University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Joe Starzenski is another in a long line of wrestling greats to come through UCO and he’s the only wrestler in school history to compete on four national championship teams

He was a three-time All-American for the Bronchos and finished with a 100-40-2 career record, which ranks 18th on the school’s all-time win list.

Starzenski, a state champion at Midwest City High School, was a third-place national finisher at 126 pounds as a true freshman in 1982 in helping UCO capture the NAIA national title.  He redshirted the following year, then came back in 1983-84 and was a national qualifier as the Bronchos won the team championship.

Starzenski was the national runner-up at 134 pounds in 1985 in helping UCO win its second straight team title and he ended his career as a senior in 1986 by winning the 134-pound individual championship to cap a 30-6 season as the Bronchos again claimed the team trophy.