Jonathan Dickson
NORMAN – University of Oklahoma head wrestling coach Lou Rosselli announced the Sooners’ 2021 schedule on Thursday, a slate that features eight total events and home duals vs. Arizona State and Oklahoma State.
“We’re really excited about the schedule we’ve been able to assemble this year,” Rosselli said. “I’m thankful for the support we’ve gotten from our administration, which has helped us to once again put together a competitive schedule. The opportunities this schedule give us will help us get ready to compete at the Big 12 and NCAA championships in March.”
The No. 14/11 Sooners are set to open their season on Jan. 8 when they host No. 15/10 Arizona State in Norman. Oklahoma is 29-14-1 all-time vs. the Sun Devils and last faced the Pac-12 powerhouse in January 2019 when the teams split a pair of duals at the Virginia Duals. The last time Oklahoma hosted Arizona State it defeated the Sun Devils 33-7 in 2012.
Following the season opener, Rosselli’s team heads to Morgantown, W.Va., for a tri-meet with Bucknell and Big-12 foe West Virginia. The Sooners will dual with both squads on Jan. 17 at WVU Coliseum. Oklahoma is a combined 11-2 all-time versus opponents it will face in Morgantown.
The Sooners continue their road trip when they head to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for a Jan. 24 Big 12 tri-meet with Iowa State and Northern Iowa.
The 181st edition of Bedlam comes to Norman on Feb. 7 when the Sooners play host to Oklahoma State at Lloyd Noble Center.
Oklahoma is set to spend Valentine’s Day in California as it will travel to Fresno for a Feb. 14 quad-dual with Oregon State, CSU Bakersfield and Fresno State.
The Sooners and Cowboys will reprise their rivalry in Stillwater on Feb. 21 to add another edition to the historic Bedlam series.
The Big 12 Championship returns to Tulsa’s BOK Center for the fifth-consecutive season on March 6-7, followed by the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Mo., on March 18-20.
Rosselli, in his fifth year at the helm of the seven-time national champion Oklahoma program, returns his most experienced team yet. OU welcomes back six 2020 NCAA qualifiers this season in Tony Madrigal (133), Dom Demas (141), Virginia Tech transfer and 2019 ACC freshman of the year Mitch Moore (149), Justin Thomas (157), Anthony Mantanona (174) and Jake Woodley (197).
Demas and Mantanona were named OU’s 275th and 276th All-Americans last season and they both finished as Big 12 runner-up. Oklahoma has a wrestler ranked in the top 32 of nine different weight classes per Open Mat heading into the season, with four inside the top 15.
All times for duals will be determined closer to the competitions and ticket information will be released closer to the start of the season. The 2021 schedule is subject to change.
