September Newsletter

 

Good afternoon from Oregon State Wrestling, we hope this newsletter finds you well! It has been a busy time here on campus as students are making their way back to Corvallis. Classes officially began on Wednesday, September 22, and with that another year of OSU wrestling is upon us!

 

OSU WRESTLING STAFF NEWS

Oregon State Wrestling Head Coach, Chris Pendleton, has his staff set for his second year at the helm in Corvallis. Recently, Nate Engel was promoted to Associate Head Coach for Oregon State Wrestling.

 

"This promotion is more than just him being an amazing recruiter or an Olympic team coach," said Pendleton. "It's about the type of person he is and what he embodies for our program. When I hired Nate a year and a half ago, I had no idea what a phenomenal person I was bringing into the program. There is no one I would rather build Beaver wrestling with moving forward."

Engel finished his first season with the OSU wrestling program in 2021. He played a key part in helping OSU finish second at the Pac-12 Championships with 123.0 team points, just 15 behind Arizona State.

Under his guidance, Devan Turner (133) and Grant Willits (141) won their second individual Pac-12 Championship titles in 2021. He assisted in Hunter Willits (157), Ryan Reyes (184) and J.J. Dixon (197) all earning a runner-up finish at the Pac-12 Championships. Brandon Kaylor (125) also earned a third-place finish last season.

"I want to thank Chris Pendleton for this promotion," said Engel. "I also want to thank Scott Barnes and Dan Bartholomae for giving me this opportunity and the rest of the wrestling staff Isaiah Martinez, Mike Kosoy and Evan Hooper for their support and hard work with the wrestling program. Working with Chris this past year has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I'm excited for where Beaver wrestling is headed through the support of our alumni, current student-athletes and recruits. I know this program is going to continue to grow in the future, and I'm excited to continue to build the DAM with each of them.

I would also like to thank my wife, McKayla, because without her, I wouldn't be the man I am today. She has pushed me to strive to be the best every day. This promotion means the world to me and my family." LINK TO FULL ARTICLE HERE

 

In addition to Engels promotion, Volunteer Assistant Coach Mike Kosoy is back with Beavers Wrestling! Listen to what Coach Kosoy had to say below.

 

IM BACK! said Kosoy. Im so happy to be back on staff at Oregon State and to continue to build something special here in Corvallis. Although short, my time away helped me realize how much I want to be a part of this team, family, and community.

 

Im very grateful for this staff and the group of guys we have who took me back in with open arms. Lets get to work!

 

In addition to Associate Head Coach Engel and Volunteer Assistant Coach Kosoy, Assistant Coach Isaiah Martinez and Director of Operations Evan Hooper are back for year two under Head Coach Chris Pendleton.

BEAVERS IN THE RANKS

The Oregon State wrestling team is ranked No. 24 in InterMat's 2021-22 preseason poll, which was released last Thursday.

The Beavers concluded the 2020-21 season with a second-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships. Oregon State claimed two individual titles at the Pac-12 Championships on Feb. 28 in Grant Willits (141) and Devan Turner (133). The Beavers also qualified six wrestlers for the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships to mark the 38th time in program history that six or more wrestlers have qualified.

Oregon State is also represented in eight weights with Willits clocking in at No. 10 at 141 pounds and Turner following at No. 13 at 133. Additionally, redshirt junior Hunter Willits and transfer Tanner Harvey landed inside the top-20 in their respective weight classes.

The Beavers are one of two Pac-12 schools ranked in the initial poll with No. 8 Arizona State being the other.

Oregon State Individual Rankings:

125: Brandon Kaylor No. 33

133: Devan Turner No. 13

141: Grant Willits No. 10

149: Cory Crooks No. 25

157: Hunter Willits No. 15

184: Tanner Harvey No. 16

197: JJ Dixon No. 27

HWT: Gary Traub No. 24

WORLD TEAM TRIALS

Members of the Beaver Dam Regional Training Center (RTC) competed recently at the World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb in hopes of making it to the World Wrestling Championships in Oslo later this fall.

 

-       Here is a link to the USA Wrestling recap of the womens freestyle tournament. Full story here

• The Beaver Dam RTC had three athletes competing; Alyssa Lampe (53 kg), Mallory Velte (62 kg), and Skylar Grote (65 kg)
• Adeline Gray (76 kg), who claimed the silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, accepted the world team spot for Oslo after her performance in Tokyo.

-       Here is a link to the USA Wrestling recap of the mens freestyle tournament. Full story here

• Oregon State Wrestling Assistant Coach Isaiah Martinez was back on the mat in Lincoln. Martinez fell in the semifinals, and headed back to Oregon to be with his fiance as they were expecting the birth of their little girl. (Congratulations to Isaiah and Anisa!)

-       Interviews from the 2021 World Team Trials

• Here is a link to an interview with Beaver Dam RTC athlete, Mallory Velte: Interview

 

WRESTLING SCHEDULE

We are excited to give you a sneak peek at our wrestling schedule for the 2021-22 season. Below is the tentative schedule, as always it is subject to change.

Date                Event                                      Where

Nov. 6              vs Campbell/Lehigh                  Corvallis, OR

Nov. 13            at Penn State                           Albany, N.Y.

Nov. 14            Journeymen Collegiate Classic  Albany, N.Y.

Nov. 25-27       at Iowa                                     Iowa City, IA

Dec. 2-4           Cliff Keen Invitational               Las Vegas, NV

Dec. 16-18       National Duals                          Niceville, FL

Jan. 2               vs Utah Valley                           Boise, ID

Jan. 9               at Penn/Drexel                         Philadelphia, PA

Jan. 13-15        vs Little Rock                            Corvallis, OR

Jan. 21             at Northern Colorado                Greely, CO

Jan. 22             at Wyoming                             Laramie, WY

Jan. 28             at Arizona State                        Tempe, AZ

Jan. 30             vs Nebraska                             Corvallis, OR

Feb. 19             at Bakersfield                           Bakersfield, CA

Feb. 20             at Stanford                               Palo Alto, CA

Mar. 3-5           Pac-12 Championships             Tempe, AZ

STUDENT-ATHLETE BITES

In this version of student-athlete bites we speak with Lane Stigall and Brandon Kaylor about their summer, the team, and their goals for this year!

Lane Stigall: 149 lb. Aurora, Ore.

-       I spent the majority of my summer in Corvallis studying in preparation for the Medical College Admission Test, and lifting and wrestling for the team. This was a really awesome summer for the team, and I think a great growing period as kids were choosing to spend their summers in Corvallis where they had access to training facilities, high level partners, and our outstanding coaching staff.

-       The mood going into this year is outstanding. For one, it is really nice to have classes back on campus and know we will be able to have fans in Gill Coliseum this year. Along with this, we are really seeing the results of all the work we put in lifting and wrestling this summer which has us all so excited to be able to prove it on the mat during the season. This pre-season training period were in can often be the toughest part of the year, but our team is crushing and itching to get back into competition!

-       As a team, we want to be Pac-12 Champions this year. Its really exciting to see how tough some of the schools in the Pac-12 are getting, but there is no doubt in my mind that we are the best team in the conference if were all competing like I know we can. Go Beavs!

Brandon Kaylor: 135 lb. Bonney Lake, Wash.

-       My summer was hands down on of the best summers I have had in a while. It was filled with positive energy, great people and constantly striving for more on and off the mat. I was able to travel, meet new people, spent time with family and friends, and train my heart out. Thanks to the coaches and staff I was able to push myself to new limits and heights I didnt know I was capable of reaching which has prepared me for this upcoming season.

-       The best way to summarize the teams mood going into the season is, excited. I think the team has finally seen what we are capable of and cant wait to show the world what we can do. Not only have each and everyones wrestling skills and abilities elevated, but so have our attitudes and were just so dang excited to compete and showcase all of our hard work!

-       My personal goal is to walk away with a Pac-12 Championship, and get on that podium in Detroit after earning All-American Honors. As for the team, I believe we are more than capable of winning the Pac-12 Team Championship, and more importantly, placing top-10 as a team in March. Buckle up Beaver Nation, were going for a ride!

ALUMNI/FAMILY WEEKEND

On Saturday October 2, we invite all Oregon State wrestling alumni and family members back to Corvallis for a gathering. The day will begin with an opportunity to meet the coaching staff and student-athletes. An open practice will follow giving you a firsthand look at this years iteration of OSU wrestling. A small tailgate for alumni will precede the big football game against Washington which has a kickoff time set for 6 p.m.

A tentative schedule for alumni weekend is below. Keep an eye out on your email and our social media accounts for a more detailed schedule as the date draws closer. We will have some recruits on campus for the weekend who will also be in attendance; Per NCAA Rules OSU wrestling alumni are allowed to interact with recruits, but remember no permissible benefits may be received by them. Some of which include food, gear, money, etc. If you are a donor, but not an alumni of Oregon State, you may not have any contact with recruits. Thank You.

TENATIVE SCHEDULE

2:30 PM:  Doors Open to OSU Wrestling Facility

2:30-3 PM: Meet n Greet with Staff and Student-Athletes

3-4:30 PM: Open Practice OSU Wrestling practice led by OSU Staff

4:30-6 PM: Tailgate Location: Parking spots 515 & 516 on the Press box side of Reser Stadium

6 PM: Football Kickoff BEAT WASHINGTON

 

BEAVER DAM REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER

-       We have launched our website, TheDamRTC.org, which will be a place where our alumni and fans can visit to get information on our goals for the organization, get updates on training center schedule and upcoming camps, and explore different avenues on how you can support the RTC. Subscribe to our email list for updates: https://www.thedamrtc.org/news

-       You can find our RTC on Twitter and Instagram @TheDamRTC!

-       We launched our Dam Wine & Wrestle Club, which can be accessed through our RTC website, or through this direct link: https://give.cardwellhillwine.com/

• If your wife is upset at all the wrestling gear you already have, then we have another way you can support and make her smile! We are excited to announce our partnership with Cardwell Hill Cellars, a local award-winning winery. Theyve been gracious enough to work with us in starting a wine club dedicated to our supporters where a portion of the proceeds will be given to our RTC to help raise funding. Wine can either be delivered right to your doorstep or available for local pickup.
• Starting out you will have 3 different wines to choose from: Ros, Estate Pinot Noir, and Barrel Select Pinot Noir. Orders will be done by the case (12) and you will have the option to mix and match all three!
• Lastly, these orders can be one-time buys or you can subscribe for deliveries to be either: monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.

-       We launched our Charitable Donation Page which can be accessed through our website or this link:  https://www.thedamrtc.org/donate

• The Beaver Dam RTC operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization powered by donors, sponsors, and supporters both locally and nationally who share a common interest in the growth and preservation of the sport of wrestling. You can make a one-time donation or pledge our donation amount monthly. These donations can be tax deductible
  • The Dam RTC's goal is to support multiple senior level athletes as they compete on the international wrestling circuit during the current Olympic cycle
  • Our organization provides world class training opportunities for elite developmental athletes while also playing an active role in both our local communities and the greater Pacific Northwest wrestling community

 

If someone you know might be interested in any of the aforementioned ideas, we ask that you please share and help spread the word!

CONTACT US

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to reach out to Wrestling Assistant Coach, Mike Kosoy, at mike.kosoy@oregonstate.edu, or Director of Wrestling Operations, Evan Hooper, at evan.hooper@oregonstate.edu.