Bronchos Look To Contend For National Title

Five returning All-Americans spearhead a deep and talented Central Oklahoma wrestling team that figures to be one of the main contenders for the NCAA Division II national championship in 2021-22.

The Bronchos of sixth-year head coach Todd Steidley also have three other starters back from last year's squad that went 5-0 in a shortened dual season before winning their first regional title since 2012 and finishing sixth nationally. Toss in a large number of skilled underclassmen who gained valuable experience during a difficult 2020-21 season and it's easy to see why UCO is a threat to hoist its 16th national championship trophy in March.

Central make its debut Sunday with a trip to Baldwin City, Kan. for the Dan Harris Open hosted by Baker, with that all-day open tournament starting at 10 a.m. The Bronchos open the dual season Wednesday at Hamilton Field House, with the junior varsity taking on Carl Albert State College at 5 p.m. before the varsity hosts NAIA rival Oklahoma City at 7.

"We have a good team and there's no reason we shouldn't be in the running for the championship," said Steidley, whose team was ranked fourth in the preseason poll. "Obviously we have to stay healthy and work hard at getting better every time we step on the mat, but I think we have a great opportunity ahead of us.

"We have a lot of experienced guys and our depth is pretty good at just about every weight. Last year was a big challenge for all of us, but I was proud of the way our guys stayed focused and fought through everything to do the things we did."

The 2020-21 campaign didn't actually start until January because of the COVID-19 pandemic and there were several disruptions during the condensed season. The NCAA ended up not counting the year against anybody's eligibility, which definitely benefited the Bronchos when national champion Heath Gray opted to come back for a second senior season.

Gray's return is huge for UCO as the three-time All-American has already stamped himself as one of the school's all-time best and ranks among the elite 184-pounders in the country at any level.

Central's other four returning All-Americans -- 125 Paxton Rosen, 133 Tanner Cole, 157 Ty Lucas and 197 Dalton Abney -- will all be top national championship threats themselves this winter.

All made the national semifinals last year, with Abney going on to a runner-up finish, while Cole finishing third, Lucas fifth and Rosen sixth.

The Bronchos have another national qualifier back in 149 Gabe Johnson. The other two starters returning are 141 Nate Keim and heavyweight Braden Morgan, with Keim a former national qualifier.

Some of the returners will face stiff challenges to retain their starting spot and there appear to be a couple of weights that are wide open, but there's no doubt UCO expects to be in the middle of the national championship hunt in March.

"It's been a long time since we won the title (2007) and our guys are determined to end that drought," said Steidley, who has a 60-11 dual record with the Bronchos.. "There are a lot of really good teams out there, but I think we've got as good a chance as any of them if we perform like we're capable of."

Here's a weight-by-weight look at the Bronchos.

125 Pounds: The first of UCO's five returning All-Americans is back here in junior Paxton Rosen.

A transfer in is first year with the Bronchos, Rosen won the regional title and made it to the national semifinals before losing three straight. He fell in the semis to the eventual champion, then dropped consecutive one-point decisions.

Rosen is determined to make up for that disappointing finish and should be a leading contender for the national title in 2022.

Central has great depth with second-year freshman Garrett Steidley and sophomore Studd Morris. Steidley went 5-0 with four bonus wins last year in picking up valuable experience, while Morris saw part-time starting duty two years ago and was 4-0 last season.

133 Pounds: The Bronchos feature another national championship contender here in junior Tanner Cole, who moved up after starting at 125 the previous two years and earned All-America honors.

Cole didn't compete in the shortened regular season, but had a clutch runner-up finish at regionals and followed with a third-place national showing. The confidence of finally breaking through on the national level should really boost Cole in 2021-22.

Cole will face a stiff challenge to keep his starting spot, however, as redshirt freshman Thaddeus Long will apply plenty of pressure. Long was impressive in going 6-0 with five bonus wins last season before losing the starting spot to Cole before the regional.

Junior Gage Gomez and redshirt freshman Peter Rolle add good depth.

141 Pounds: Another veteran returns here as junior Nate Keim is back for his fourth year of starting duty. Keim was a national qualifier in 2019 and has just missed out the last two years, but he's a proven performer capable of contending for All-America status.

Talented freshman Josh Taylor could prove a formidable challenger, while junior Von Gray has seen considerable action during his career and is also capable.

Additional depth comes from redshirt freshman Garrett Messimore and second-year freshman Ryder Ramsey.

149 Pounds: It promises to be an interesting battle for the starting spot here between second-year freshman Gabe Johnson and junior Brik Filippo.

Johnson earned the position last year and went on to qualify for the national tournament with a runner-up regional finish. The confidence gained from that success should really help the gifted youngster, but it will still be a battle getting past Filippo.

Filippo started the previous two years and was a national qualifier in 2020, though he was denied a chance to compete when the tournament was canceled.

Either of the two would be an All-America hopeful and it should once again be a spirited battle to see who earns the No. 1 spot.

Additional depth comes from second-year freshman Dylan Avery and redshirt freshmen Kobi Gomez and Kobey Kizarr.

157 Pounds: Two-time All-American Ty Lucas will continue to reign at this weight as the junior standout is back for his fourth tour of starting duty.

Lucas finished 11-3 last year, capturing the regional title and making it to the semifinals at nationals before losing a tough decision to the eventual champion. He fell in double-overtime in the consolation semis, then finished with an easy win in the fifth-place bout and should be one of the main contenders for the national title in 2022.

Providing back-up help will be second-year freshman Brady DeArmond and rookie Tabor McClure.

165 Pounds: Easily UCO's most wide-open weight and the only place in the lineup without an established veteran.

Sophomore Anthony DesVigne is in his fourth year with the Bronchos and enters as the favorite, having seen part-time starting duty the past two seasons. He's made tremendous improvement due to his incredible work ethic and will only keep getting better.

Redshirt freshman Hunter Jump has plenty of ability and should push for the starting berth, while junior Ben Parkhurst can also help.

There's a chance somebody could drop down from 174, but for now it appears to be between DesVigne and Jump.

174 Pounds: A crowded weight with tons of potential and no clear-cut favorite.

Junior Kalin Winkler has dropped down from 197 and probably has the slight edge, but seniors Gage McBride and junior Tre'Vaughn Craig -- who shared starting duties in 2019-20 -- along with senior transfer Alex Kauffman are also in the mix.

Winkler started at 197 most of the 2019-20 season and finished 20-6 with 11 falls before pinning all four opponents in back-up duty last year. He's a terrific talent with big-point capability and would certainly be an All-America contender.

So would any of the other three.

McBride went 14-7 as the part-time starter two years ago before losing the position to Craig, who finished 17-8 and took fourth in the regional to just miss out on a national tournament berth. And Kauffman is a former two-time junior college All-American looking to make his mark.

184 Pounds: There's no much more that can be said about Heath Gray, the defending national champion and senior superstar. Gray didn't allow an offensive point in going 13-0 with nine bonus wins last year, improving his career record to a eye-opening 78-3.

He enters his final season with a 41-match winning streak and is determined to join a short list of two-time champions and four-time All-Americans at UCO.

Redshirt freshman J.T. Stambeck is a capable back-up who should see plenty of action as the Bronchos keep Gray fresh, while second-year freshman Barrett Haemker and rookie Cade Cook provide additional depth.

197 Pounds: Sophomore Dalton Abney made it to the cusp of the national championship last year, losing a one-point decision in the finals, and enters the season ranked No. 1.

The two-time All-American has a 23-4 career record, with all four losses coming to the same wrestler -- who is no longer at the weight -- and the Bronchos are expecting a banner season from this standout.

Not a lot of depth here, with freshman Emmanuel Skillings the only other one listed at the weight.

Heavyweight: The starters from the last two years both return and are poised to battle it out once again.

Redshirt freshman Braden Morgan earned the position last year and will be hard to unseat, but sophomore Christian Arriola will certainly press the issue.

Morgan, who came to UCO as a 197-pounder, gained much-needed experience last year. Arriola ended the 2019-20 season as the starter and has shown what he can do.

It looks to be a showdown between those two, but second-year freshman Judson Rowland can't be overlooked.

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Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney: 6' 1"; Sophomore; 197

Christian Arriola: 6' 3"; Sophomore; 285

Tanner Cole: 5' 6"; Junior

Tre'Vaughn Craig: 5' 11"; Junior

Brady DeArmond: 5' 10"; Freshman

Anthony DesVigne: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Brik Filippo: 5' 8"; Junior; 149

Gage Gomez: 5' 9"; Junior; 133

Kobi Gomez: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; 141

Heath Gray: 5' 11"; Senior; 184

Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; 197

Christian Arriola
: 6' 3"; Sophomore; 285

Tanner Cole
: 5' 6"; Junior

Tre'Vaughn Craig
: 5' 11"; Junior

Brady DeArmond
: 5' 10"; Freshman

Anthony DesVigne
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Brik Filippo
: 5' 8"; Junior; 149

Gage Gomez
: 5' 9"; Junior; 133

Kobi Gomez
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; 141

Heath Gray
: 5' 11"; Senior; 184