MARSHALL, Mo. – Oklahoma City University and Simon Fraser (British Columbia) have built rivalries in other sports. A rivalry in women’s wrestling may be burgeoning.
The Stars will attempt to repeat as Women’s College Wrestling Association national champions Saturday at Missouri Valley College. Cumberlands (Ky.) and Simon Fraser figure to be additional contenders for the national crown.
Defending national champion OCU has been ranked No. 1 atop women’s college wrestling in the nation this season. Cumberlands is ranked second, while Missouri Baptist is third and Simon Fraser is fourth.
OCU and Simon Fraser have squared off for the NAIA national championship twice each in women’s basketball and softball.
“Cumberlands and Simon Fraser have the ability to place at every weight,” OCU coach Archie Randall said. “We did the point spread, and we’re figuring the point spread is going to be within 10 points with the top three points. Missouri Baptist and Regina (Saskatchewan) are going to be in there.”
The Stars went unbeaten at 23-0-1 this season in duals. Simon Fraser accounted for the tie 16-16 on Oct. 23 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. OCU won its duals by an average score of 32.5-8.9.
“It’s a matter of being lucky,” Randall said of the Stars’ undefeated dual season. “All of our athletes were injury free, made weight, had no eligibility problems, no sickness – we have a really good run without any issues at this particular time. The last time we wrestled we wrestled the young girls because they get to go to the national tournament, too.”
OCU captured the NWCA National Duals title for the third time in a row with a 27-15 victory over Simon Fraser on Jan. 10 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
“Any time you win a national championship, it propels your team,” Randall said. “In my experience, winning that dual team championship gives your team that competitive edge. Usually they carry it over to the individual tournament.”
Top-ranked individuals for OCU are Stephanie Waters at 44 kilograms (97 pounds), Na’Tasha Umemoto at 51 (112), Michaela Hutchison at 55 (121) and Brittany Delgado at 82 (181).
Hutchison went 32-1 with 14 falls this season, and she is the defending national champion at 55. Tessa Plana, ranked fourth at 63, won the national crown last season. Melissa Simmons, ranked second at 72, won the national title two years ago. Simmons is healthy after spending last season on injury redshirt.
Randall expects Brittany Roberts, seventh-ranked at 67, and Nicole Woody, ranked fourth at 48, to be among Stars with an opportunity to contend for national titles.
“Each weight class is packed full,” Randall said. “To win a title this year is going to be a little different. It’s going to be tougher.”