UCO Back Home To Host Thunderwolves

Top-ranked Central Oklahoma makes its first home appearance in more than two months Sunday when the Bronchos host NCAA Division II rival Colorado State-Pueblo for a 2 p.m. dual at Hamilton Field House.

UCO is 6-1 on the season after having a 25-match winning streak snapped in last Saturday's 19-16 loss to No. 3 St. Cloud State in the NWCA Division II National Duals finals. The Thunderwolves are also 6-1.

It's the first home dual for the Bronchos since a season-opening 30-3 rout of Northern State on Nov. 4. UCO has three more home matches on tap and will also host the NCAA Division II Regional IV Tournament Feb. 26.

"We're glad to finally be home again and are looking forward to wrestling in front of our fans," said seventh-year head coach Todd Steidley. "This should be a good dual. Pueblo has a solid lineup and they've beaten some good teams this year.

"The guys have worked hard this week. We lost a tough match to St. Cloud in Louisville and that's been a good motivator for us. We know there's still a lot of work to do to get where we want to be."

It's also Alumni Day, with dozens of former wrestlers, coaches, trainers and managers expected to attend. The 1992-93 and 2002-03 national championship teams will be recognized during an intermission and a reception will be held after the dual in the HFH practice gym.

The Bronchos go to Kearney, Neb. next week to meet Western Colorado and No. 22 Chadron State in the Midwest Duals, then are back home Jan. 26 to host No. 14 Fort Hays State.

ABOUT THE SERIES: UCO has never lost to the Thunderwolves, owning a 20-0 lead in a series that started in 1985.

It's the first meeting since Feb. 1, 2019, when the Bronchos won 29-12 in Edmond.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO's 25-match winning streak that ended last week was the second-longest in school history. The Bronchos won 28 straight from late in the 2015-16 season to early in the 2017-18 campaign.

Central has won its last 12 home duals dating back to a 19-15 setback to Nebraska-Kearney in the 2018-19 finale.

The Bronchos breezed into last week's NWCA Division II National Duals finals with three easy wins before falling in a tight battle to St. Cloud State. UCO and the Huskies each won five matches in that showdown, but SCSU scored an overtime fall at 125 pounds and that proved to be the difference.

Individually, the Bronchos had a 27-13 record with 14 bonus-point wins over the weekend and held a stout 79-23 advantage in takedowns.

Senior 141 Nate Keim and junior Hvy Shawn Streck both went 4-0 to lead UCO. Streck racked up 24 takedowns in scoring two major decisions, a fall and a 10-3 decision, while Keim had a pair of bonus wins.

Senior 149 Brik Filippo, redshirt freshman 157 Gabe Johnson and 184 Alex Kauffman all went 3-1. Johnson faced four ranked opponents, beating Nos. 3, 6 and 10 while falling to No. 4, while Kauffman made his season debut.

Defending national champion and top-ranked 197 Dalton Abney had a 40-match winning streak stopped with an overtime loss in the Indianapolis dual. The junior star lost again in the St. Cloud match after suffering an early-match ankle injury.

Abney is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks of action, with redshirt freshman Emmanuel Skillings set to take his place in the lineup.

Junior 125 Studd Morris has won a team-high 21 matches (21-5), while Johnson has also reached the 20-win mark (20-5). Streck is unbeaten at 15-0, which includes 11 bonus wins.

THE LINEUPS: Here's a look at the probable lineups for Sunday's dual, with UCO wrestler listed first.

125 – Studd Morris, Jr. (21-5) vs. Dominick Casto, RS Fr.; 133 – Dylan Lucas, So. (15-3) or Garrett Steidley, RS Fr. (12-6) vs. Marquis Kemp, Jr.; 141 – Nate Keim, Sr. (16-6) vs. Michael Atencio, RS Fr.; 149 – Brik Filippo, Sr. (16-6) vs. Conor Goucher, RS Fr.; 157 – Gabe Johnson, RS Fr. (20-5) vs. Cyruss Meeks, So.; 165 – Ty Lucas, Sr. (12-7) or Garrett Messimore, So. (11-5) vs. Elijah Valdez, Jr.; 174 – Anthony DesVigne, Jr. (19-5) vs. Tytus Coombs, RS Fr.; 184 – Alex Kauffman, Sr. (3-1) or Kohl Owen, RS Fr. (5-7) vs. Cameron Nesbitt, Jr.; 197 – Emmanuel Skillings, RS Fr. (0-0) vs. Dominic Robles, Jr.; Hvy – Shawn Streck, Jr. (15-0) vs. Ben Gould, Jr.

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Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney: 6' 1"; Junior; 197

Anthony DesVigne: 5' 11"; Junior

Brik Filippo: 5' 8"; Senior; 149

Gabe Johnson: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Alex Kauffman: 5' 10"; Senior

Nate Keim: 5' 7"; Senior; 141

Ty Lucas: 5' 9"; Senior; 157

Garrett Messimore: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Studd Morris: 5' 0"; Junior

Kohl Owen: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney
: 6' 1"; Junior; 197

Anthony DesVigne
: 5' 11"; Junior

Brik Filippo
: 5' 8"; Senior; 149

Gabe Johnson
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Alex Kauffman
: 5' 10"; Senior

Nate Keim
: 5' 7"; Senior; 141

Ty Lucas
: 5' 9"; Senior; 157

Garrett Messimore
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Studd Morris
: 5' 0"; Junior

Kohl Owen
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman