Wrestling 1/19/2021 9:00:00 AM Mike Kirk

Where Are They Now: Shawn Bateman

Shawn Bateman was a state and national champion wrestler at Marlow High School before joining Central Oklahoma's powerhouse program in the early 1990s. He went on make a huge impact on the Bronchos' legacy of success, both as a wrestler and coach.

A fierce competitor who showcased a rugged, physical style on the mat, Bateman redshirted his first year at UCO in 1992-92 and saw limited action the following season before breaking into the starting lineup in 1994-95.

He overcame a slow start to finish 22-8 with 10 bonus-point wins en route to earning All-America honors at 150 pounds and helping UCO to its fourth straight national championship. Bateman captured the Midwest Regional title and pulled off two upsets in making it all the way to the NCAA Division II finals before losing a tough match to the top seed.

Shawn enjoyed an amazing junior season, putting together 11- and 12-match winning streaks in finishing 33-6 while winning a second straight Midwest Regional crown and the national championship at 150. He beat the Division I national runner-up and took the Division I champion to overtime twice that season.

Bateman was ranked No. 1 and on track to be a repeat national champion as a senior in 1996-97 before his career was ended by a broken hand and shoulder separation. He finished with a 77-25 career record.

Shawn stayed on at UCO as an assistant coach for several years, helping guide the Bronchos to national championships in 2002 and '03.

In this week's installment of our look back at some of Central's past athletic greats, here's a brief conversation with Shawn Bateman.

Degree(s) earned at UCO: Bachelor's in Education, Masters in Educational Administration

How did UCO prepare you for success: UCO is an OUTSTANDING school because it has relatively small class sizes and excellent teachers that truly care about their students and their future. Specifically the wrestling program, which is such a tight-knit group that has over-achieved due to the culture created by the coaching staff, specifically guys like David James, first and foremost, and now Todd Steidley and his staff

Favorite memory at Central: Being a part of five NCAA Championship teams (wrestling and coaching) and specifically the 1994-95 team, when we had 10 finalists at regionals and eight All-Americans with six finalists at the national tournament.

Best thing about going to UCO: The culture, camaraderie and brotherhood of the entire wrestling program, from the wrestlers to the coaches, trainers, SID and the administration. We were/are truly a BIG family with lifelong bonds and friendships that continue today.

Who were your favorite professors, coaches, etc: Favorite professors were Dr. David Von Minden (CHEM) and Dr. Karen Dowd (HLTH) and, of course, the LEGEND, David James, who WAS/IS the number one reason UCO wrestling is so well known....THANKS & LOVE YA D.J.!

If you could give advice to a current student-athlete at UCO, what would it be: Don't let anyone/anything put limits on what you can achieve on or off the mat. Work hard and KNOW you can do it. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. Enjoy your college experience and look forward to challenging yourself against the best!

Career path: Education for six years and have been in medical sales for the last 18 years.

Where do you currently live: Marlow, Okla.

Family: Shanna, wife of 24 years. We have three kids – Macey (20, a junior at OSU), Lyvia (16, a junior in high school) and Brantz (14, eighth grade).

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