2015-16 Men's Wrestling Roster
Biography
Aims for national championship and fourth all-American nod.
2014-15: Went 46-6 with two falls … fifth place at 157 pounds in NAIA Championships on March 7 in Topeka, Kan. … all-American … pinned Shawn McGhee of Campbellsville in 3:23 in fifth-place match … Central Qualifier runner-up … pinned by Dallas Houchins of Grand View in 9:12 in title match … Midland Viking-Warrior champion Jan. 3 in Fremont, Neb. … gained forfeit from Chase White of Nebraska-Kearney in title match … Newman Jet Invitational champion Dec. 14 in Wichita, Kan. … defeated Dakota Head of Ouachita Baptist in title match … Fort Hays State-Bob Smith Open champion Dec. 7 in Hays, Kan. … won 6-2 over Bradley Little of Fort Hays State in title match … won 19-4 over Nic Johnson … won 18-3 over Ty Etheridge of Lindenwood-Belleville on Dec. 4 … King Open champion Nov. 23 … won 3-2 over Dennis Flores of Newberry in title match … won 21-5 over Steven Melara of Bacone on Nov. 19 … fifth place in Central Missouri Open on Nov. 16 … runner-up in Oklahoma City Open on Nov. 2 at Abe Lemons Arena … lost to Chance Marsteller of Oklahoma State 6-1 in tiebreaker period in title match.
2013-14: Went 38-11 with five pins … sixth place at 157 pounds in NAIA Championships on March 7-8 … all-American … injury default to Dallas Houchins of Grand View in fifth-place match … 161 takedowns … 16 three-point near falls … 15 two-point near falls … four reversals … sixth in final 157-pound NAIA rankings … NAIA Central Qualifying Group 157-pound runner-up on Feb. 22 … lost 3-1 in overtime to Quinten Hayes of Grand View in title match … pinned John Downey of Hannibal-LaGrange in 2:20 … pinned Jesse Martinez of New Mexico Highlands in 4:02 on Jan. 31 … won 157-pound Missouri Valley Invitational title Jan. 18 … won 5-3 over Houchins in title match … pinned Jacob McKenna of Central Baptist in 1:39 on Dec. 3 … won Shorter Open 165-pound title Nov. 23 … won 3-2 over Santiago Martinez in title match … third at 165 pounds in Bethany Swede Open on Nov. 9 … won 15-6 over Jordon Ward of Bethany in third-place match … pinned Andrew Larsen of Wayne State in 2:31 … Oklahoma City Open 165-pound champion Nov. 3 … won 3-2 over Sam Mehan of Oklahoma State in title match … ranked fifth among NAIA 165-pounders in preseason.
2012-13: Went 39-13 with two falls … fifth place at 165 pounds in NAIA Championships on March 1-2 … all-American … won 3-2 over Sterling Terry of Midland in fifth-place match … ranked seventh in final ratings … team-high 159 takedowns … 12 three-point near falls … 16 two-point near falls … 47 escapes … third place in NAIA Central Qualifying Group Tournament on Feb. 16 … won 5-2 over Gian Traverso of Missouri Valley in third-place match … 15-0 technical fall over Clark Driz of Newman on Feb. 6 … 17-2 technical fall over Dexter Carter of Ouachita Baptist on Feb. 1 … third place in Missouri Valley Invitational on Jan. 19 … 22-7 technical fall over Davis Keleher of Missouri Baptist on Jan. 16 … third in Midland Warrior Open on Jan. 5 … won 10-4 over Mitch Rechtzigel of Augustana in third-place match … 21-5 technical fall over Cameron Childs of Waldorf on Dec. 16 … runner-up in Newman Jet Invitational on Dec. 9 … fell 6-2 to Chris Watson of Central Oklahoma in title match … 20-5 technical fall over Clark Driz of Newman … 22-6 technical fall over Chris Hunt of Wayland Baptist on Dec. 6 … runner-up in Fort Hays State-Bob Smith Open … fell 3-1 to Tyler Mergen of Air Force in title match … 23-7 technical fall over John Kahler of Bacone on Nov. 29 … 17-2 technical fall over Sam Berry of Central Baptist on Nov. 15 … runner-up in Bethany Swede Open on Nov. 10 … pinned by Clark Glass of Oklahoma in championship … 21-6 technical fall over Federico Rosiles of Northwest Kansas … Oklahoma City Open champion on Nov. 4 … won 7-4 over Gian Traverso of Missouri Valley in final … ranked 13th among NAIA 165-pounders in preseason.
2011-12: Went 15-9 with one pin wrestling in open tournaments for Oklahoma State … four major-decision wins … runner-up in Oklahoma City Open on Nov. 6 … lost to Nik Turner of Oklahoma City 5-2 in title match Nov. 6 … fifth place in Central Missouri Open on Nov. 13 … pinned Andy McCulley of Wyoming in 1:46 on Dec. 10 in Nebraska-Kearney Loper Open.
High school: Two-time state champion … Jim Thorpe wrestler of the year … Oklahoma Dave Shultz Award … Oklahoma Coaches Association all-state … 130-15 career record … coached by Shawn Jones … lettered four times in wrestling.
Amateur: Placed second in the 2011 Junior Nationals in freestyle … recorded a fourth-place finish in the 2009 Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman … five-time all-American … two-time Walsh Ironman all-American.
Personal: Majoring in education … son of Michael and Elizabeth Skates … one sister, Megan … born Sept. 25, 1992 in Tulsa, Okla.
OCU Statistics | Season | W-L | Falls | Tech. Falls | Maj. Dec. | Dec. |
| 2012-13 | 39-13 | 2-0 | 6-0 | 7-1 | 23-12 |
| 2013-14 | 38-11 | 5-2 | 6-0 | 10-1 | 17-7 |
| 2014-15 | 46-6 | 2-0 | 6-0 | 4-0 | 25-4 |
| Totals | 123-30 | 9-2 | 18-0 | 21-2 | 65-23 |
More on Zach:
My nickname: Slippery Skates
Favorite team: Team USA
My goal for 2015-16: National Champion
Coolest place I've traveled to compete in my sport: Las Vegas
Biggest challenge a coach as ever given me: Learn how to overcome adversity
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Historical Player Information
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2012-13Redshirt Freshman
165
5'9"
165 lbs
-
2013-14Sophomore
165
5'9"
165 lbs
-
2014-15Junior
157
5'9"
157 lbs
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2015-16Senior
157
5'9"
157 lbs
