LAS VEGAS -- A trio of Oklahoma State wrestlers were crowned as FILA U.S. Junior Freestyle champions after winning their title bouts at the junior national championships Saturday, with Cowboy freshman Jordan Oliver recognized as the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Oliver pinned Iowa State's Andrew Long just 42 seconds into the second period of his championship bout at 60 kilograms Saturday. His path to the title included a technical fall and two pins. Fellow OSU freshman Alex Meade rallied to topple Columbia's Eren Civan by a 0-3, 3-0, 1-0 score in the 74-kilogram title bout and Cowboy signee Chris Perry won the 84-kilogram bracket with a 0-3, 4-2, 3-2 win over Penn State's Quentin Wright in the championship bout.
By virtue of their respective championships this weekend, Oliver, Meade and Perry automatically qualify for the finals at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Colorado Springs from May 23-24. Making things more interesting is the fact that Oklahoma State assistant Eric Guerrero will coach the U.S. Junior World Team as it trains for and competes at the Junior World Championships in Ankara, Turkey this summer.
Other Cowboys competing at the event were Chris McNeil, who placed seventh at 84 kilos with a 1-2, 5-2, 1-0 win over Central Michigan's Ben Bennett Saturday, and incoming signee Ladd Rupp, who placed fourth after losing a 3-0, 3-0 decision to Northern Iowa's Ryan Jauch.
