Frayer, Hazewinkel Make Olympic Team

April 22, 2012

IOWA CITY, Iowa – For the first time since 2000 two former Sooner wrestlers, Jared Frayer and Sam Hazewinkel, will represent the United States at the 2012 Olympics after both ran the gantlet at the Olympic Trials inside the Carver-Hawkeye Arena over the weekend.

Frayer, who won the 66kg/145.5 pound bracket, and Hazewinkel, who ran away with the 55kg/121 pound title, each defeated four of the nation's top wrestlers on their way to the top of their respective podiums.

“I could not be any prouder than I am of Jared and Sam after all they have accomplished,” head coach Mark Cody said. “They are great representatives of the University of Oklahoma and will do the same as they represent the United States at the Olympic Games this summer. Also, Michael Lightner deserves a lot of credit as he did a fabulous job as the freestyle coach and helped prepare these guys.”

Current OU assistant coach, Frayer, had a tough path to claim his spot on the Olympic team as he had to overcome fellow Sooner Teyon Ware in the semifinals and hometown hero Brent Metcalf in the finals.

Frayer, who wrestled at OU from 1999-2002, took down Ware, who wrestled at OU from 2003-2006, 3-1, 4-2, to advance to the finals where he faced Metcalf, a former Iowa Hawkeye great. In the finals, Frayer won the first round, 5-1, 1-4, 6-0, and came back to make the Olympic team with a 2-1, 0-1, 2-2 win in the second round

"This year I am a year older and wiser and did things right; listened to my body," Frayer said. “I want to be the best coach in the country, the best recruiter, the best father, the best son, and now I get to represent the United States and go win a gold medal."

Hazewinkel, a 2004-07 Sooner wrestler, earned his spot on the U.S. Olympic team by defeating Nick Simmons, a wrestler that defeated Hazewinkel in the finals at the World Trials.

With the addition of Frayer and Hazewinkel, OU has now produced 23 Olympic participants with Melvin Douglas and Quincey Clark being the last Sooners to represent the U.S. at the 2000 Games.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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