The Sooners wrestling team visited host Northwestern University in Chicago at the 50th Midlands Wrestling Tournament. The Midlands is annually one of the top collegiate wrestling tournaments in the nation. Many years it is actually tougher than the NCAA wrestling tournament because its a true open tournament and accepts competitors that have graduated from college. There are wrestlers who have won the Midlands tournament 5 times or more. To finish highly in the Midlands is quite an achievement for our wrestlers and Coach Cody.

OU had a strong tournament against a tough field of opponents, finishing 3rd out of 48 teams. Illinois finished first in the tournament at 99.5 points, with Virginia Tech posting a strong second place finish at 97.5 points. OU finished with 85 points. OU had 2 champions in the event with Kendrick Maple going 6-0 to win his second consecutive Midlands tournament, and Bubby Graham won 4 matches and received an injury default to finish first at 165 pounds. Other placers as follows:

125 pounds - Jarrod Patterson wrestled as unattached (he's on redshit) and finished 5-3 for 6th place

149 Nick Lester went 5-2 in the tourney and finished 5th

157 Matt Lester, Nick's brother, went 5-2 and finished 7th

184 Travis Rutt, wrestling unattached (redshit), finished at 5-1 and 3rd. Travis is a transfer from the University of Wisconsin. He was an All American with a 37-4 record his last year at UW.

Other Sooners making the trip were Kyle Garcia (125), Scott Chene (133), Cody Brewer (133), Chase Gordon (149), Justin DeAngelis (157), Kyle Detmer (165), Matt Reed (174), Greg Wilson (184), Brad Johnson (197), and Keldrick Hall (HWT).