Zane Basma signs to wrestle for No. 4 University of Central Oklahoma
/By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
Charles Page High School senior Zane Basma recently signed a letter of intent to wrestle at the University of Central Oklahoma.
The three-time State Qualifier concluded his high school career with a 26-5 senior record and 88-30 career record. He failed to place in the State Tournament his sophomore or senior years, but took third as a junior.
Basma took tenth and eleventh in his first two seasons at the prestigious Kansas City Stampede, but sat out his senior year with an injury.
The Sandite was a two-time Jerry Billings Invitational Runner-Up and won the Sand Springs Bobby Lyons Invitational as a junior. He was also a two-time Perry Tournament of Champions Runner-Up.
As a sophomore Basma took fourth place at the Yukon Jay Hancock Memorial and the 6A-East Regional. Last season he took first place at Yukon, second at Regionals, and third at State.
This year, Basma at one point went on a seventeen-straight win streak, including going undefeated at the Owasso Ram Duals and Dual State Championship. In the District Duals he tied a national record for his weight class, pinning Putnam City West's Chance Strickland in only four seconds.
The UCO Bronchos compete in the Division II level of the NCAA and are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). The Bronchos are an annual powerhouse, holding seven national championships in NCAA Division II, and eight national championships in the National Association of Interscholastic Athletics. Their most recent title came in 2007.
UCO finished the most recent season ranked fourth in the nation with an undefeated 18-0 dual record. They qualified five athletes for the National Championship and two placed. They came in second at the MIAA Championships, fourth in the West Super Regional, and eighteenth at Nationals.
Basma spent the majority of this past season at 170 pounds, a spot that is currently stacked on the Broncho roster. The 174 pound position is currently occupied by redshirt freshman Miguel Barreras (38-9) who won three tournaments this season, including the MIAA Championship. UCO is a young team, and will only be graduating a single wrestler between 149 and 184, meaning Basma will have plenty of competition for a starting position.
