While other students, faculty and staff rested during the break, coaches and athletes were bringing home victories.
The men’s and women’s wrestling and basketball teams competed during Winter Break. Senior Runner Arya Bahreini, a member of the cross-country and track and field teams, also qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon.
Wrestling
The men’s wrestling team took fifth place in the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals after a 24-12 victory over Life (Ga.) on Saturday. The men advanced to the consolation semifinals of the NWCA with a 29-12 win over Cumberland (Tenn.) on Friday.
The team is ranked seventh in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Prior to the NWCA National Duals, the team racked up a 3-1 record in the Wartburg Desert Duals on Dec. 21 in Las Vegas.
Senior Zach Skates took runner-up in the Midland Viking-Warrior Open on Jan. 2.
The men competed Tuesday against Central Baptist (Ark.). Results were not available at presstime Monday.
The women’s wrestling team took second place in the NWCA National Duals after a dual against King (Tenn.), 27-19. It was the third time in four years the women took second.
The team advanced to the NWCA National Duals semifinals Friday after a 29-10 win against Lindenwood (Mo.). In the semifinals Saturday, the team defeated Cumberlands (Ky.), 23-20.
The team is ranked second in Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association.
The Stars will compete in the Ottawa Braves Open at 9 a.m. Sunday in Ottawa, Kan.
Basketball
The men’s basketball team won their opening Sooner Athletic Conference game of the season against Bacone, 91-77, on Thursday. Sophomore Guard Terence Bonhomme had a team-high 21 points and four steals during the game after being named SAC men’s basketball player of the week for Dec. 28- Jan. 3.
Prior to the SAC game, the team defeated Philander Smith (Ark.), but fell to Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) and West Texas A&M.
The Stars competed against John Brown (Ark.) on Saturday, suffering a loss of 75-64.
Their next game is at 8 p.m. Thursday at Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City.
“I’m excited about the second semester. It’s a big semester for us,” Coach Vinay Patel said.
The women’s basketball team defeated Bacone, 91-59, on Thursday in the first game between the two schools. Prior to the game against Bacone, the women fell, 83-63, to Our Lady of the Lake on Jan. 2.
The Stars competed against John Brown (Ark.) in the NAIA Network Game of the Week on Saturday, winning the game 84-50.
The team is ranked 15th in NAIA Division I women’s basketball and improved to 7-4 overall and 4-0 in SAC play. Their next game is at 6 p.m. Thursday at Mid-America Christian.
Cross-country
Cross-country runner Bahreini took a U.S. Olympic Trials bid on Jan. 3 in the Jacksonville Bank Marathon. He completed the half marathon in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 26 seconds to beat the men’s qualifying standard of 1:5:00. He finished eighth place in the 13.1-mile run.
“I was so happy to have qualified for the Olympic Trials,” Bahreini said. “It was one of my big goals that I wanted to accomplish in my running career.”
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