Collectively, the future Sooners combined to win 24 state championships, spanning seven states across the country. Additionally, two were crowned champions at High School Nationals and three more placed in the top six.
“We are extremely excited about this year’s recruiting class,” said Spates, who is entering his 17th season at Oklahoma. “With three, four-time state champions, two national champions and numerous high school All-Americans, it looks to be the strongest recruiting class in my tenure at OU.”
Headlining the class is two-time Pennsylvania state champion Jake Kemerer, ranked No. 7 overall in the 2009 recruiting class by Intermat. The Greensburg, Pa., native is notched as the No. 1 160-pound recruit by Intermat and is expected compete for the 165-pound starting job at OU next fall.
Also signing with Oklahoma are the Lester twins, Matt and Nick, of Eureka, Mo. Both own two Missouri state championships. Matt is ranked as the 18th-best wrestler overall by Intermat and the second best at 160 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News after winning the title at High School Nationals. Nick is tabbed as the 86th best senior wrestler in the country and No. 11 overall at 152 pounds after a runner-up finish at High School Nationals. Matt is expected to compete at 149 pounds for Oklahoma, while Nick will wrestle at 141 pounds.
Alex Ekstrom, ranked No. 28 overall by Intermat and the fourth best wrestler at 135 pounds, also inked with the Sooners. The Palmyra Macedon, N.Y., native was crowned champion at High School Nationals and was a four-time New York state champion.
Another pair of four-time state champions, Jarrod Patterson and Tyler Caldwell, will provide depth for the Sooners at 125 pounds and 174 pounds, respectively. A Cushing, Okla., product, Patterson is tabbed as the eighth best wrestler in his weight class by Intermat. Caldwell, hailing from Goddard, Kan., is ranked as the 43rd best wrestler in the country and No. 8 overall at 160 pounds after a third place finish at High School Nationals.
Expected to wrestle at 133 pounds for the Sooners, Kendric Maple from Wichita Heights High School in Wichita, Kan., is notched as the 14th-best wrestler at 135 pounds. Maple was twice crowned Kansas state champion and placed third at High School Nationals.
Spates also gained commitments from two-time state champions Kyle Detmer (Wichita, Kan.) and Nolan McBryde (Eagle River, Alaska). Rounding out the class is Clay Reeb from Cheektowaga, N.Y. and Joe Lospinoso from Kenilworth, N.J. Reeb (157 pounds) and Lospinoso (133/141) earned fourth and sixth place finishes at High School Nationals, respectively.
“These are all great young men with great passion and work ethic,” Spates said. “They all possess big dreams, and it will be fun to help make them come true.”
2009 WRESTLING RECRUITING CLASS
TYLER CALDWELL
From Goddard, Kan. … Was a four-time Kansas state champion … Placed third at High School Nationals … Projected college weight class is 174 pounds … Ranked No. 43 overall in 2009 recruiting class by Intermat … No. 8 in 160-pound weight class by Intermat and No. 10 by Amateur Wrestling News.
KYLE DETMER
From Wichita, Kan. … Was a two-time Kansas state champion … Expected to compete at 157 pounds for the Sooners.
ALEX EKSTROM
From Palmyra Macedon, N.Y. … Ranked No. 28 overall in 2009 recruiting class by Intermat … Notched at No. 4 in 135 pound-class by both Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat … Projected college weight is 133 pounds … Was a four-time New York state champion ... Crowned champion at High School Nationals.
JAKE KEMERER
From Greensburg, Pa. … Is the highest ranked Sooner recruit overall, notched at No. 7 by Intermat … Ranked No. 1 in 160-pound weight class by Intermat and No. 4 by Amateur Wrestling News … Was a two-time Pennsylvania state champion in high school … Projected college weight is 165 pounds.
KENDRIC MAPLE
From Wichita, Kan. … Was a two-time Kansas state champion in high school … Placed third at High School Nationals … Ranked at the 14th-best 135 pound recruit … Projected to compete at 133 or 141 pounds for the Sooners.
NOLAN MCBRYDE
From Eagle River, Alaska … Was a two-time Alaska state champion … Projected to compete at 174 pounds for Oklahoma.
JOE LOSPINOSO
From Kenilworth, N.J. … Placed sixth at High School Nationals … Projected to compete at 133 or 141 pounds for the Sooners.
JARROD PATTERSON
From Cushing, Okla. … Ranked No. 8 and No. 20 at 130 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat, respectively … Is projected to compete in 125-pound weight class in college … Was a four-time Oklahoma state champion.
MATT LESTER
From Eureka, Mo. … Ranked No. 18 overall in 2009 recruiting class by Intermat … Ranked No. 2 in 160-pound weight class by Amateur Wrestling News and No. 5 by Intermat … Projected college weight is 149 pounds … Was a two-time Missouri state champion … Crowned champion at High School Nationals … Took title at Junior Nationals … Twin brother, Nick, also committed to the Sooners.
NICK LESTER
From Eureka, Mo. … Was a two-time Missouri state champion … Runner up at High School Nationals … Placed fifth at Junior Nationals … Ranked No. 86 overall in 2009 recruiting class … Ranked No. 11 in 152-pound weight class by both Intermat and Amateur Wrestling News … Projected college weight class is 141 pounds.
CLAY REEB
From Cheektowaga, N.Y. … Placed fourth in the New York state championships … Projected college weight is 157 pounds.
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