OU’s Mark Cody & The Sooners Ready for Opener V. OCU, Talks to Takedown

NORMAN, Okla. — The University of Oklahoma wrestling squad, ranked preseason No. 16 by InterMat and 13 by Amateur Wrestling News, kicks off the 2011-12 season this Thursday, Nov. 3, when it hosts Oklahoma City University inside McCasland Field House at 7 p.m.

“I’m very excited for our program, staff and wrestlers to get the season started against Oklahoma City,” head coach Mark Cody said. “I feel that we are going to see what we have as a team on Thursday. As a coach you never know what the guys are capable of until you actually go out and compete. We are excited to see these guys go out and show what is in their hearts and heads.”

OU has seven Sooners individually ranked to begin the season, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 11 at 141 pounds. Jordan Keller is No. 13 at 133 pounds, while Chase Nelson (157 pounds) and Elijah Madison (HWT) are ranked No. 14. Nick Lester, who started three matches last year, is the 17th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 20 among 184 pounders.

Oklahoma recorded a 43-0 defeat of the Stars in last year’s Oklahoma Open and leads the overall series by a 5-0 margin.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are still available for purchase. Season tickets and single-meet tickets are now on sale online or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU.

Scott Casber
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