No. 1 Bronchos Host Maryville Sunday

Top-ranked Central Oklahoma makes a rare home appearance Sunday when the Bronchos host Maryville for a 2 p.m. dual at Hamilton Field House.

It's the second of four home duals for UCO, which is 6-0 on the season. The Bronchos have won 38 of their last 39 duals – including 13 straight – and are riding a 14-match home winning streak.

Maryville hosts No. 12 McKendree Friday night in its first dual of the season before traveling to Edmond.

"We don't get too many opportunities to wrestle at home in front of our fans and we're looking forward to it," head coach Todd Steidley said. "Maryville has a solid team, so we have to be ready to go. Our guys need to be excited, stay aggressive and keep trying to score points.

"I'm happy with the way we wrestled last weekend, but we know there's still a lot of work to do. We can't be satisfied and have to keep getting better."

UCO's two remaining home duals are Feb. 4 against Central Missouri on Alumni Day and Feb. 11 against Drury.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO captured the NWCA Division II National Duals championship for the second time in three years last weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa, going 4-0 in that two-day, 16-team event.

The Bronchos opened with a 28-9 win over No. 12 Upper Iowa, then rallied past No. 10 McKendree (21-13) and No. 6 St. Cloud State (24-10) to make the finals. UCO blitzed No. 17 Augustana for the title, winning the first seven matches in a 37-3 rout.

Defending heavyweight national champion Shawn Streck led the way, notching four bonus-point wins in his first action of the season. The senior star racked up 20 takedowns and outscored his opponents a combined 72-13 in earning three technical falls and a major decision.

The Division II Wrestler of the Year last season, Streck is riding a 30-match winning streak. He's now 42-2 with 28 bonus wins for his UCO career.

All-American Anthony DesVigne (174) and two-time national champion Dalton Abney (197) also went 4-0 for the weekend. Abney reached the 75-win mark for his career and is now 77-6.

The Bronchos were perfect at 149 as well, with Bam West and Dylan Brown both going 2-0. All-Americans Dylan Lucas (141) and Gabe Johnson (157) each went 3-1.

DesVigne, who made his debut at 174 after starting the season at 184, will sit out Sunday's dual. He's 12-1 with eight bonus wins for the year.

UCO will have five redshirt freshmen in the lineup against Maryville – 125 Guy Clevenger, 133 Shaun Muse, West, 174 Jaxon Randall and 184 Garrett Wells. Wells leads the team with 19 wins, while Clevenger and Lucas both have 18.

The Bronchos and Maryville have met just twice previously. The Saints won 35-7 during the 2014-15 season, with UCO claiming a 24-15 victory the next year.

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

125 – Guy Clevenger, RS Fr. (18-8) vs. Sam Shafer, So. (6-10); 133 – Shaun Muse, RS Fr. (1-2) vs. Evan Binder, Fr. (19-7); 141 – Dylan Lucas, Jr. (18-3) vs. Kody Ketchem, RS Fr. (17-7); 149 – Bam West, RS Fr. (6-3) vs. Javier Gutierrez, Jr. (3-11); 157 – Gabe Johnson, So. (12-4) vs. Carter Smith, Jr. (3-2); 165 – Hunter Jump, Jr. (11-6) vs. Cole Ritter, So. (15-8); 174 – Jaxon Randall, RS Fr. (15-6) vs. Brian Thorpe, Fr. (10-9); 184 – Garrett Wells, RS Fr. (19-6) vs. John Gholson, So. (0-0); 197 – Dalton Abney, Sr. (5-0) vs. Jeremiah Larson, RS Fr. (14-10); Hvy – Ryan Herman, Jr. (15-6).

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Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney: 6' 1"; Junior; 197

Anthony DesVigne: 5' 11"; Junior

Gabe Johnson: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Hunter Jump: 6' 2"; Sophomore

Shawn Streck: 6' 1"; Junior; 285

Guy Clevenger: 5' 4"; Freshman

Dylan Lucas: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Shaun Muse: 5' 6"; Freshman

Jaxon Randall: 5' 11"; Freshman

Garrett Wells: 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Dalton Abney
: 6' 1"; Junior; 197

Anthony DesVigne
: 5' 11"; Junior

Gabe Johnson
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Hunter Jump
: 6' 2"; Sophomore

Shawn Streck
: 6' 1"; Junior; 285

Guy Clevenger
: 5' 4"; Freshman

Dylan Lucas
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Shaun Muse
: 5' 6"; Freshman

Jaxon Randall
: 5' 11"; Freshman

Garrett Wells
: 5' 11"; Freshman