Jordon Oliver and Oklahoma State Coach John Smith 2007

Oklahoma State Wrestling Signs Four Courtesy: okstate.com Release: 11/20/2007 John Smith announced the signing of four prep wrestlers to national letters of intent. Stillwater, Okla. – Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith announced the signing of four prep standouts to national letters of intent Tuesday. Alex Meade (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney HS), Jordan Oliver (Easton, Pa./Easton HS), Johnny Koepp (Forney, Texas/Bishop Lynch) and Tyson Yoder (Weatherford, Okla./Weatherford) are set to join the most storied program in all of college sports. “I’m excited about this class because we are picking up some needs that we will have for the future, specifically at 133 and 165,” Smith said. “We’re confident that Jordan Oliver has a good future at 133 and Alex Meade has a good future at 165. Both have demonstrated the ability to win at a high level and that’s what excites me about this class. “I can see Tyson Yoder as wrestling at 197 for us in the future and Johnny Koepp is likely to begin his time here wrestling at 157,” Smith said. “It’s very nice to have an Oklahoma kid coming here in Yoder and I believe that Koepp is a very talented wrestler who has been well-coached in high school.” A closer look at the Oklahoma State wrestling signing class of 2007: Alex Meade Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney HS High School: Attended Caesar Rodney HS in Camden, Del., where he was coached by Dicky Howell ... Ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 145-pound weight class as a junior in the final 2006-07 rankings by InterMat ... Was one of only five juniors ranked in the top 20 ... Enters the 2007-08 season ranked No. 3 in the nation at the 152-pound weight class by Amateur Wrestling News and No. 5 in the nation by W.I.N. Magazine ... Ranked as the No. 9 wrestler in the nation at any weight class by RevWrestling.com ... Two-time FILA cadet freestyle national champion, winning the distinction in 2005 and in 2007 ... Won the Beast of the East and Walsh Ironman Tournaments ... Compiled a 39-0 record as a junior and recorded a 20-5 tech fall victory in the Delaware 145-pound state title match ... Delaware state champion as a freshman after compiling a 42-2 record on the year ... Recruited by all of the nation’s top programs, including offers from Iowa State, Ohio State and Nebraska, among others. Oklahoma State Head Coach John Smith on Alex Meade: “Alex Meade is very explosive. He’s still developing into the wrestler he wants to become and his style will fit in well here. We can progress him rather quickly. I was very excited when I watched him wrestle the first time. He’s a guy who is on the attack and maintains the attack from start to finish.” Jordan Oliver Easton, Pa./Easton High School: Attends Easton HS, where he is coached by Steve Powell ... 2007 freestyle junior national champion ... Ranked No. 2 in the nation at the 125-pound weight class entering the 2007-08 season by Amateur Wrestling News and No. 3 in the nation in the preseason by W.I.N. Magazine ... Ranked No. 3 in the nation in last year’s InterMat all-class rankings and was the No. 1 junior in those rankings ... Ranked as the No. 7 wrestler in the nation at any weight class by RevWrestling.com ... Took second at the Pennsylvania state meet as a freshman before winning the event as a sophomore and again as a junior ... Finished his sophomore season a perfect 48-0 and ranked No. 1 nationally at his weight class by Amateur Wrestling News and InterMat. He also was voted the outstanding wrestler in the Class AAA state tournament ... Named 2005-06 Express-Times Wrestler of the Year, becoming only the third sophomore ever to win the award ... Went 46-1 as a junior and owns a 136-5 high school record entering his senior year. Oklahoma State Head Coach John Smith on Jordan Oliver: “Jordan Oliver is the type of guy who lives on the wrestling mat and you love to see at student-athlete like that, spending a lot of his waking time on the mat. He is following in the footsteps of the last Pennsylvania kid to come here in Coleman Scott. Our past and future in Pennsylvania is very positive. Jordan is very technical and is very smart when he competes. What I like most about him is that he never fears competition. He will go wherever the competition is and that excites me about him.”

Jordan Oliver To Become A Real Cowboy Posted by Mcall.com Blogs at 12:51:11 PM on November 23, 2007 Oklahoma State is simply overjoyed now that Easton stud wrestler Jordan Oliver has signed on the dotted line. Oliver, a two-time defending PIAA Class 3A champion and a three-time finalist, will be studying under the legendary John Smith after the 2007-08 scholastic season. Smith’s name is as golden in wrestling circles as that of Dan Gable and Cael Sanderson. Smith is a six-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion whose trademark ankle pick/barrel roll takedown was the only wrestling sequence every diagrammed in photographs by Sports Illustrated. Okie State is a perennial No. 1 in college wrestling, a fact that makes its Orange-clad faithful the biggest, loudest rooting section at every NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Oliver will be joined in Stillwater by his good friend, Delaware’s Alex Meade, who if not for some PIAA and District 11 eligibility battles, could have been wrestling at Easton High for the past two seasons. Smith announced the signings on Nov. 20. “I’m excited about this class because we are picking up some needs that we will have for the future, specifically at 133 and 165,” Smith said in an Oklahoma State press release to confirm the news. Oliver had verbally committed to Okie State back in October. “We’re confident that Jordan Oliver has a good future at 133 and Alex Meade has a good future at 165. Both have demonstrated the ability to win at a high level and that’s what excites me about this class. “Jordan Oliver is the type of guy who lives on the wrestling mat and you love to see at student-athlete like that, spending a lot of his waking time on the mat,” Smith said of his prized recruit. “He is following in the footsteps of the last Pennsylvania kid to come here in Coleman Scott. Our past and future in Pennsylvania is very positive. Jordan is very technical and is very smart when he competes. What I like most about him is that he never fears competition. He will go wherever the competition is and that excites me about him.” Oliver is a 2007 freestyle junior national champion and is ranked No. 2 in the country at 125 by Amateur Wrestling News and No. 3 by W.I.N. Magazine heading into the 2007-08 season. Oliver, who has a career record of 136-5, was the top-ranked junior among all weight classes according to InterMat and was third-ranked among all age divisions. Easton senior Kegan Handlovic is ranked No. 5 in the country at 112. The Red Rovers are hosting a multi-team scrimmage 10 a.m. Saturday.

Oliver earns an early invite to Dapper Dan Easton senior picked. Two-time state champ is 11th Red Rover selected to the prestigious event. Friday, January 18, 2008 By MICHAEL BLOUSE The Express-Times Jordan Oliver's senior year as an Easton Red Rover student-athlete has been a lot like Jarred Holley's: very busy and highly successful. Oliver, the No. 1-ranked 130-pound wrestler in the nation, was selected Wednesday to the 34th annual Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic set for Saturday, March 15 at the University of Pittsburgh's Fitzgerald Field House. Holley announced his intentions to play football for the Pittsburgh Panthers during a Wednesday news conference at Easton, the same day Oliver received his good news. "It's pretty exciting," said Oliver, who owns a 155-5 career record and a 20-0 mark this season. "I wanted to wrestle the Dapper Dan this year, but then I totally forgot about it so it was a surprise when I got the call. It's an honor." The call also came as a surprise, according to Easton Area High School coach Steve Powell, because Dapper Dan officials typically wait until after the season to announce Pennsylvania's All-Star roster. Oliver will compete on the Keystone State's team that wrestles the USA All-Stars. "Basically, the position at each weight class goes to the highest-placing senior in the state in Double-A or Triple-A," Powell said. "I guess they went out on a limb with Jordan. It's an awesome event and quite an honor." The Oklahoma State-bound Oliver is the 11th Red Rover to earn a spot in the Dapper Dan event, according to the tournament's Web site. Easton wrestlers own a 7-3 all-time record in Pittsburgh, with Henry Calle earning the program's first win in 1976 at 98 pounds. Oliver is only eight wins away from becoming Easton's career wins leader. Alex Krom is currently in first place with 162 victories. "Hopefully I can keep our winning ways going at the Dapper Dan," the 17-year-old said. "I know we've had some real good success." Ranked No. 1 by the Amateur Wrestling News, Oliver has his sights set on three possible opponents: Tyler Graff of Loveland (Colo.), ranked second at 130; Nate Moore of Iowa City West (Iowa), No. 1 at 125; and Brian Owen of Spokane (Wash.), No. 3 at 125. "Those are the three that I have in mind," Oliver said. "It's basically the Super Bowl of high school wrestling. It's the two best wrestlers in the nation going at it. That's pretty exciting." Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mblouse@express-times.com.

Oliver edges four-time state champ DAPPER DAN CLASSIC. Easton's three-timer beats Colorado's best; Handlovic, Haddad both lose. Sunday, March 16, 2008 By KEN WUNDEREY Special to The Express-Times PITTSBURGH | The Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic selection committee saved the best for last. And Jordan Oliver didn't disappoint the capacity crowd who attended the 34th annual event Saturday night at the University of Pittsburgh's Fitzgerald Field House. Oliver (175-5), a three-time PIAA Class AAA champion from Easton who is ranked No. 1 in the country at 130 pounds, faced Tyler Graff, a four-time Colorado champion from Loveland High School who is ranked No. 2. The committee saved Oliver's bout with Graff until the end of the event. "It was pretty awesome," said Oliver, after recording a 3-1 overtime victory over Graff. "I've watched tapes of (the Classic) over the years and always wished I could compete in it. It was an incredible experience." The two traded escapes in the second and third periods, but neither scored a takedown until the overtime. Oliver scored the winning two-pointer with 28 seconds left in the overtime on a single-leg takedown. "I just had to keep pushing him," said Oliver, when asked of his thoughts leading into overtime. "I knew if I stayed focused and patient that I would get the shot I needed to win." However, Oliver was one of only four members of the Pennsylvania All-Star Team who posted a victory, as the United States All-Stars claimed their seventh consecutive victory with a convincing 28-12 decision. "This is a first-class event that features the best wrestlers in the country," Easton coach Steve Powell said. "It's a great honor to have even one kid chosen, and an even bigger honor to have two." Oliver was joined by teammate Kegan Handlovic, who was also taken to overtime in his bout at 119 pounds. Handlovic (125-29), a two-time PIAA Class AAA champion, dropped a 2-1 decision to Thomas Williams (179-17), a California state champion from South Hills High School. "It's an honor to be here and wrestle in The Rose Bowl of scholastic wrestling," Handlovic said. "It's one of those events that everybody looks forward to their whole life." Like in Oliver's match, Handlovic and Williams traded escapes in regulation. The bout eventually went to the tiebreaker, and Williams escaped, then rode out Handlovic. "I have an 83-4 record over the last two years and two of my losses were to Williams," Handlovic said. "We met in the finals of the Reno Tournament twice and he beat me both times." But it's not the first time Easton has had more than one wrestler entered in The Classic. "We actually had three kids here in 1997," Powell said. "Chris Kelly, Jamarr Billman and Bryan Snyder were on the Pennsylvania team that year." Bethlehem Catholic's Ziad Haddad was also a member of the Pennsylvania All-Star Team. Haddad, a two-time PIAA Class AA finalist and one-time champion, dropped a 6-2 decision to Eric Thompson, a two-time Iowa champion from Waverly-Shell Rock, in the 285-pound bout. "It's a great honor to be here," Haddad said. "I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to wrestle as such a prestigious event. He was a tough kid. We battled and he was the better wrestler today. To be here is something special. To win would have made it even more special." Graff was one of five four-time state champions in the United States lineup. The others were: Mark Weber, Romero Cotton, Jason Chamberlain and Tony Jameson. Weber (224-7), a four-time Michigan champion from Goodrich, posted a 5-3 win over Canon-McMillan's Colin Johnston (163-10), a three-time PIAA Class AAA placewinner and two-time finalist, at 135 pounds. Cotton (137-11), a four-time Kansas champion from Hutchinson High, recorded a 6-3 win against Joe Kennedy (152-24), a PIAA Class AAA champion from Delaware Valley who committed to Lehigh, at 189 pounds. Chamberlain (191-2), a four-time Utah champion from Springville, posted an 11-4 win against Central Dauphin's Walter Peppelman (172-13), a three-time PIAA Class AAA finalist and one-time champion, at 140. Jameson (168-5), a four-time Ohio champion from Austintown Fitch, was defeated 3-2 in the 145-pound bout by Canton's Brock Parker (146-14), a PIAA Class AA champion. Dapper Dan 2008