Wrestling Season Outlook

11/1/2010 8:49:26 AM

Jarrett Edison

A youth movement of major proportion appears in store for Central Oklahoma in 2010-11 when the Bronchos will be looking to regain their position among the NCAA Division II elite.

UCO has just seven upperclassmen on its 36-man roster and could have as many as nine freshmen and sophomores in the starting lineup this season as the Bronchos aim to bounce back from last year's 15th-place national finish.

“We're young, but that doesn't mean we can't learn quickly and develop quickly and we're not going to use that as an excuse,” said 29th-year head coach David James, who has led UCO to 12 of its 15 national championships. “We've got a lot of talent and our expectations and standards are going to be high.

“We may have setbacks along the way, but we're going to get up and go again and learn and by the end of the year we'll by okay."

UCO previews the 2010-11 team Wednesday at 7 p.m. with the annual Bronze-Blue intrasquad match and then opens the season Sunday at the OCU Open, which begins at 9 a.m. at Abe Lemons Arena.

Jarrett Edison is a two-time national qualifier at 197 pounds and leads the way for UCO, with 165-pounder Derrick Adkins and 184-pounder Tanner Keck also back after making the national tournament in 2010. Casy Rowell, Trison Graham, Austin Standage, Eden Bernstein and Ed Jackson all saw extensive starting duty last year and provide additional experience.

Several other returning lettermen along with a good group of redshirt freshmen and a big batch of highly-regarded newcomers will help make things interesting, with pretty much every weight class up for grabs this season as the Bronchos seek to return to national prominence.

“We're going to have competition at pretty much every weight and that's healthy and comes at a time when we need that,” James said. “The last three years (sixth-, sixth- and 15th-place national finishes) have been frustrating and certainly not to UCO wrestling standards, but there's nothing we can do about that and we just have to move forward.

“We can't live in the past. We have a great tradition here, but it's not what you did before it's what you do now and we're determined to get this program back to where it belongs.”

Here's a weight-by-weight look at UCO for 2010-11:

125 Pounds
UCO's youth movement starts at the opening weight, where two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman are set to battle it out for the starting position.

Zach Housley probably rates as the early favorite, but fellow rookie Austin Quinton is right in the mix and redshirt freshman Andrew Schmauch can't be counted out.

Coach James Says: “It's a weight that's up for grabs. We're obviously young here and that's a concern, but we're also talented. Zach was a very successful high school wrestler and may be the favorite, but you can't overlook the other two. It will be interesting to see what happens.”

133 Pounds
A pair of sophomores who both started last year are poised to square off for the No. 1 spot here and the Bronchos will be in great shape whoever comes out on top.

Trison Graham went 24-13 as the starter at this weight last year before being beat out late in the season by a returning All-American who went on to once again place at the national tournament. He's a hard-nosed competitor ready to take advantage of last year's experience and is definitely capable of contending for All-America honors.

Casy Rowell is moving up after starting at 125 all last year, where he put together a 31-10 campaign with a team-high 16 bonus-point wins. He came up short at the regional tournament and is eager to make up for that disappointment, with this talented youngster also a prime All-America candidate.

Senior Michael Walkup could also be at this weight and can't be discounted.

Coach James Says: “We're certainly going to be very competitive here and this is one of our strongest, deepest weights. Trison had a pretty good season and got a lot of mat time last year. He had his moments and is a blue-collar type wrestler who gets after it every day. Casy did a lot of great things last year and his big thing is he needs to learn from what happened to him at the end. It's a new challenge for him moving up a weight class. And you can't look past Walkup, he may be here and he's a hard-working guy who wants to be in there.”

141 Pounds
Yet another weight that will be up for grabs, with a Division I transfer and a junior veteran the leading candidates to fill the starting role.

Sophomore Ky Corley came to UCO after seeing limited action at North Carolina a year ago and this talented Oklahoma high school product could step right in and have a big impact.

Junior Trey Branscum has shown glimpses of what he can do during an off-and-on career with the Bronchos and has the ability to be a key contributor this season.

Senior Michael Walkup may also be in the mix here after seeing some starting duty last year and rookie Kaleb Cradduck adds even more depth.

Coach James Says: “Trey has been around awhile and he's got to make up his mind what he's going to do. Ky is certainly in the mix, he's a very talented wrestler and he can be a strong contributor at this weight. Cradduck is a freshman who's a grinder-type wrestler and he'll be in there as well. It's a good weight, we just need to find out who it's going to be for us.”

149 Pounds
Sophomore Austin Standage returns after starting much of last year and coming close to making the national tournament with a fifth-place regional finish, but freshman Ben Morgan is hot on his heals and will present a stiff challenge.

Standage should really benefit from the experience of last year, when he went 21-11 with nine falls, and he's capable to doing big things for the Bronchos. Morgan won three high school state titles and has a unique style that will keep him in the mix.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Rosales provides additional help.

Coach James Says: “Standage split time here last year and got a lot of mat time and that will be a big plus for him. He did earn the opportunity to go to regionals and he needs to springboard from that and learn from that experience. Ben Morgan is really talented, a great scrambler who can help us either here or maybe at 141. Rosales is another young guy here and we've got some others who we also need to look at.”

157 Pounds
It's a crowded weight with a number of good candidates and it may take awhile for somebody to emerge and take over.

Junior Ed Jackson and sophomore Eden Bernstein both saw extended starting duty here last year, with Jackson finishing 16-9 while placing fifth in the regional tournament. Sophomore Kelly Henderson started in 2008-09 and is back after missing last year to injury.

Those three are definitely in the running for the starting berth, with redshirt freshman Chris Watson also in the thick of the race after showing what he can do last year in several open tournaments.

True freshmen Cory Dauphin and Colton Gallo are both coming off outstanding careers at long-time high school powerhouses and can't be overlooked.

Coach James Says: “There's a lot of guys here and some of them could go up a weight. Bernstein and Ed Jackson both got a lot of time last year and Kelly is back after being hurt so we have some experience, but we've also got a few freshmen and redshirt freshmen capable of being here. Watson's upside is outstanding and he can hold his own with anybody. Gallo is a determined young wrestler who people are going to hear about before he's done. Cory Dauphin could also be here. He's a four-time state champion and is very athletic and explosive. It's a pretty wide-open weight.”

165 Pounds
The Bronchos have a returning national qualifier here in sophomore Derrick Adkins and he's the solid favorite to retain his starting position, but it's not a given.

Adkins had a solid season last year, putting together a 31-16 record and making it to nationals with a regional runner-up showing. He's looking to use that experience and success to propel him to bigger things this season.

Several of those who are in the running at 157 could figure in here, especially sophomores Kelly Henderson and Eden Bernstein and junior Ed Jackson. Redshirt freshman Tyler Greenhaw could also factor in along with junior Conner Robinson.

Coach James Says: “Adkins is back and he's coming off a pretty good year. He made the regional finals and got to the national tournament, which has got to be worth something. He's the frontrunner and is working hard to get better every day. Greenhaw is a redshirt freshman with a lot of talent and we've got several guys who could be here or at 157, like Kelly Henderson and Eden Bernstein and Ed Jackson, and that challenge will be good for Derrick.”

174 Pounds
A two-year letterman and Division I transfer appear ready to square off for the top spot.

Junior Patrick Finn has seen limited duty at a variety of weights the last two years, but he's looking to stay in one place this season and has worked hard to put himself in position to start.

Sophomore Joey Sheridan is bumping up two weights after starting at 157 all last year at Old Dominion, with that move and the experience he gained expected to be a big plus for him.

Coach James Says: “Pat made a lot of progress in the spring and summer and he has a strong desire to be the guy here. Joey Sheridan started at a Division I program last year and he can definitely help us. He got a lot of quality and quantity experience last year, which is a big help. Those two will battle it out and it will be interesting to watch what happens.”

184 Pounds
Sophomore Tanner Keck was a national qualifier at this weight last year and should fill the starting role.

Keck went 17-13 while seeing time at 165, 174 and 184 and put on some needed bulk over the summer. He learned from his rookie experience, is a fierce competitor who will continue to improve and should be an All-America contender.
Junior Patrick Finn could push the issue if he doesn't stay at 174, but depth is precarious.

Coach James Says: “Tanner had a pretty good year last season, especially for a true freshman kind of thrown in there. He made it to the national tournament and that experience will help him. He's gotten bigger and is a brawler who gives it all he's got. Finn could also be here, but the issue is we don't have much depth.”

197 Pounds
UCO has just one 197-pounder on the roster, so keeping junior Jarrett Edison healthy and on the mat is paramount.

A two-time national qualifier who appears on the cusp of a huge season, Edison has the physical tools to be a national champion contender. He went 28-14 last year, has 62 career wins to his credit and is ready to deliver.

Coach James Says: “Jarrett is just a step away from really taking off and hopefully he realizes that. He's a hard worker and a team leader and I think he will make a lot of noise this year. He beat the defending national champion last year and is knocking on the door. We're obviously very thin here with just one guy, so keeping Jarrett healthy is key for us.”

Heavyweight
The Bronchos are unusually deep at this weight, with a freshman favored to emerge from a five-person battle for the starting berth.

Cody Dauphin was a three-time state champion who earned high school All-America honors over the summer and rates the early edge, though fellow rookies Dylan Aguilar and Terry Williamson can't be discounted.

Junior Randy Tonche is a multi-talented athlete who will also be in the mix and sophomore Keegan Hulsey adds even more depth.

Coach James Says: “We've got five heavyweights and I've never seen that before in the 30-plus years I've been around the program. Randy hasn't wrestled in a while and Keegan got some time last year, plus we've got three really talented freshmen. Cody Dauphin might have a little lead with what he's done, but it's not going to be given to him and he'll have to earn it. It's an open weight, but we've got some numbers and that's a positive situation.”

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