With the start of the Spring 2022 semester, the wrestling season continues, and the team says they hope to dodge the possible side effects of the rise of COVID-19.
The team’s next competition is set to be on Jan 15 at the Central Baptist Invitational against 13 other teams from around the country. They hope for a dominant performance. They have kept themselves prepared for the upcoming competitions throughout the winter break.
Sophomore wrestler Grant Baber says that he “kept himself motivated… primarily by training and keeping tabs on my teammates,” and that his training consisted mostly of “personal lifting… and dieting.”
Baber also says that he was most excited to “wrestle without the limitations of COVID-19” this season. However, things may change for Baber as the university implements COVID-19 protocols.
The wrestling season is set to end in early March with the wrestling national championships. The champion from each weight class automatically qualifies, and the remaining spots are awarded to second or third-place finishers based on the NAIA coach’s discretion.
With the OCU men’s wrestling team undefeated so far this season, it seems as though they have a good shot of advancing quite a few wrestlers to nationals. Things may turn awry for the team if the spread of COVID-19 worsens this season.
Leave a Reply