Tessa Plana earned her nickname “Sleepy” in an unusual way.
Plana prepares for her wrestling matches in a different way than her Oklahoma City University teammates do.
“I take a lot of naps,” Plana said. “Most people like to warm up and get ready before a match, but I like to relax a little bit.”
Plana and the OCU women’s wrestling team kicked off its season by jumping out to a 4-0 start. Plana won all four of her matches and is this week’s Super Star of the week.
“It was exciting,” Plana said. “They were our first real matches, we’ve been practicing and I wanted to do what we’ve been practicing, and we wrestled and did pretty well.”
As a member of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Women’s College Wrestling Association national championship teams, Plana knows the importance of a good team start.
“It is important as a team,” Plana said. “We’re cheering each other on, and for a lot of people there is a lot of stuff to work on, and that is important, too. We have a lot of stuff to work on, and that is what this team is for.”
The 2011-12 season began with a small amount of uncertainty for the women’s wrestling squad with the WCWA announcing new weight classes.
“At first we didn’t really know where we were going,” Plana said. “My weight class only changed by two pounds, so it wasn’t a big deal for me.”
Plana won an individual national championship her freshman year at 138 pounds and hopes to regain the title as a senior.
“I didn’t win the past two years, but this is my senior year and feel like this has to be it,” Plana said. “I’m as ready as ever. I didn’t know what I was doing my freshman year and now I feel like I know what I’m doing, so I should be able to do this.”
After helping her team to three consecutive national championships in a row, Plana has high hopes for this year’s squad.
“I feel like the team is different every year, and this team feels especially different,” Plana said. “I’m excited for the freshman this year, and I think they are going to do pretty well.”
More on Tessa:
My nickname: Sleepy
Sporting event I would like to see someday: Olympics
If I were President, I would: paint the White House!
Favorite cartoon character: Gnomeo
Reason I picked OCU: It’s the best wrestling team with the best academics
