Beavers striving to put Oregon State back on national wrestling map

By Brooks Hatch
Gazette-Times reporter

Derek Kipperberg had trained for more than 10 years to earn his first berth in the NCAA wrestling championships.

So Oregon State’s senior 149-pounder wasn’t about to miss the 9:30 a.m. departure of the shuttle bus on Monday that took the Beavers to the Portland International Airport for their trip to the tournament, held this year in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, Mich.

He was packed and ready to go at 9:05 a.m., and waiting patiently outside of Gill Coliseum with several other early birds for the rest of their teammates, coaches and trainers to arrive.

“I’m absolutely excited and totally stoked,” said Kipperberg, one of four OSU seniors who will conclude their collegiate careers this weekend (senior heavyweight Ty Watterson may get a sixth-year of eligibility.) “I’ve pretty much prepared about a decade’s worth of wrestling for this moment.

“There’s nothing left to prepare for. We’ve done all the work, all the sweating and hard labor. Now we’re ready to go out there and reap the harvest.”

Kipperberg, seniors Eric Stevenson (125), Bobby Pfennigs (133), Jeremy Larson (174) and Watterson, junior Travis Gardner (197) and sophomore Kyle Bressler (184) hope to reverse a trend that has seen the 16th-ranked Beavers drop from a consistent top-10 placer in the 1990s to a middle-of-the-pack performer this century.

OSU finished in the top 10 four times from 1994-1998, but its average placing since then is 44th, with a best of 18th in 2001 and a worst of 66th in 2003. No Beaver has earned All-America honors since 2002.

Watterson, Larson, Stevenson and Pfennigs are NCAA veterans and shouldn’t be fazed by the atmosphere. It’s akin to an eight-ring circus, as that many matches can be held simultaneously, and it’s imperative not to get distracted by something happening on an adjacent mat.

“There’s no tournament like it, nothing you can compare it to,” Pfennigs said. “The anxiety, you just get excited. Controlling the emotions, and worrying about what you need to do on the mat, is important.”

Watterson (5) and Larson (11) are OSU’s only seeded competitors; 12 are seeded at each weight and the top eight in each weight class earn All-America honors.

They’re also the most experienced NCAA competitors, with two appearances each. Watterson is 3-4 at nationals, Larson 1-4.

“It’s my third and last time,” said Larson, who won his initial Pacific-10 Conference championship on Feb. 25 to help the Beavers capture their first conference team title since 1994. “I’m looking to get in the finals and make a shot at that national championship, make a statement and let them know that Oregon State is there to compete.

“That’s what everyone looks at when they ask, ‘What kind of team was this? How’d they do at Pac-10s? How’d they do at nationals?’ Mentally we’re ready.

“We’re looking to get in there, and make a name for ourselves.”

Larson has won seven consecutive matches and has a team-high and personal-best 29 victories in 35 matches. He’s earned bonus points (major decision, technical fall or pin) in 15 of his wins, another team high.

“I’ve made some big jumps this season and I feel I’m prepared as I’m going to be,” he said. “We’ve done everything we need to to get ready. I’m just excited to get back there and get after it.”

The five unseeded competitors have a tough path to follow if they hope to place. Stevenson and Bressler could face the No. 2 seed in their second match; Gardner could meet the No. 4 seed in his second match. Kipperberg opens with the No. 7 seed and Pfennigs has the toughest draw of all, as he starts with Matthew Valenti of Penn, the No. 2 seed.

“We just have to look one match at a time,” Pfennigs said. “All seven guys going have trained to be champions all year. Everyone’s mindset is to win the national championship.

“If something happens along the way, then you alter your plan and go for third, or whatnot. But all seven guys are looking to win a national title.”