Central Oklahoma has added seven recruits for 2001-02 season

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Mike Kirk (UCO Sports Information)
06/05/2001


EDMOND -- Perennial NCAA Division II wrestling powerhouse Central Oklahoma has added seven recruits to the fold for 2001-02, signing four high school standouts and gaining three stellar transfers.    Prep stars signing with the 12-time national champion Bronchos were Brian Dalke of Yukon, Jerod Goodwin of  Carl Albert, Chris Saferite ofAugusta, Kan. and Bryan Tapley of Del City.  UCO has also picked up three transfers in Michael Barreras, a three-time Division II All-American at Adams State; Jeff Henning, a former four-time Oklahoma state champion at Tuttle from OU; and Chad Everett, a starter at Neosho County (Kan.) Community College last season.    "We're extremely pleased with the caliber of wrestler we've signed to this point and are excited about their joining our program," said veteran head coach David James, who has led UCO to 18 consecutive top-four national finishes. "We've picked up four outstanding high school guys who all come from good programs and we also got three extremely talented transfers.    "Michael Barreras will step in and give us an automatic national contender at 149 pounds and I think Jeff Henning will come in here and really help us out in the upper weights."    Dalke, a projected 165 or 174 pounder at UCO, was a Class 5A state runner-up at Yukon as a senior in 2001.  Goodwin, expected to be a 149 or 157 pounder, was an undefeated Class 4A state champion at Carl Albert as a senior last year, going 37-0 en route to earning All-State honors and finishing 123-15 for his career.    Saferite, a projected 125-pounder, was a four-time state placer at Augusta, going unbeaten and winning state titles as both a sophomore and senior in finishing with a sparkling 137-6 career record.  Tapley, who will wrestle at 184 or 197 at UCO, went a perfect 30-0 with 18 falls as a senior last year in winning a Class 5A state championship and earning All-State recognition.    Barreras comes to UCO after sitting out the past two years following a successful three-year career at Adams State.  A product of Albuquerque, N.M. and UCO*s expected 149-pound starter in 2001-02, Barreras was a Division II national placer, finishing second as a freshman and fourth as both a sophomore and junior.    Henning, who will vie for a starting berth at 184 pounds in the upcoming season, is transferring to UCO after two years at Oklahoma, where he saw limited action.  He is one of the state*s few four-time high school state champions, having claimed Class 2A state crowns at Tuttle in 1995, '96, '97 and '98.    Everett started all last season at 125 pounds for Neosho following a successful four-year prep career at Emporia, Kan.  He was a four-time state placer at Emporia and also earning All-America honors at the Junior Nationals.    UCO will return seven starters off last year's team that went 13-2-1 in duals, captured its 12th straight Midwest Regional title and finished third in the NCAA Division II national tournament.