Ben Elder
\nSports Editor<\/p>\n
As the weather gets colder in Stillwater, the heat of the wrestling room approaches a championship level, leaving egos and sweaty bodies aiming in one direction: an NCAA National Championship.<\/p>\n
For 10 lucky starters, the most important part of becoming a champion is preparation and as of now, preparation remains in full swing for the Cowboy wrestling program.<\/p>\n
“Practice is going great,”\u009d assistant coach Pat Smith said. “We are just coming in here every day and trying to get in a little bit better shape and just getting ready for the season.”\u009d<\/p>\n
With two All-Americans and four national champions returning, most have already written the Cowboys off as the 2006 NCAA National Champions. <\/p>\n
Although that might be easy to say, a room full of national champions would tell you different.<\/p>\n
“This year, it is almost tougher than the year before because people are gunning after you,”\u009d said 149-pound national champion Zack Esposito. “This year it is time to prove that you are the No. 1 guy out there. I think it’s even harder to repeat than it is to win it the first time.”\u009d<\/p>\n
Although preparation and conditioning in the off-season remains crucial, taking time to let your injuries heal proves to be the most rewarding for some. <\/p>\n
Jake Rosholt spent most of the season this past year hampering a knee injury. Now, the senior said his knee feels the best since he came to OSU. Considering Rosholt has already won two national championships, feeling the “best”\u009d could be a scary thing for the rest of the 197-pound weight class. <\/p>\n
“I feel good,”\u009d Rosholt said. “My knee feels the best since high school. I have had some time to recuperate. We have also been gettin’ back on the mat and going hard. It’s been a lot of fun.”\u009d<\/p>\n
While holding the glorious position of No. 1 might seem to be the ultimate goal for OSU national champions, making a run for the top remains a goal for others.<\/p>\n
Sophomore All-American Coleman Scott said he believes after just one year of wrestling at OSU he has seen improvements.<\/p>\n
“Wrestling wise, I feel a lot older,”\u009d Scott said. “When you come in as a freshman, I didn’t know how to drill at the first of the year. Now, I feel like I have improved so much that I know how to drill and work harder. <\/p>\n
“I just want to go out there and wrestle the best because you have to wrestle the best in order to be the best.”\u009d<\/p>\n
Being the best will remain the Cowboys’ goal as they prepare for their season opener Nov. 19 at the Omaha Open.<\/p>\n
“We got a great bunch of guys with a lot of veterans in the room,”\u009d Smith said. “And they teach these younger guys how to stay intense in practice. Now it’s the time for us to step it up a notch.”\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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