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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Wrestlers Reel in Preseason Top 10 Ranking
September 28, 2010 | Wrestling
Sept. 28, 2010
NORMAN, Okla. -- The 2010-11 University of Oklahoma wrestling squad reeled in two top 10 preseason rankings Tuesday, as Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine (WIN) tabbed OU as the seventh best team in the country and The Open Mat ranked the Sooners at No. 9 entering the season.
Additionally, Oklahoma has five wrestlers individually ranked in their respective weight classes by The Open Mat, and seven ranked by WIN. Leading all Sooners are a pair of returning All-Americans in Tyler Caldwell, ranked No. 3 among 165-pounders by both publications, and Zack Bailey, ranked No. 3 among 141 pounders by both outlets. Ranked eleventh by The Open Mat and No. 13 by WIN is Oklahoma heavy weight Nathan Fernandez. Senior Jeff James, competing at 174 pounds, checks in at No. 10 by WIN and No. 15 by The Open Mat. Ranked No. 14 by The Open Mat and No. 17 by WIN is 2010 Big 12 Champion Jarrod Patterson at 125 pounds. Matt Lester, 149 pounds, and Kendric Maple, 133 pounds, round out WIN's individual rankings at No. 20 and No. 7, respectively.
In addition, The Open Mat selected James as their dark horse selection for All-American status at 174 pounds.
WIN and The Open Mat selected Cornell as the favorite to win the title in 2011. The Open Mat ranked three Big 12 teams in the top 25 (No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 10 Missouri and No. 16 Nebraska), while WIN also had three Big 12 teams in the top 25 (No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 12 Missouri and No. 24 Nebraska).
Coming off a fifth place finish at the 2010 NCAA Championships Oklahoma returns seven starters and seven NCAA qualifiers to this year's squad. Also added to the team are 16 newcomers that comprised a stellar 2010 recruiting class that ranked in the top ten nationally.
| Individually Ranked Sooners | Hometown (Year) | Weight Class |
| Jarrod Patterson - No. 14, 16 | Cushing, Okla. (So.) | 125 Pounds |
| Kendric Maple - No. 7 | Wichita, Kan. (So.) | 133 Pounds |
| Zack Bailey - No. 3, 3 | Kansas City, Mo. (Sr.) | 141 Pounds |
| Matt Lester - No. 20 | St. Louis, Mo. (So.) | 149 Pounds |
| Tyler Caldwell - No. 3, 3 | Wichita, Kan. (So.) |
165 Pounds |
| Jeff James - No. 10, 15 | El Reno, Okla. (Sr.) |
184 Pounds |
| Nathan Fernandez - No. 11, 13 | Lawton, Okla. (Sr.) |
Heavyweight |
| Team (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine) | Total Points |
| 1. Cornell | 82 |
| 2. Boise State | 73 |
| 3. Oklahoma State | 71.5 |
| 4. Minnesota | 55.5 |
| 5. Wisconsin | 50.5 |
| 6. Penn State | 40 |
| 7. Oklahoma | 39 |
| 8. Central Michigan | 36 |
| 9. Illinois | 33.5 |
| 10. Ohio State | 32 |
| 11. Iowa | 28 |
| 12. Missouri | 26.5 |
| T13. Michigan | 25.5 |
| T13. Purdue | 25.5 |
| 15. Edinboro | 25 |
| T16. Arizona State | 24.5 |
| T16. Northwestern | 24.5 |
| T16. Pittsburgh | 24.5 |
| 19. Lehigh | 22 |
| 20. Virginia | 21.5 |
| T21. Binghamton | 20 |
| T21. NC State | 20 |
| T21. Wyoming | 20 |
| 24. Nebraska | 19.5 |
| 25. Kent State | 18.5 |
| Team (The Open Mat) |
| 1. Cornell |
| 2. Oklahoma State |
| 3. Minnesota |
| 4. Boise State |
| 5. Iowa |
| 6. Penn State |
| 7. Wisconsin |
| 8. Central Michigan |
| 9. Oklahoma |
| 10. Missouri |
| 11. Ohio State |
| 12. Virginia Tech |
| 13. Purdue |
| 14. Oregon State |
| 15. Rutgers |
| 16. Nebraska |
| 17. Pitt |
| 18. Northwestern |
| 19. Illinois |
| 20. Michigan |
| 21. Kent State |
| 22. Wyoming |
| 23. Arizona State |
| 24. Edinboro |
| 25. Virginia |
WR Highlights: Big 12 Championships (Day Two)
Sunday, March 09
WR Highlights: Big 12 Championships (Day One)
Saturday, March 08
WR Highlights: OU 32, Arizona State 6
Sunday, February 16
WR Highlights: OU 23, Missouri 13
Saturday, February 01
