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Nov 12, 2009 (Stillwater NewsPress - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- After a rough 16th-place finish in the NCAA Tournament last season, Oklahoma State's wrestling program needs a revitalizing boost -- and coach John Smith has just the thing.

New blood and bodies to the Cowboy wrestling room has given the Pokes a burst of energy, attitude and excitement heading into the 2009-10 season, which begins Saturday in the University of Central Missouri Open.

At 133 pounds, redshirt freshman Jordan Oliver isn't a new face to his teammates, but this season he'll be unleashed in an orange singlet, freed from his redshirt bonds. The Eatson, Pa., native won the bronze this past summer in the junior world championships. However, he'll see plenty of competition, as Smith estimates that an astonishing 17-20 wrestlers in the country look like they could win the NCAA championship at this weight.

More fresh meat to the Cowboy program, Alan Gelogaev is well-known in the Russia circles of freestyle wrestling. He's trying his hand at NCAA wrestling, which will take some adjustment on his part, and teaching Smith and the Cowboys some new techniques along the way.

Another element to the situation is Smith's top-ranked recruiting class, most of which will redshirt this year. But even though they won't join the Cowboys in duals this season, they are already sparking things up in the wrestling room.

"The new guys that came in from redshirting last year and the new guys that are in as redshirts this year are just awesome guys," senior Jared Rosholt said. "Great wrestlers, great to be around, a completely different atmosphere from what it has been the last couple of years. These guys are talented and they know what they want. They're just good guys."

But when you take on new bodies, you also take on inexperienced ones. They haven't had time to adjust and learn the ways of this "next level" of wrestling they've always heard about. It makes for a bit of an uphill battle at first, especially against a team like Iowa, which has eight seniors on its roster.

"You don't want to let go of your expectations of your program as far as tradition and historically what we like to do and hope to do," Smith said. "I'm choosing my words a little different this year and using the word that if we work hard we could put ourselves in position to be immediately back in the hump of things."

But even when odds might be against them, there's no giving up. That's not what wrestling is about. The prize is still an NCAA championship trophy for the Cowboys, no matter what.

"That's where you struggle is when you're at a place like here and my expectations of where we need to be," Smith said. "When those aren't happening, it's hard to settle for mediocracy and obviously settle for less, which we did last year, out of ourselves and not just the athletes."

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Christopher Shelton

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