EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Before the 2005-06 college wrestling season began, Oklahoma State looked like a shoe-in to win its fourth straight NCAA title and 34th overall. After all, the Cowboys returned six All-Americans and four NCAA champions from a team that scored 153 points and won the 2005 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships by 70 points.
John Smith
But this season didn’t go as expected. It was a season of ups and downs. Oklahoma State’s four defending NCAA champions, Zack Esposito (149), Johny Hendricks (165), Jake Rosholt (197), and Steve Mocco (Hwt), combined for 15 losses. The Cowboys dropped two dual meets to Minnesota. But in the end, Oklahoma State head coach John Smith pulled his team together in time for the Cowboys to claim their fourth straight Big 12 title and fourth straight NCAA title. The Cowboys finished with six All-Americans, the most of any Division I wrestling program in the country.
For all these reasons, John Smith has been named 2006 Rev Coach of the Year by RevWrestling.com. The award is given annually to the nation’s top collegiate coach across all divisions of wrestling as voted on by the writers and executives of RevWrestling.com.
“John Smith saved his best coaching performance for last, “said RevWrestling.com writer Tom Franck. “There was tremendous pressure on Oklahoma State to win its fourth straight NCAA title, but Smith’s wrestlers essentially ran away and hid from the field. The Cowboys earned 28.5 bonus points over the course of the three-day event, which took every other team out of the running.”
2006 Rev Coach of the Year Voting
1st-5th-Place Votes — 9-7-5-3-1
(First-Place Votes) :
1. John Smith, OSU — 39 (3)
2. Rob Koll, Cornell — 32 (2)
3. J Robinson, Minnesota — 31 (1)
4. Steve Costanzo, Dana — 21 (1)
5. Jim Miller, Wartburg — 17
6. Mark Cody, American — 15
7. Mark Schwab, Buena Vista — 9 (1)
8. Jim Zalesky, Iowa — 8
9. Jack Spates, Oklahoma — 7
10. Tom Borrelli, Central Mich. — 6
11. Tom Ryan, Hofstra — 5
11. Joe McFarland, Michigan — 5
13. Troy Sunderland, Penn State — 4
14. Thom Ortiz, Arizona State — 1
Smith won by seven votes (39-32) over Cornell’s Rob Koll, who guided his Big Red squad to an NCAA fifth-place finish. Smith received three of the eight first-place votes.
J Robinson of Minnesota, who led the Gophers to a 20-1 dual meet record, a Big Ten title, and an NCAA runner-up finish, came in third with 31 votes. Dana’s Steve Costanzo, who guided his team to the school’s first-ever NAIA title, was fourth with 21 votes. Jim Miller of Wartburg, who coached his team to its fifth NCAA Division III title since 1996, rounded out the top five with 17 votes.
Others coaches who received votes included Mark Cody of American, Mark Schwab of Buena Vista, Jim Zalesky of Iowa, Jack Spates of Oklahoma, Tom Borrelli of Central Michigan, Tom Ryan of Hofstra, Joe McFarland of Michigan, Troy Sunderland of Penn State, and Thom Ortiz of Arizona State.
Launched in October 2005, RevWrestling.com covers all aspects of amateur wrestling, including high school, all divisions of college wrestling, freestyle and Greco-Roman competition, and Real Pro Wrestling. The Web site, located at www.RevWrestling.com, provides wrestling fans with timely wrestling news coverage along with unique content features such as Rev Rankings, exclusive athlete profiles, and hard-hitting analysis of major issues affecting amateur wrestling.
Wrestling Gear
