Shane VernonThe Sooner 157-pounder, who InterMat has ranked No. 11, has overcome adversity as a youngster -- and ongoing struggles to be the starter for Oklahoma -- to experience a successful start to the 2009 season. Vernon has an 11-2 record as of this writing, including a big, end-of-match win over Neil Erisman of Oklahoma State on November 30.
A rude welcome
Shane Vernon was born in Albuquerque. At age 5, his parents separated, and he -- along with his sister and younger brother Seth, who wrestles 141 for Oklahoma -- remained with their dad, Rian. (Shane disclosed that he hasn't seen his mother "in years.")
Early in Shane Vernon's life, his family moved to Arkansas for about a year, then returned to Albuquerque. It was back in New Mexico that he started wrestling.
"I was seven years old. I was introduced to wrestling at age 7 by my dad, who tells me he was 'an average to above-average wrestler in high school in New Mexico.'"
Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)With that in mind, Rian Vernon moved his kids to the Sooner State. "When we first moved to Oklahoma, it was kinda rough," said Shane Vernon. "We stayed in a hotel in Tulsa. Woke up one morning, saw that our Ryder truck was stolen, with all our stuff inside. It made the local news, which ended up being a blessing. Folks saw our story, gave us a place to stay, clothes, furniture."
"Later, we saw kids on what looked like our bikes, wearing shirts that said 'Manzano' -- that's a school in New Mexico."
"We asked them where they got the stuff. They said it was from their dad. He had died in a drug raid. They showed us other stuff he had given them, that was ours."
High school success
Shane Vernon went to Union High School for one year, then transferred to Broken Arrow High just outside Tulsa, which he described as "having a good reputation in wrestling ... They were usually ranked No. 1 or 2 before we got there."
By his own admission, Shane Vernon lost seven or eight matches his freshman year -- "three to one guy, and two to another." He wrestled at 140 pounds, and was runner-up in the Oklahoma high school state finals.
In his sophomore year, Vernon moved up to 145 pounds, and won the 2003 Oklahoma 5A state title.
Junior year brought even more mat accomplishments. Shane Vernon won his second Geary Tournament, defeating frequent high school foe Newly McSpadden (former Oklahoma State wrestler) in the finals, and earning Outstanding Wrestler honors. After wrestling the regular season at 152 pounds, Vernon jumped to 160 for the 2004 Oklahoma state championships, winning his second 5A title.
Shane Vernon capped off his final year of high school competition with an undefeated season, a third Oklahoma state title (this time, at 152), and was a Reno Tournament of Champions winner.
In addition, Vernon was a three-time All-American at the Cadet/Junior Nationals in Fargo, placing eighth his sophomore year, sixth his junior year, and, in his senior year, runner-up in the finals to future University of Iowa wrestler Ryan Morningstar.
Welcome to the Sooners
When asked how he came to wrestle at Oklahoma, Shane Vernon responded, "I didn't know much about colleges, other than, as a kid, I wanted to go to Iowa."
Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)As a freshman during the 2005-2006 season, Shane Vernon competed in open tournaments, but then had knee surgery that took him off the mat.
The following year, Vernon took a redshirt, and, as he described it, "Had lots of fun, went out too much, but it had repercussions, and I did poorly in school."
"I looked at various options. I saw that I had gotten As in my economics classes, so that's my major now ... It's really interesting. Requires a lot of critical thinking, which suits me well. I tend to analyze things, and that ties in well with econ, and with wrestling, too."
In the 2007-2008 season as a redshirt sophomore, Shane Vernon compiled a 13-5 record, mostly in tournaments ... including a championship at the Wilkes, and runner-up at the Oklahoma Open. He was 3-2 in dual-meet competition, but found himself at the losing end of a number of wrestle-offs -- or "ranking matches" as they are called at Oklahoma -- to teammate Chad Terry, who then became the principal starter at 157 for the Sooners.
Last season, Shane Vernon was the starter before Christmas, placing second at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic, and at the Oklahoma Open (losing to Chad Terry in the finals).
"After Christmas, I lost some matches that Coach Spates thought I should've won," disclosed Vernon. "I got ranked, Chad beat me (in ranking matches). I couldn't get out of a slump for about a month. Hurt my confidence to the point where I was about to quit -- I was inches from it."
"I had wrestled so hard, and thought, 'what else can I do?'"
"I took the whole summer off, cleared my head."
Coming back, with a vengeance
Shane Vernon started this season -- his fifth year at Oklahoma -- "beyond out of shape."
However, in working out, the redshirt senior "started to feel better, and get into serious shape, then got sick right before the ranking match. I lost to Chad. We then had another ranking match, and this time, I pinned Chad.
Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)Despite that great start, Vernon described the November 30 Bedlam Series dual with Oklahoma State at the Fieldhouse in Norman as "a turning point."
At the time, Vernon was ranked No. 9 at 157, while his opponent, Neil Erisman, was ranked eighth.
A bit of background: The Bedlam Series is one of the all-time great college wrestling rivalries in nation. Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State has been an annual event since 1920, with the twice-a-year Bedlam Series format going back more than 75 years.
The Vernon-Erisman match was the first of the evening at the Bedlam dual. The first period ended with no score. Erisman started the second on top, riding Vernon for nearly a half-minute before the Sooner scored an escape. In the third, Erisman escaped from the down position to knot the score at 1-1. In the closing seconds of the match, there was a scramble, with Vernon scoring a takedown with just six seconds left to win the match in regulation, 3-1.
Why was it a turning point? "To beat a top ten guy in front of all the OU fans," responded Vernon. "It felt great to get that win to spark the team at the beginning of the Bedlam dual." (The dual ended with a 16-16 tie.)
Since that win, Shane Vernon competed in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in early December, which he described as "the toughest in my college career," bringing together wrestlers from 44 of the top collegiate programs in the entire nation. "We viewed it as a mini Nationals. Really dense with talent -- all the top 20 wrestlers. A battle in every match."
Vernon won his first two matches against opponents from Western State College and Ohio State before being sent to the consolation bracket by Chase Pami of Cal Poly. Vernon eventually placed seventh at the tournament.
Henson helps turn things around
Shane Vernon gives credit to this season's success to Sammie Henson, who was hired as head assistant coach in June.
Sammie Henson"When Sammie came in, he turned things around for me," said Vernon. "I can't point to any one single thing that he has done, but he has been a tremendous help to me."
Another change this season that suits Shane Vernon just fine: Fewer ranking matches.
"(Ranking matches) are hardest on my mind," said the 157 pounder. "It was hard for me to focus on my next dual meet match when I was thinking about the ranking match."
When asked about going up against Chad Terry -- in practice, in ranking matches, and at open tournaments -- Shane Vernon replied, "Every match is close. We know each other's moves so well."
"Off the mat, we're good friends. We hang out together ... That kinda makes it harder. We both want the same position."
Continuing on the subject of reported internal rivalries, Vernon said, "Some people think that Will Rowe (Oklahoma's 149-pounder) and I are enemies, but nothing could be further from the truth. We're best friends."
That comment led to the subject of fan comments posted at online wrestling discussion groups and forums. Asked how he handles those comments, Shane Vernon responded, "I just laugh. They like to think they know what's going on ... I usually don't read that stuff. If I find out about something, it's from friends ... I take it as a compliment if they're talking about me."
Shane Vernon also talked about what it's like to have younger brother Seth with him at Oklahoma: "I've grown up with him in the same wrestling room pretty much all my life, so it's no big deal. Actually, it's awesome. In fact, we lived together for two years. He's a great kid, majoring in religious studies. Even though I'm the older brother, I actually look up to him."
Keeping Shane Vernon grounded
As for his life off the mat and out of the Oklahoma wrestling room, Shane Vernon doesn't really have any hobbies to help him unwind ... but gave credit to two women in his life who help make him who he really is: his girlfriend, and his grandmother.
Shane Vernon (Oklahoma Sports Information)In talking about his strong bonds with his grandparents and his dad, Shane Vernon singled out his grandmother for particular praise. "I think I get my toughness from her. She's battling cancer for a second time. She has been very much a mother to me."
What does the future hold for Shane Vernon? "I'm not sure what to do after school. I'm throwing around the idea of grad school. I'm thinking about either going for my masters and coaching, or, if I start working, I also might do some coaching."
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