Carson Cunningham
Sports Writer
There’s a new first family of Oklahoma State Athletics, and they’re looking to set the college sports world on fire.
Jake Rasholt, a starter on OSU’s wrestling team, returns to Stillwater to help bolster OSU athletics to a level it has never seen, and this time he’s brought two siblings to give him a hand on the way.
Jared Rosholt, a freshman, has joined his older brother on the Oklahoma State wrestling team. Jesyca Rosholt, a junior, transferred from Northern Arizona to play soccer for the Cowgirls.
The Rosholts road here, however, has been anything but straight.
The athletically-blessed trio is originally from Sand Pointe, Idaho but relocated to Ponca City, Oklahoma when Jared was still in high school. The move was a difficult one for Jared.
“Moving form Sand Pointe was hard because I had all my friends up there and I’ve lived there my whole life,” he admitted.
Jared, however, came to enjoy his new surroundings in Ponca.
“I like the wrestling down here better,” he said. “I ended up liking the coaches a little bit better, the program better, and the community support better.”
Jared will wrestle at Oklahoma State as a heavyweight and currently trains with reigning heavyweight national champion Steve Mocco. The opportunity to train with Mocco may be difficult considering his size and experience, but Rosholt said it will help prepare him for collegiate wrestling.
“It’s hard, he’s big,” Rosholt said. “Its only going to make me better. I’m going to have to be wrestling people bigger than me, so he’ll be one to start with.”
Mocco will graduate after this season and Jared is expected to be his replacement. Jared is eager to replace Mocco when he leaves but will learn what he can while last season’s most dominant wrestler is still on campus.
“It feels good,” said Rosholt about being the next heavyweight at OSU. “It’s kind of weird thinking about sitting out, all the practicing and not competing, but I think it will be good just to get practice in. Working out with him (Mocco) can’t hurt you any so it will only make you better.”
Coming out of high school Jared was a highly sought after recruit, but there were too many positives in Stillwater to ignore.
“My brother was here, my parents live by there, and Coach Smith,” Rosholt said. “They’re the best and I’m looking to make the best of it.”
While Jared has yet to begin his collegiate career, Jake Rosholt returns for his senior year after winning back-to-back national titles at 189 pounds. Last season Jake had to endure a knee injury, but through perseverance, he was able to overcome it.
“Just hard work,” Rosholt said. “Believing in myself, believing in god, and the work that I put in. Just being determined, believing in myself.
This season Jake will look to capture his third national title. Winning two straight national titles might make one think they have an advantage, however, Jake insists that’s not the case.
“It felt good to win another national title but the slate is clean, I’m not starting on top,” Rosholt said. “I’m right at the starting line with everyone else.”
As Jake continues to prepare for his senior season. The question is can he 3-peat?
“We’ll see come March and that’s my goal, ultimately, is to win another national title,” Rosholt said. “Whether it’s my first one or my third one, my goal is to win a national title. I don’t get a head start because I won last year, it doesn’t make a difference.”
As Jared and Jake help continue OSU’s dominance in wrestling, there is another Rasholt looking to return women’s soccer to championship status.
Junior forward Jesyca Rosholt has recently transferred from Northern Arizona to join her two brothers at Oklahoma State. Having her family at OSU helped make the move easy for Jesyca.
“It wasn’t anything hard for me because my family was down here,” Rosholt said. “It felt normal for me because my brothers and family are all here, so you just feel like your back at home.”
Having adjusted to Stillwater, Jesyca will be counted on this season for the Cowgirls in their search for a Big 12 crown. Playing forward in coach Karen Hancock’s system is an important role that Jesyca is expected to fill.
“My job is to check back to our midfielders, and I look distribute,” Rosholt said. “When I have an open shot, I’m supposed to take them anywhere I can.”
Now that the three Rosholts have reunited at Oklahoma State, it may seem like a Rosholt revolution.
“It’s pretty crazy whenever I tell people that I have a brother and sister here wrestling and playing soccer,” Jared Rosholt joked. “People are like ‘What are you guys doing? Taking over or what?’ Its pretty cool.”
There are two younger Rosholts, Adam, 17, and Blake, 15. The Rosholt revolution may continue in a few years.
“I have two brothers Adam and Blake,” Jake Rosholt said. “Adam’s 17 and Blake’s 15.”
But do they wrestle?
“Yeah, they do,” said Jake Rosholt.
Only time will tell if they follow family footsteps.
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