OSU completes wrestling recruiting class
June 2, 2000
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State's spring recruiting class for wrestling includes a pair of Oregon Wrestling Classic Scholar honorees and an Oregon state champion, OSU head coach Joe Wells announced Friday. Signing letters of intent with the Beavers were 140-pounder Jordan Barich and 130-pounder Tim Norman from Newberg High in Newberg, and 171-pounder Scotty Nelson from Sprague High in Salem.
Barich and Norman were both named Oregon Wrestling Classic Scholars, while Nelson earned the state Class 4A title this past season. They join a recruiting class that includes fall signees Steve Garcia (Cypress, Calif./Brethren Christian HS) and Ryan LaDouceur (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles HS).
OSU also expects a number of walkons when school begins next fall, but NCAA regulations prohibit announcing names of unsigned athletes until they begin class.
"This adds a number of good athletes to a farily deep field," Wells said of Oregon State's recruits. "We're getting more depth and more competition throughout the team. We're young, but we're going to be real competitive in each weight class this coming year. We've got some guys out of this group who may fight for a starting spot."
OSU lost just one senior off its roster after last season. In 1999-2000, the Beavers went 10-7 in dual meets and placed third in the Pacific-10 Championships and 36th in the NCAA Championships.
Barich was a three-time Pacific-8 Conference champion for Newberg and won the state Class 4A title at 130 pounds as a junior. As a senior, he placed third in the state at 140 pounds.
"He's a pinner," Wells said of Barich. "He's tough, he's a good competitor, he's a pretty knowledgable wrestler and he's a great student. He's from Newberg, which has a great wrestling tradition, and he knows how to win matches."
Barich has a 3.93 grade point average, which helped him earn the Oregon Wrestling Classic Scholar honor. The OWC Scholar awards are given to 10 seniors around the state based on their performance in wrestling, scholarship and the community.
Norman, also an OWC Scholar with a 3.75 GPA, was a two-time Pacific-8 champ for Newberg and a two-time state runner-up. He placed second at 130 pounds in the state Class 4A ranks this past season and is also a state Greco-Roman champion.
"He's also a great student," Wells said of Norman. "He's a great lightweight. He's a good technician and great on his feet - he has a great college wrestling style already. Both of these guys (Barich and Norman) do a lot of wrestling and every tournament they're in, they're in the money. They're two more great additions from Newberg."
Barich and Norman join two other Newberg High grads on the OSU roster. Isaac Weber was the Beavers' starting 184-pounder last season as a sophomore until a knee injury ended his season, heavyweight Andy Bowlby didn't wrestle varsity matches as a freshman but recently won the Greco-Roman Junior Nationals title and will compete at the Junior World Championships later this year.
Nelson was a three-time state placer for Sprague, including a Class 4A state title at 171 pounds this past season.
"He's very talented and has a great work ethic," Wells said of Nelson. "He's a very mature kid for a high school senior and he'll be a great addition to our team. He's got good technique and he's good on his feet, he's got a good college wrestling style. He'll be a great addition to our upper weight classes, and he's an honor student, as well."
OREGON STATE WRESTLING - SPRING 2000 SIGNEES
Jordan Barich - 140 pounds - Newberg, Ore. (Newberg HS)
Scotty Nelson - 171 pounds - Salem, Ore. (Sprague HS)
Tim Norman - 130 pounds - Newberg, Ore. (Newberg HS)
OREGON STATE WRESTLING - FALL 1999 SIGNEES
Steve Garcia - 152 pounds - Cypress, Calif. (Brethren Christian HS)
Ryan LaDouceur - 160 pounds - The Dalles, Ore. (The Dalles HS)
