 meet for OSU with an upset title victory over ISU's David Zabriskie. But upset losses for senior standouts Coleman Scott and Nathan Morgan at 133 and 141 pounds not only resulted in the two tossing their Big 12 medals into a garbage can but also hurt their NCAA seeds. Scott is seeded third at 133 and Morgan is fourth at 141.
"We prepared way too hard to wrestle like that," Scott said at the Big 12 Tournament. "We still have some work to do. We had some guys wrestle well. But now, everyone is going to have to wrestle well."
The parity that has developed in college wrestling gives Smith hope that a strong showing by his team can result in a title run.
"I don't think I would change anything that happened at the Big 12, if we see a great tournament here at the end with the group we're working with right now," Smith said. "I think there needed to be some disappointment. I've seen this team follow up outstanding performances with a little bit of a letdown. In the end, it could be very good for us."
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NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis.
When: Thursday-Saturday.
TV: ESPNU (Cox cable 253) will show the quarterfinal round at 10 a.m. Friday, the semifinal round at 6 p.m. Friday; and the medal-round matches at 10 a.m. Saturday. ESPN (Cox cable 25) will show the championship finals at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Thursday
11 a.m.: Opening-round matches
6:30 p.m.: Second-round matches and wrestleback round.
Friday
10 a.m.: Quarterfinal round and wrestleback round.
6 p.m.: Semifinal round and wrestleback round
Saturday
10 a.m.: Medal-round matches.
7:30 p.m.: Championship finals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OKLAHOMA STATE NCAA QUALIFIERS
Tyler Shinn
Sophomore 125-pounder sat out the first semester to take of academics. Posted a 16-6 record and second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships. Is seeded 12th.
Coleman Scott
The senior 133-pounder looks to cap his career with a national title. Scott finished second last year to Penn's Matt Valenti at the NCAA Championships. Is seeded third and has a 28-4 record.
Nathan Morgan
Another senior looking to conclude his career with a national title. Morgan placed sixth and fourth the past two years at the NCAAs. He is seeded fourth at 141 pounds and has a 29-3 record.
Newly McSpadden
The Vinita junior 157-pounder overcame an undisclosed injury in February to place third at the Big 12 meet and qualify for his second consecutive NCAA Tournament.
Jake Dieffenbach
The senior 165-pounder returns home to St. Louis to wrap up his college career. The former two-time NAIA national champ at Lindenwood (Mo.) is 19-5 and seeded seventh.
Brandon Mason
The junior 174-pounder makes his third consecutive NCAA appearance. Mason is 26-5 and is seeded ninth.
Jack Jensen
The senior 184-pounder had to sit out the first semester because of an academic technicality. Upon his return, Jensen went 13-6 and finished third at the Big 12 meet to qualify for St. Louis. Is seeded 12th.
Jared Rosholt
The sophomore heavyweight was OSU's lone individual conference champion and one of its most consistent wrestlers all season. Rosholt is 29-3 entering the NCAAs and is seeded fifth.
OSU head wrestling coach John Smith says he’s focused on the NCAA Championships.
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
3/20/2008
After a dismal Big 12 tournament, OSU is fired up.
The time has come for Oklahoma State's wrestlers to perform at their best, Cowboys head coach John Smith said.
But what exactly awaits OSU at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis? Smith is not sure.
Smith admits OSU is not in a prime position as it enters the national tournament, which starts Thursday morning. The Cowboys closed the regular season with their first dual loss to Oklahoma in nearly 13 years and a disappointing third-place showing at the Big 12 Championship in Stillwater.
"For us to have a great tournament, it's likely we will have to beat people we're not supposed to beat," Smith said. "Really, that's the only way for us to have a successful tournament. We have to get excited about doing that and we have to create that opportunity with more than one guy."
The Cowboys have eight wrestlers in the tournament. Seven are seeded in their respective brackets. But projections have OSU finishing anywhere between fourth and seventh behind Iowa, Minnesota and Iowa State.
Smith feels eight competi tors are enough to make a successful run through the tournament. However, a few athletes are headed to the championships on the heels of disappointing outings.
Sophomore heavyweight Jared Rosholt salvaged an otherwise dismal Big 12 meet for OSU with an upset title victory over ISU's David Zabriskie. But upset losses for senior standouts Coleman Scott and Nathan Morgan at 133 and 141 pounds not only resulted in the two tossing their Big 12 medals into a garbage can but also hurt their NCAA seeds. Scott is seeded third at 133 and Morgan is fourth at 141.
"We prepared way too hard to wrestle like that," Scott said at the Big 12 Tournament. "We still have some work to do. We had some guys wrestle well. But now, everyone is going to have to wrestle well."
The parity that has developed in college wrestling gives Smith hope that a strong showing by his team can result in a title run.
"I don't think I would change anything that happened at the Big 12, if we see a great tournament here at the end with the group we're working with right now," Smith said. "I think there needed to be some disappointment. I've seen this team follow up outstanding performances with a little bit of a letdown. In the end, it could be very good for us."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis.
When: Thursday-Saturday.
TV: ESPNU (Cox cable 253) will show the quarterfinal round at 10 a.m. Friday, the semifinal round at 6 p.m. Friday; and the medal-round matches at 10 a.m. Saturday. ESPN (Cox cable 25) will show the championship finals at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Thursday
11 a.m.: Opening-round matches
6:30 p.m.: Second-round matches and wrestleback round.
Friday
10 a.m.: Quarterfinal round and wrestleback round.
6 p.m.: Semifinal round and wrestleback round
Saturday
10 a.m.: Medal-round matches.
7:30 p.m.: Championship finals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OKLAHOMA STATE NCAA QUALIFIERS
Tyler Shinn
Sophomore 125-pounder sat out the first semester to take of academics. Posted a 16-6 record and second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships. Is seeded 12th.
Coleman Scott
The senior 133-pounder looks to cap his career with a national title. Scott finished second last year to Penn's Matt Valenti at the NCAA Championships. Is seeded third and has a 28-4 record.
Nathan Morgan
Another senior looking to conclude his career with a national title. Morgan placed sixth and fourth the past two years at the NCAAs. He is seeded fourth at 141 pounds and has a 29-3 record.
Newly McSpadden
The Vinita junior 157-pounder overcame an undisclosed injury in February to place third at the Big 12 meet and qualify for his second consecutive NCAA Tournament.
Jake Dieffenbach
The senior 165-pounder returns home to St. Louis to wrap up his college career. The former two-time NAIA national champ at Lindenwood (Mo.) is 19-5 and seeded seventh.
Brandon Mason
The junior 174-pounder makes his third consecutive NCAA appearance. Mason is 26-5 and is seeded ninth.
Jack Jensen
The senior 184-pounder had to sit out the first semester because of an academic technicality. Upon his return, Jensen went 13-6 and finished third at the Big 12 meet to qualify for St. Louis. Is seeded 12th.
Jared Rosholt
The sophomore heavyweight was OSU's lone individual conference champion and one of its most consistent wrestlers all season. Rosholt is 29-3 entering the NCAAs and is seeded fifth.