Oklahoma State wrestler Travis Wittlake set to 'prove myself' in key match at Oregon State
Not since his senior year of high school in 2018 has Travis Wittlake stepped on a wrestling mat in the state of Oregon.
Originally from Coos Bay, Wittlake is back in his home state five years later as he and the Oklahoma State wrestling team are set to take on Oregon State in Corvallis.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been back in Oregon wrestling,” said Wittlake, the Cowboys’ 13th-ranked redshirt senior who has a 9-1 record in his first season in the 184-pound weight class. “I’m really excited. I’ve got a lot of people coming out to watch. I think there’s gonna be a really big crowd.”
OSU and Oregon State will face off at 2 p.m. Sunday on the Pac-12 Network.
Wittlake is set to face No. 11 Trey Munoz, who is 15-3 this season, which provides a good test for Wittlake to show where he’s at in his new weight class.
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“He’s had some success at the weight,” Wittlake said of Munoz. “This will be my first time wrestling him. He’s definitely a guy I’d like to knock off to prove myself at the weight and show that I can wrestle here.”
This is the Cowboys’ second event in the last month, having rallied for a Bedlam victory in Norman on Dec. 11, then winning the team title behind three individual championships at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Jan. 1-2.
Wittlake was one of those individual champs at the Scuffle, along with Daton Fix at 133 pounds and Dustin Plott at 174.
Wittlake is wrestling two weight classes higher than the majority of his career. He had established himself as a two-time All-American at 165. But last season, injuries derailed his efforts and over the summer, he worked to bulk up to 184.
Coach John Smith believes Wittlake’s body was fighting against his work to stay at 165, and Wittlake’s health this season suggests the coach was right.
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“I like it because I don’t have to cut much weight, if any at all,” Wittlake said. “It’s nice for me, because I get to eat and stay hydrated. Don’t have to go hungry at all.
“I think it’s easier on my body. I’m able to lift more during the week and throughout the season. That’s helped me keep my body strong, keep my ligaments strong, avoid injury.”
Munoz is the son of Mark Munoz, who wrestled at Oklahoma State, winning a national title under Smith in 2001. Smith says this is the first time he can recall competing against the son of one of his former wrestlers.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him, and hopefully I’ll get to see Mark there as well,” Smith said.
With that unique angle, plus his return to Oregon, Wittlake could be feeling extra pressure to perform on Sunday, but he says college wrestling provides enough pressure without all the exterior storylines.
“Nothing really changes,” Wittlake said. “Just perform, have fun and put on a good show for my home crowd.”
OSU vs. Oregon State
WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Oregon (Pac-12 Network)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State wrestling: Travis Wittlake in key match vs Oregon State
