Persistence, Pride, Predictability

It's become quite predictable watching Justin DeAngelis wrestle.

Not predictable in a bad way, by any means. There's just never a doubt that he is going to go out on the mat and work hard, giving his all regardless of the opponent he faces. He does the same in practice, dedicating himself to the sport he loves.

“I take a lot of pride,” Justin shares. “I have bigger goals than just, 'He fought when he went out there.' But every time I go out there, even if I lose, if I put my whole heart into it, losing isn't as big of a deal.”

A season after five of OU's starters were seniors, Justin now holds the title of the lone one in the starting lineup. He's stepped into the role of leader, doing so through his actions and trying to demonstrate that if he is putting forth effort, everyone else can as well.

“He has been a great leader for us this year,” fourth-year head coach Mark Cody says. “He leads by example, but he is also very outspoken. He does a lot to motivate the team. He is a very good friend to everybody on the team, too, and is very likable, and that contributes to the respect everyone has for him.”

This has meant the world to me just being here and being able to represent a weight class. I spent a long time trying to get to this point. It was a struggle to become a starter, so being able to have this time, I just can't explain it. Words can't express how blessed I feel to be able to wrestle for OU.
Justin DeAngelis

But reaching this point and becoming an OU starter was not always an easy road. The Tulsa, Okla., native redshirted his initial season in Norman before becoming a backup for the next two, starting off and on as a redshirt sophomore. After losing his last chance to grab the starting spot one season, Justin was back in the wrestling room practicing with the team within 10 minutes, Cody recalls.

“I know he was crushed, but he realized and he's been in the sport long enough to know there are bumps in the road,” Cody states. “His father, Frank, was a great wrestler, a great competitor, and I am sure the message he's always gotten growing up is that sometimes in this sport there are bumps in the road, but what matters is how you deal with them.”

Justin never stopped working hard and kept pushing on despite those bumps, and he cracked the starting lineup as a redshirt junior last season. He put together a successful year, posting an 18-7 record, taking second at the Big 12 Championship and qualifying for his first NCAA Championships.

In his redshirt senior campaign, Justin has already matched his win total from last year at 18-4 overall, including a 12-2 mark in dual competition. Eight of his total victories have come with bonus points attached.

“This has meant the world to me just being here and being able to represent a weight class,” Justin shares. “I spent a long time trying to get to this point. It was a struggle to become a starter, so being able to have this time, I just can't explain it.

“Words can't express how blessed I feel to be able to wrestle for OU,” Justin continues. “I had 16 kids in my class and I'm the only one left. I never thought something like that could happen. It shows how tough wrestling is and how hard it is to make it through your five years. I have a lot of goals that I set, and just making it through wrestling wasn't that goal, but wearing the Crimson and Cream and having Oklahoma on my singlet when I go out there to wrestle, and having a packed house – and we've had great fans here lately – it's just awesome. I wouldn't trade it for anything.”

As a third generation OU student, Justin's Sooner roots run deep. His father, Frank, wrestled for OU, becoming an All-American at 134 pounds in 1978. Justin's mother, Darla, and her parents also attended the university.

Justin DeAngelis

Justin, a three-time state champion at Jenks High School, says he has always looked up to his dad, whose wrestling resume is an impressive one with two state championships at Spencerport High School in New York and spots as a world team member and an Olympic alternate. Justin realizes that any situation he may face in wrestling, his dad has experienced it. Now, it means a lot to both father and son that Justin became a Sooner like his dad.

“The fact that a son is doing what his dad is doing in athletics is not rare, but it's not common,” Frank says. “To have a son that is wrestling in college at the same college that you wrestled at is one in a million.”

Regardless of how the end of Justin's time in the Crimson and Cream plays out, Frank is proud of his son and the work ethic he always shows.

“I tell people this all the time: If Justin did not win another match, I would still be as proud a dad as you could possibly want,” Frank declares. “He is absolutely a hard worker. I never, ever question his heart and his ability. When he gets on the mat he's going to wrestle you to the very last second.

“It always reminds me of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' where they were trying to cross the bridge and that knight was stopping them from crossing the bridge, so they cut off his legs and arms,” Frank continues. “To me, that's Justin – you could cut off his arms and legs and he would probably still try to bite you on the mat.”

Now, Justin's home OU career is coming to a close, culminating in one final match inside McCasland Field House on Sunday. That bout? It's part of the Bedlam dual, which Justin says is a great situation for ending his time in front of the home crowd. After that, he has just a little more time to leave his mark on OU.

“It's been a long, hard road. To be honest I don't really feel like I've accomplished my goals yet. Yeah, I'm wrestling for OU, but I want to be more than that,” Justin explains. “I've got a month left to make that happen, so I'm really going to be working hard this last part of my senior year.”

And don't for a second expect anything less than hard work when Justin DeAngelis is on the mat for the Sooners.