Bronchos Ready For National Title Run

There's one step left to take for a Central Oklahoma program that has built itself back among the NCAA Division II elite -- the national championship.

The Bronchos came close last year, capturing a second straight regional crown before finishing as national runner-up, but the goal in 2022-23 is to stand alone as Division II's best team.

UCO has the strength and experience to do just that, returning four All-Americans and three other starters from last year's squad that went 13-0 in duals. The Bronchos claimed the NWCA Division II National Duals title for the first time since 2002 and had their best national tournament finish since winning the last of their 15 championships in 2007.

"We have a veteran team with a lot of experience and there's no question that our goal is to win the national championship," said sixth-year head coach Todd Steidley, whose team was ranked fourth in the preseason poll. "We'll have a couple of new guys in the lineup and will be moving a few people into different weights, but this is an older group that knows what it takes to get where we want to be.

"We have to stay healthy, stay humble and come to practice every day willing to work hard. We've made a lot of progress the last few years to get to this stage and it's not easy. It takes a lot of dedication and commitment and our guys have been willing to do that."

Leading UCO's charge this season is three-time All-American and defending national champion Dalton Abney, who ranks as one of the top 197-pounders in the nation at any level. The other returning All-Americans are 149 Brik Filippo, 174 Alex Kauffman and Hvy Shawn Streck, with Kauffman expected to move to 184 this season.

The Bronchos also have back three other starters in 141 Nate Keim, 157 Ty Lucas and 165 Hunter Jump. Lucas -- a national qualifier last year after earning All-America honors in 2020 and '21 -- and Jump are both looking to bump up a weight class. Gabe Johnson, a national qualifier at 149 in 2021, is back after redshirting last year and will be at 157.

UCO appears to have good depth at most every weight and there's no question that the Bronchos are poised for a spirited national championship run.

"We're excited about what we can accomplish," said Steidley, who has a 73-11 dual record with the Bronchos. "It's a long season and a grind, but our guys embrace the challenge. I think we're as good any team out there if we wrestle like we're capable of, so now we have to go out there and prove it."

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

125 Pounds: A redshirt freshman and junior veteran will battle it out for the top spot

Garrett Steidley is a third-year freshman for the Bronchos, gaining a free year in 2020-21 when the NCAA didn't count the shortened season and then redshirting in 2021-22. He went 14-2 in four open tournaments last season and has the ability to make an immediate impact.

Steidley probably ranks as the favorite, but junior Studd Morris can't be counted out. Morris has seen spot starting duty and extensive back-up action at 125 and 133 the last three years, having compiled a 37-14 record in that span, so the Bronchos know what he's capable of.

133 Pounds: UCO will have a new starter here, with a newcomer returning to the mat after a long layoff expected to fill the main role.

Sophomore Dylan Lucas hasn't competed since 2017, when he was junior college national runner-up at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. The five-time high school state champion will obviously have to get rid of the rust from being gone so long, but there's no doubt that he possesses the talent to be a difference-maker.

Redshirt freshman Leyton Manley is the top back-up, with rookie Shaun Muse also expected to help out.

141 Pounds: Senior Nate Keim returns for his fifth straight season of starting duty at this weight and is ready to finish in style.

Keim was a national qualifier in 2019 and has just missed out the last three years with fourth-place regional tournament finishes. The gritty veteran went 23-6 last year, has 67 career wins to his credit and will definitely vie for All-America honors.

Josh Taylor is a talented redshirt freshman ready in the wings along with third-year redshirt freshman Ryder Ramsey.

149 Pounds: The first of UCO's four returning All-Americans resides here in senior Brik Filippo, who is poised to be a prime national title contender in his fourth year as a starter.

Filippo went 28-4 last season while winning the regional title and finishing fifth in the national tournament. He owns a 71-21 career record and the confidence gained from last year's success should push this proven veteran to greater heights in 2022-23.

Sophomore letterman Garrett Messimore is a solid back-up and freshman Bam West adds additional depth.

157 Pounds: A former national qualifier is set to fill the starting spot and the Bronchos are expecting big things from redshirt freshman Gabe Johnson.

Johnson qualified for nationals at 149 in 2020-21 in a season that the NCAA ended up not counting, then bumped up to 157 and went 21-3 with 12 bonus-point wins in five open tournaments while redshirting last year. He should have a big impact and is capable of contending for All-America honors.

Providing capable back-up help will be third-year redshirt freshman Brady DeArmond.

165 Pounds: Another veteran is slated to be here, with three-time national qualifier and two-time All-American Ty Lucas moving up after starting at 157 the past four years.

The senior went 19-5 last season, but had a disappointing national tournament performance and is determined to atone for that. Lucas, an All-American in 2020 and '21 with 66 career wins, has shown what he can do on the national stage and should once again push for All-America honors.

Sophomore Nosa Johnbull and freshman Jose Flores supply depth.

174 Pounds: The Bronchos are looking for another returning starter to bump up to a new weight, with sophomore Hunter Jump ready to take over after being at 165 last season.

Jump had a solid 2021-22 campaign, finishing 22-7 with 10 bonus wins while making tremendous progress during the season. He placed fourth in the regional to come up just short of qualifying for nationals, but showed what he's capable of and is poised to have a huge impact this winter.

Junior Anthony DesVigne is a two-year letterman who can't be overlooked, though he is set to start the season at 184. And senior Tre'Vaughn Craig is a former starter who could factor in here once he joins the team following UCO's football season. Redshirt freshman Barrett Haemker will help out as well.

184 Pounds: Senior Alex Kauffman filled in for injured national champion Heath Gray at this weight most of last season before dropping to 174 at the end and earning All-America accolades. Now he's back at his natural weight and promises to be in the thick of the national title hunt in March, though he will miss the first semester.

The explosive Kauffman went 29-8 with 14 bonus wins a year ago and placed third in the rugged Midwest Classic at 184. He went to 174 for the postseason, taking third in the regional and then pulling off two national tournament upsets in finishing sixth there.

Junior Anthony DesVigne has seen extensive action at 165 and 174 the past two seasons and will start the season as the top guy.

Redshirt freshman Kohl Owen adds depth.

197 Pounds: Junior star Dalton Abney will be hard-pressed to top last year's accomplishments, but there's a chance he could do just that.

Abney was a dominant force all season, finishing a perfect 26-0 with 14 bonus wins while allowing just 12 points – only two of those offensively – in capturing the national championship. A three-time All-American with a 49-4 career record, Abney is not one to rest on his laurels and is determined to stand atop the podium once again.

The Bronchos have good depth here with redshirt freshman Emmanuel Skillings and junior transfer Seth Sarasua. Skillings went 13-2 in open tournaments last year, while Sarasua was a junior college All-American in 2021.

Heavyweight: UCO's final All-American resides here in junior Shawn Streck, an agile big man who overwhelms opponents with his aggressive style.

Streck came to the Bronchos as a mid-year transfer and had a huge impact, finishing 12-2 with eight bonus points while racking up 49 takedowns. He won the regional title and finished sixth at nationals, defaulting his final two matches after suffering an injury, and will be a top national championship contender this season.

Streck will miss the first few weeks of the season while recovering from surgery, with sophomore Braden Morgan set to fill the void. Morgan went 14-8 with nine bonus wins while starting the first semester last season and can more than hold his own.

Junior Christian Arriola provides even more depth as a former starter with 30 career wins to his credit.

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Players Mentioned

Heath Gray: 5' 11"; Senior; 184

Dalton Abney: 6' 1"; Junior; 197

Christian Arriola: 6' 3"; Junior; 285

Tre'Vaughn Craig: 5' 11"; Senior

Brady DeArmond: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

Anthony DesVigne: 5' 11"; Junior

Brik Filippo: 5' 8"; Senior; 149

Barrett Haemker: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

Gabe Johnson: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Hunter Jump: 6' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Heath Gray
: 5' 11"; Senior; 184

Dalton Abney
: 6' 1"; Junior; 197

Christian Arriola
: 6' 3"; Junior; 285

Tre'Vaughn Craig
: 5' 11"; Senior

Brady DeArmond
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

Anthony DesVigne
: 5' 11"; Junior

Brik Filippo
: 5' 8"; Senior; 149

Barrett Haemker
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

Gabe Johnson
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Hunter Jump
: 6' 2"; Sophomore