It's been a very interesting off season in relation to the defensive backfield. Coach Heyward bolted north for more purple pastures, and OSU replaced him with NFL veteran Rod Perry. Corners Mishawn Cummings, Sean martin and Malcolm Marable have been suspended for off the field incidents and safety Josh LaGrone has again left the program. This on the heels of promising freshman safety Dax Dilbeck leaving the program last season.

While the numbers looked decent at first glance (2^nd in Pac-12 with 214 ypg), as we dig deeper OSU finished tied for 11^th with UCLA with 28 scores given up through the air. Their 7.4 yards per completion was 6^th in the conference and pass efficiency defense ranked them 9^th in the Pac-12.

Returners Jordan Poyer and Rashaad Reynolds highlight a very talented, but relatively young defensive backfield.

Cornerbacks

Jordan Poyer — Sr. 6-0 190 (Astoria, OR / Astoria)

Jordan has become one of the best shut down corners in the Pac-12 if not the nation. Named to the Pac-12 2^nd team as a junior, NFL Draft Analyst Mel Kiper has ranked Jordan as his #2 senior corner in the class of 2013. Poyer's instincts separate him from others and make up for his lack of 4.3 speed. Poyer is poised for a fantastic senior season and should make life easier for the left side of the defense. Poyer led the team in interceptions (4) and break ups (12) in 2011.

Rashaad Reynolds — Jr. 5-10 185 (Los Angeles, CA / San Fernando)

The growth of Reynolds in his sophomore season was remarkable and he has become a very reliable corner opposite Poyer. His size is often brought into question, but his tenacity shouldn't; Reynolds was fifth on the team in tackles with 68 and had the most solo tackles (49). Reynolds is a pure athlete and like Poyer played quarterback in high school which has helped his knowledge of the game. Rashaad has put on five pounds over the off season and is a clear starter heading into spring ball.

Sean Martin — Jr. 6-0 183 (Corona, CA / Santiago)

His DUII arrest in February will determine where Martin stands on the depth chart to begin the spring, but as of now he is the best bet for a #2 spot behind the starters. Martin had shoulder surgery in 2010 and then suffered a season ending foot injury last year so his durability remains in question, but Martin has the tools to be successful and had a good fall camp last season. Getting through whatever suspension may come down is step one for Martin and after that it may just be a matter of opportunity.

Keynan Parker — Sr. 5-11 183 (New Westminster, BC / Thomas More Collegiate)

Parker has what u can't teach, speed. In fact he recently ran a 6.97 in the men's 60 and finished 4^th in his final earlier this spring. Parker has yet to show break through potential and may very well be featured on special teams in the return game. Parker seems to struggle with technique, but has speed to recover if out of position. Coach Perry should greatly help getting his technique where it needs to be. Keep an eye on Parker, he should see the field at some point this season.

Ones to Watch

Mishawn Cummings — Rs.So. 5-9 185 (San Jose, CA / Foothill CC) - Currently serving an indefinite suspension for 'violation of team rules', Riley stated that Cummings could be back as he was being punished for internal violation and not a legal violation.

Ryan Handford — Sr. 5-9 197 (New Brunswick, NJ / Santa Ana JC) - Look for Handford to make a push. He started really picking up the Beaver's system last season and he could see a push for back-up duty this fall.

Larry Scott — Rs.Fr. 5-11 180 (Corona, CA / Centennial) - Scott suffered a knee injury early in Fall Camp. He will be limited to individual drills this Spring as he works his way back and through the rehab process.

Safeties

Anthony Watkins — Sr. 6-1 218 (Burien, WA / Highline)

Watkins was solid at strong safety last season leading the team in tackles with 85. Where Watkins is strong in run support, he can improve in over the top pass defense. Some is due in part to the heavy emphasis OSU puts on safety run support, but Watkins gets caught with his eyes in the wrong spot at times. As a senior he has all the experience and knowledge he will need and with solid corners, Watkins should thrive at his strong safety position. NOTE: Watkins had shoulder surgery this winter and will not participate in Spring Camp. He is expected to be ready for Fall Camp.

Ryan Murphy — So. 6-3 209 (Oakland, CA / Oakland Tech)

Ryan Murphy saw ample time last season and showed glimpses of greatness. He's your prototypical sized safety and with his size brings great athleticism. Murphy finished 2011 with 29 tackles and a key goal line interception (his only one) against Washington which preserved a victory for OSU. Look for Murphy to really come out of his shell and begin to trust his instincts a little more. He was hesitant at times last year, but with another spring and fall under his belt I think Murphy will open a lot of eyes.

Tyrequek Zimmerman — So. 5-11 188 (St. Matthews, SC / Lawton (OK) )

Zimmerman has all the athleticism in the world and gained valuable game experience on special teams last season, playing in all 12 games and finishing with eight tackles. Zimmerman's ball skills are superior thanks to his background at receiver (recruited as a high-caliber receiver out of HS). The switch to safety has greatly benefit Zimmerman in terms of getting on the field early. While undersized, Zimmerman won't hesitate to lay the wood and plays with a great balance of smart/physical football. He's a star in the making.

Peter Ashton — Rs.Fr. 6-1 206 (Keller, TX / Faith Christian)

Ashton turned heads throughout the fall on the scout team. Sources said that he was tenacious and never took plays off. He was awarded a scout team award this month for his efforts. The big question mark is whether he will play safety or linebacker for the Beavers. Ashton was recruited as a quarterback, where he played for a week before moving over to the defensive side of the ball. Definitely one to keep an eye on this Spring and Fall.

Information via ESPN.com's Andy Katz:

Oregon State guard Jared Cunningham will "test" the NBA draft process, a source with direct knowledge told ESPN.com.

Cunningham intends to bypass the NCAA's April 10 deadline and see if he can get enough feedback to be a first-round pick and declare by the NBA's deadline of April 29, the source said.

The 6-foot-4 junior won't hire an agent, the source said, and doesn't have to announce by the NCAA deadline since he is considering the NBA deadline.

Oregon State coaches are seeking the counsel of the NBA to get a read on whether the Beavers' leading scorer (17.9 ppg) can crack the first round or be a second-round pick.

The loophole in the NCAA's new deadline is that players can still declare for the draft by April 29. However, players can no longer go back to school once they have officially declared their professional intentions. Players also are no longer able to work out for teams and then return to school.

Courtesy of osubeavers.com:

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Ryan Dunn's run-scoring single with one out in the ninth gave the 19th-ranked Oregon State baseball team a walkoff win over No. 5 Arizona, 6-5, on Friday in the series opener between the clubs at Goss Stadium.

Tyler Smith opened the ninth inning by reaching on an error on an infield fly that was mishandled by Arizona first baseman Robert Refsnyder. He then stole second on a Michael Conforto strikeout. Dylan Davis was intentionally walked in order to have Arizona reliever Matthew Troupe face Dunn, who took a 3-1 pitch and found a spot in the left center gap for the game-winning hit.

The win sent the Beavers to a 15-5 overall record and 4-0 mark in Pac-12 play, the best start to league for OSU since the 2005 club went 5-0. Arizona, meanwhile, dropped to 16-7 on the year and 2-2 in Pac-12 games.

Ben Wetzler started for the Beavers and would have improved to 5-0 this season had Arizona not scored four runs over its last two innings to tie the game at five. The left-hander worked 6 2/3 innings, scattering four hits and a run with seven strikeouts. He lowered his earned run average nearly a half-a-run, from 4.06 to 3.58, after the start.

Dunn's game-winning single was his third hit and second RBI of the game. He was joined offensively by Tyler Smith and Ryan Barnes, who had each two hits to help pace the club to 11 overall.

Oregon State found itself down one after Arizona scored in the first on a single by Seth Mejias-Brean. The Beavers, however, jumped on Arizona starter Kurt Heyer for three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Smith, the Beavers' second batter of the inning, drove home the first run on a double to left, then scored whenDylan Davis found the whole between short and third. Davis then scored when Ryan Dunn doubled to the left center gap.

OSU added solo runs in both the second and third innings. Michael Conforto, who came into the game with a league-leading 26 runs batted in, drove in No. 27 with a sharp single to center. He watched in the next inning as Ryan Barnes drove in OSU's fifth run of the game with another single up the middle.

Arizona tied the game with two in the eighth off OSU reliever Cole Brocker and two in the ninth off closer Tony Bryant. Bryant finished with the win after 1 2/3 innings in which he picked up two strikeouts. The Wildcats tied the game on an infield single by Alex Mejia that scored two. Mejia led Arizona with three hits.

Stephen Manthei took the loss to drop to 3-2 this season. Arizona started Kurt Heyer, who was touched for 10 hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Oregon State and Arizona continue the series Saturday at Goss Stadium. First pitch is slated for 2:05 p.m. PT. Catch the game live on the Beaver Sports Radio Network and Beaver Nation Online (osubeavers.com).

Tickets for the game are still available and can be purchased online at osubeavers.com or in person at the Goss Stadium ticket office, which opens two hours before first pitch.

Ryan Dunn Talks Walk-Off

Sunday's Rubber Match - Michael Conforto hit his fourth home run of the season and Matt Boyd scattered one run in 4 1/3 innings of relief but the 19th-ranked Oregon State baseball team dropped a 7-5 decision to No. 5 Arizona in the series finale Sunday at Goss Stadium.

Conforto hit a two-run home run in the fifth to pull the Beavers to within one, 6-5. Arizona's Alex Mejia, however, hit a solo home run off Boyd in the sixth - the reliever's only run allowed - to give Arizona the two-run lead for good.

Boyd worked in relief of starter Jace Fry and limited the Wildcats to three hits with four strikeouts. Fry ended the game with the loss, dropping him to 1-1, after allowing six hits and six runs - four earned - in 4 2/3 innings.

The Beavers held a 2-0 lead after two innings and then a 3-2 advantage after four. Arizona, however, scored four in the fifth - with two of the four earned - to take the lead for good. Robert Refsnyder had three hits to pace the Wildcats, who improved to 18-7 overall and 4-2 in Pac-12 Conference play. Mejia and Seth Mejias-Brean also had two hits.

James Farris picked up the win for Arizona after going 7 2/3 innings to improve to 3-1. He allowed six hits and five runs with two walks and six strikeouts.

Ryan Dunn led the Beavers (15-7, 4-2) with two hits.

Oregon State next plays Tuesday when the Beavers visit Portland at Joe Etzel Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT.

Courtesy of osubeavers.com:

CORVALLIS, Ore. - With snow falling hard outside Gill Coliseum, Oregon State's memorable season, which included its first 20-win campaign since 1990, came to end as the Beavers lost to Washington State, 72-55, in the semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational presented by Zebra Pen on Wednesday night.

Eric Moreland posted his third career double-double with a career-high 14 points and 11 rebounds, but the Beavers were playing without starting point guard Ahmad Starks, who fell ill prior to the tipoff. Without Starks, Oregon State struggled offensively missing his 12.1 points per game, three assists and his three-point shooting prowess against the tough Cougar defense.

"The sickness came on suddenly; we aren't sure if it's the flu or food poisoning," fourth-year head coach Craig Robinson said. "He was fine at the shoot-around. I would have put him in if he could have gone, but he could barely stay on the bench."

WSU controlled the pace of the game from start to finish, building as much as an 18-point lead in the second half. The Beavers trailed 39-29 at intermission and could only reduce the deficit to nine points twice in the second half. Ultimately the Beavers were done in by subpar shooting, converting on just 38 percent of its shots on the evening after hitting at a 65 percent clip the previous two CBI games.

OSU never led in the game, but stayed within two points in the first half until WSU pulled away in the final 6:30 of the opening period with a 20-12 spurt.

Despite the tough night from the floor, Oregon State finished the season averaging 78.9 points per game, a new program record, besting the 78.4 the 1989-90 squad averaged per contest. Defensively, the Beavers also set a new high mark with 328 steals in 2011-12, including 91 swipes from Jared Cunningham, which equals Gary Payton (1988-89) and Lester Conner (1981-82) for the second-most in a season in Oregon State history.

Cunningham scored 13 points and finished the season in 13th for career scoring at the school with 1,271 points. Mel Counts (1963) is the only junior in OSU history to score more points in his third year in Corvallis than Cunningham's 645.

"There has been no decision made about Jared returning for his senior season," Robinson said. "My take on it, if it's the right decision for Jared than I'm all for it. He's been a terrific teammate during this whole season and every time someone would ask about his future he always kept them at bay out of respect to his team and the program. I told him at the end tonight that `I hope it's not your last game, but if it is - thank you.'"

Washington State (18-16) got a career-high 23 points from Abe Lodwick while Reggie Moore added 22. The Cougars played nearly the whole game without starting forward Brock Motum, who sprained his ankle early in the contest.

In addition to his third career double-double, Moreland also had one blocked shot in the game to set the Oregon State single-season record with 69, besting Scott Haskin's 68 in 1991-92.

The future is extremely bright following this year's 21-15 season, its best since winning 22 games in 1989-90, as the team may only lose senior Kevin McShane.

"It's an exciting to think about next season," Robinson said. "We have worked really hard to put this team together and we saw flashes this season of what we envision for the future. We have a long way to go, but I love this team's work ethic and I think we will be competing at the top of the league next year."

Game Highlights: 1st Half / 2nd Half

Coach Robinson Post Game Interview

In a year that was to be spent getting a program back on it's feet, the OSU women's basketball team exceeded all expectations and showed that a will to achieve is all that's needed, that and a head coach who really knows his stuff.

OSU reached the 20 win mark for just the fourth time in two decades and not since the 2008-'09 season when coincidentally they posted an identical 9-9 conference record and lost in the 3rd round of the NIT.

After a hard fought, back-and-forth affair with Washington last night, OSU's dream season came to an end losing to the Huskies 49-55. OSU's lead grew to as much as nine in the first half, but Washington went on a run to even things up at 25 headed into half time.

OSU's stifling defense held the Huskies to just 28.1% shooting, going 9-32 from the field. While the defensive effort was on point, OSU struggled from beyond the arc making just two of their 10 attempts in the first half.

Where OSU succeeded in the first half, Washington was able to make half time adjustments and shot 40.9% in the second half in route to their win and a spot in the NIT quarterfinals. 19 OSU turnovers and a -7 rebounding margin that led to 15 second chance points doomed the Beavers in the end, but proud doesn't begin to describe what Beaver Nation feels for the group of girls that once again brought hope back to OSU women's basketball.

Much praise goes to 2nd year head man Scott Rueck, who just a season ago held open tryouts in hopes of piecing back together a fractured roster with just four players still on board from the previous regime.

Rueck worked his magic over the next 19 months and now has OSU well on the road to recovery and more than over the proverbial hump. When speaking about his team and their accomplishments, winning 11 more games than a season ago, there was no lack of admiration as he told osubeavers.com:

"It is incredible what this group has done," head coach Scott Rueck said. "We didn't have a team two years ago, and this is the fourth season in the last 20 years where Oregon State has achieved 20 wins. This team broke records all year long, for example we have the second-best shot blocker in the history of the Pac-12 conference. Also, we have a first team All-Conference, an All-Freshman and a top defensive player. What this team did was incredible this year, which cannot be understated. I am most proud of the way we did it, and what it does to our future. The legacy of this team will live on here, and they have moved us a couple steps ahead in the rebuilding process."

With Earlysa Marchbaks being the only senior, the future indeed is bright for Rueck's squad moving forward. A leader on and off the court, Marchbanks led the team in scoring (12.5), rebounds (7.6) and steals (75). Looking back, she has no regrets choosing OSU and sticking it out through the tough times.

"I couldn't be more proud," Marchbanks said. "Coming here was definitely a good decision. Looking back at last season and this one shows a complete turnaround. I am so proud of the team and of everything we have worked for. We come into the gym, and we are ready to learn and work hard. We have done that all year and proven it on the court. To lose now hurts, but to get to the WNIT and into the Sweet 16 is more than a lot of other teams can say that they have done. Overall, I am very proud of us."

Coach Rueck / Earlysia Marchbanks Post-Game Interview

Oregon State (21-14) made easy work of the Mountain West's TCU Horned Frogs last night in front of 2,315 winning 101-81 to advance to the final four of the College Basketball Invitational.

OSU will play host to a familiar foe in Washington State (17-16) whom they last saw in round one of the Pac-12 Tournament, winning 69-64. Prior to that, Washington State had won both match ups in the regular season.

TCU brought a very talented group to Corvallis, many of whom earned All-Conference honors at season's end. Sr. guard Hank Thorns Jr. - 1st Team, Sr. guard J.R. Cadot - 3rd Team, Fr. guard Kyan Anderson Freshman of the Year, and So. forward Amric Fields Sixth Man of the Year.

Even with the step up in competition from Western Illinois the game before, OSU wasted no time asserting dominance over the Horned Frogs and quickly jumped out to a 21-8 lead just eight minutes in. The lead was pushed to 25, but with a minute remaining in the first half TCU hit back to back threes to give them a glimmer of hope heading into half time down 53-34.

Through the first half OSU was as efficient as they have been on the offensive side of the court all season, going 22-32 (68.8%) from the field and sinking 4-6 (66.7%) from long range. Defensively OSU held TCU to 30.8% field goals and forced 18 3-point shots.

TCU made a late run mid-way through the 2nd half, cutting OSU's lead to just 13, but after a three from Cunningham and a pretty Moreland-to-Cunningham alley-oop OSU went up 18 and shut the door on any come back hopes TCU may have had.

The Beavers finished 39-60 (65%) from the field and 16-22 from the charity stripe, which has been an adventure this season. Coach Craig Robinson was able to clear his bench last night as every OSU player that was dressed down logged minutes.

OSU hopes to move to the best-of-three championship series versus the winner of Butler vs.Pitt. It should be a great atmosphere inside Gill Coliseum this Wednesday at 7:00pm when the Cougars come to town with the CBI Finals riding in the balance.

Angus Brandt / Jared Cunningham Post Game

## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
15 Moreland, Eric...... f  1-3    0-0    2-2    1  9 10   3   4  2  1  2  0  26
44 Collier, Devon...... f  9-10   0-0    1-2    2  3  5   1  19  4  2  2  1  27
12 Brandt, Angus....... c  7-10   2-2    6-7    0  2  2   2  22  2  0  0  0  18
01 Cunningham, Jared... g 10-12   2-2    5-6    0  2  2   2  27  3  2  2  2  30
03 Starks, Ahmad....... g  3-8    1-5    0-0    0  7  7   2   7  4  3  0  2  30
00 McShane, Kevin......    2-3    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   2   4  0  0  0  0   6
02 Barton, Challe......    1-1    1-1    0-0    0  2  2   3   3  1  2  0  1  15
10 Jones, Daniel.......    0-0    0-0    1-3    0  0  0   0   1  0  0  0  0   1
11 Burton, Joe.........    5-7    0-0    0-0    1  3  4   2  10  5  3  0  1  21
13 Murphy, Rhys........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  1   2
24 Mitchell, C.J.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  2  0  0   2
31 Powers, Jullian.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  1   1
55 Nelson, Roberto.....    1-6    1-3    1-2    0  2  2   1   4  3  0  0  1  21
   TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   39-60   7-13  16-22   4 31 35  18 101 24 15  6 10 200

The Oregon State Beavers (14-5, 3-0) traveled to soggy Berkeley, California for their first Pac-12 series of the young 2012 season and things couldn't have gone any better. After rain postponed the Friday affair, OSU took both games in Saturday's double header, beating #18 California 9-2 and then turning around and winning 4-1 and earned the series sweep with a commanding 13-5 victory on Sunday. OSU is 3-0 in conference play and will next head home to host the Arizona Wildcats (16-4, 2-1).

Saturday Game 1 - OSU 9  California 2

Ben Wetzler went in game 1 on Saturday and moved to 4-0 with a another very strong performance going 8 full innings and allowing six hits, two earned runs, walked two and struck out four. Wetzler has stepped his game up in the previous two outings and has solidified himself as the Friday starter and OSU's clear cut #1. Ryan Gorton saw action, closing out the game's final inning with one punch out as OSU was able to save some of their bigger bullpen arms.

On the offensive side the bats began to come alive as OSU put up runs in six of the nine frames on pace to their 9-2 victory. OSU tallied 14 hits and eight RBI's in game one and was led by Tyler Smith who drove in two of the nine going 3-4.

Tyler Smith:  3-4, 2RBI
Jake Rodriguez: 2-4, R, RBI, K
Max Gordon: 2-3, 2R, BB
John Tommasini: 1-3, R, 2RBI, BB, K
Ryan Dunn: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K

Ben Wetzler Post-Game Interview

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Oregon State........ 110 210 220 -  9 14  1
California.......... 200 000 000 -  2  6  4
-------------------------------------------

Saturday Game 2 - OSU 4  California 1

In his last outing, OSU sophomore righty Dan Child went 8.1 innings to earn his first victory of the season, allowing just five hits and one earned run against Illinois. Saturday was a repeat performance against an arguably much better team in California. Child toed the rubber and worked 8 innings with five hits, no earned runs given up, one walk and six strike outs. Tony Bryant saw his first action of the weekend, earning his team high fourth save in one inning of work striking out one.

Hits were much harder to come by in game two as OSU could muster just four hits on the afternoon. Three more errors by Cal after four in game one aided the OSU victory as no Beaver recorded more than one hit in the second of Saturday's double dip. Ryan Dunn's solo shot in the fourth highlighted the tough offensive night for both teams.

Dylan Davis: 1-3, R, RBI
Ryan Dunn: 1-3, R, RBI (HR), K
Jake Rodriguez: 1-4, RBI

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Oregon State........ 200 100 001 -  4  4  2
California.......... 000 010 000 -  1  5  3

Sunday - OSU 13  California 5

After a good nights rest and the series already won, OSU came out, bats-a-blazing and put up 13 runs on 17 hits to earn the series sweep in impressive fashion. Freshman Jace Fry started his second game of his young OSU career and looked stronger than his last outing, going five full to earn his first collegiate win as a Beaver. Fry got into a little trouble in the second inning, allowing Cal to jump back in the game with three runs that pulled them within two after OSU put up five in the first two frames. But Fry settled down and worked out of trouble in the third and finished with 92 pitches (66 was his previous high) proving that he can be extended if needed. Fry's line: 7 hits, 3 earned runs, 4 free passes, and four punch outs.

OSU utilized the arms of Taylor Starr, Zack Reser, Cole Brocker and Matt Boyd the rest of the way. The bullpen allowed just four hits and one run the rest of the way and more impressively, did not walk a Cal batter.

At the plate, OSU could do no wrong, 12 RBI's on 17 hits and 13 runs is impressive no matter who  you're playing, especially on the road in Pac-12 play. The story of the day were the six RBI's by OSU freshman Michael Conforto who continues to rip the leather off the ball. Kavin Keyes' bat finally came to life as he led OSU with four hits on the day. OSU was aggressive from the first pitch and took game three leaving no doubt who the better team was over the weekend.

Michael Conforto: 3-5, 6RBI, K
Kavin Keyes: 4-5, 3R
Tyler Smith: 3-5, 3R, RBI, BB
Max Gordon: 1-2, 3R, 2RBI
John Tommasini: 1-4, 2R, RBI, BB, K
Ryan Barnes: 2-5, 2R, K

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Oregon State........ 143 014 000 - 13 17  2
California.......... 030 011 000 -  5 11  3
-------------------------------------------

Extra Notes:

• Ryan Dunn's 12 game hit streak was snapped on Sunday, he was 18-42 (.429) in that stretch with 2 HR.
• OSU is 9-1 in their last 10 games and has averaged 8.8 runs per game.
• The Beavers have won eight of the last 10 series dating back to last season.
• The 3-0 start in league play is OSU's best since the 2005 season.
• Pitchers have given up just 10 runs in the past 52 innings for a 1.73 ERA and .198 opponent batting average.
• OSU starters faced 60 of Cal's 66 batters in Saturday's double-header.
• The Beavers have seven hitters in double digit RBI's and five batters hitting over .300 (two over .400)
• OSu pitchers have struck out 117 batters while walking 71.
• OSU's fielding percentage very low at .963 (29 errors).

Courtesy of osubeavers.com:

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Oregon State wrestling team finished in 10th place at the 2012 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships getting their best finish since 2001 when they placed 18th.

Clayton Jack finished in fourth place overall in the heavyweight class. This is Jack's third trip to the NCAA Championships during his career at Oregon State, and it is his first All-American honor.

Jack was defeated in the third place match by the no. 10 seeded Michael McMullan of Northwestern by a 10-5 decision. Jack's first match of the day was the consolation bracket semifinals where he met no. 5 seeded Bobby Telford of Iowa. In a close match, Jack was victorious winning via decision 2-0. Jack has moved into ninth place all-time at Oregon State in career wins with 121.

Mike Mangrum became the first 141 pound wrestler to earn All-American status since 1998. He placed fifth overall in his third consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships.

In the fifth place match, Mangrum faced familiar foe Hunter Stieber of Ohio State, who he had already lost to once in the tournament this week. After a tough first period, Mangrum chose down to start the second and was able to get a reversal and pin Stieber.

In Mangrum's consolation bracket semfinal match, he faced another ranked opponent in no. 2 seeded Kendric Maple, but unfortunately was defeated and sent to the fifth place match.

Scott Sakaguchi competed in the seventh place match against Nick Lester of Oklahoma. Sakaguchi defeated Lester via1-0 decision in a hard fought battle that came down to riding time. Sakaguchi finished in seventh place overall to earn All-American status.

RJ Pena was awarded for his dominating performance during the regular season with the 2012 Division I Most Falls Award. Pena recorded 20 pins during the regular season.

This is the first time since 1995 that Oregon State has had more than two All-Americans. The Beavers only had one All-American in 2011 with Colby Covington finishing fifth in the 174 pound weight class.

Oregon State Individual Results — Complete Tournament Results

125 Pounds
Champ. Round 1 — Pat Rollins (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — No. 3 Alan Waters (MIZZ) technical fall Pat Rollins (OSU), 15-0
Cons. Round 2 — Pat Rollins (OSU) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 — Pat Rollins (OSU) decision Coltin Fought (NCSU), 3-2
Cons. Round 4 — Pat Rollins (OSU) decision No. 9 Levi Mele (NW) 6-4
Cons. Round 5 — Trent Sprenkle (NDSU) major decision Pat Rollins (OSU), 9-1
Did not place — Earned 1.50 team points

133 Pounds
Champ. Round 1 — Garrett Drucker (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — Jordan Thome (ARMY) fall Garrett Drucker (OSU), F; 4:20
Cons. Round 2 — Garrett Drucker (OSU) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 — Mason Beckman (LEHIGH) major decision Garrett Drucker (OSU), 11-1
Did not place

141 Pounds
Champ. Round 1 — No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU) decision Josh Kindig (OKST), OT; 6-4
Champ. Round 3 — No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU) decision William Ashnault (RUTG), 6-4
Quarterfinal — No. 5 Hunter Stieber (Ohio St) decision No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU), 6-5
Cons. Round 6 — No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU) decision Mitchell Port (EDIN) 6-4
Cons. Round 7 — No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU) decision Michael Nevinger (CORN), 9-3
Cons. Semis — No. 2 Kendric Maple (OKLA) fall No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU), F; 4:09
Fifth Place — No. 4 Mike Mangrum (OSU) fall No. 5 Hunter Stieber (Ohio St), F; 4:14
Placed Fifth Overall — Earned 13.00 team points

149 Pounds
Champ. Round 1 — Scott Sakaguchi (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — Scott Sakaguchi (OSU) decision Matthew Nereim (NCSU), 8-4
Champ. Round 3 — No. 1 Frank Molinaro (PSU) decision Scott Sakaguchi (OSU), 6-5
Cons. Round 4 — Scott Sakaguchi decision No. 11 Taylor Walsh (IND), 7-4
Cons. Round 5 — Scott Sakaguchi decision Kaleb Friedley (NW), 4-1
Cons. Round 6- Scott Sakaguchi decision No. 2 Jamal Parks (OKST), OT; 4-2
Cons. Round 7 — No. 10 Cam Tessari (Ohio St) decision Scott Sakaguchi (OSU), 4-1
Seventh Place — Scott Sakaguchi (OSU) decision Nick Lester (OKLA), 1-0
Placed Seventh Overall — Earned 7.50 team points

157 Pounds
Champ. Round 1 — RJ Pena (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — RJ Pena (OSU) decision Corey Mock (UNC), 7-1
Champ. Round 3 — No. 2 Derek St. John (IOWA) decision RJ Pena (OSU), 8-4
Cons. Round 4 — RJ Pena (OSU) major decision Josh Demas (Ohio St), 11-1
Cons. Round 5 — No. 4 Walter Peppelman fall RJ Pena (OSU), F; 2:29
Did not place — Earned 3.50 team points

184 Pounds
Champ. Round 1 — Ty Vinson (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — No. 11 Ben Clymer (HOFS) decision Ty Vinson (OSU) 1-0
Cons. Round 2 — Ty Vinson (OSU) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 — Thomas Ferguson (UNC) decision Ty Vinson (OSU), 7-4
Did not place

197 Pounds
Champ. Round 1 — Taylor Meeks (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — Morgan McIntosh (PSU) decision Taylor Meeks (OSU), 9-3
Cons. Round 2 — Taylor Meeks (OSU) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 — Taylor Meeks (OSU) decision Brandon Palik (DREX), 5-2
Cons. Round 4 — No. 11 Micah Burak (PENN) decision Taylor Meeks (OSU), 4-2
Did not place — Earned 1.00 team point

Heavyweight
Champ. Round 1 — No. 3 Clayton Jack (OSU) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 — No. 3 Clayton Jack (OSU) decision Benjamin Apland (MICH) 4-1
Champ. Round 3 — No. 3 Clayton Jack (OSU) technical fall Kevin Innis (BU), 17-2
Quarterfinal — No. 3 Clayton Jack decision No. 6 Cameron Wade (PSU), 7-0
Semifinal — No. 2 Anthony Nelson (MINN) decision No. 3 Clayton Jack (OSU), 4-3
Cons. Semifinal — No. 3 Clayton Jack (OSU) decision No. 5 Bobby Telford (IOWA), 2-0
Third Place Match — No. 10 Michael McMullan (NW) decision No. 3 Clayton Jack (OSU), 10-5
Placed Fourth Overall — Earned 15.00 team points

While the crowd was under 2,000 and the play was, at times, quite sloppy, Oregon State (20-14) coasted to a 80-59 victory against the clearly over-matched and under-manned Western Illinois Leathernecks. The win is OSU's 20th of the 2012 season and more importantly propels them into the 2nd round of the College Basketball Invitational where they will play host to the TCU Horned Frogs (18-14) on Monday @ 7:00pm inside Gill Coliseum.

OSU raced out to a 16-2 lead and it looked as if the Leathernecks may be run out of Gill before half time, however a multitude of turnovers and lackadaisical play allowed W. Illinois back in the game and headed into halftime down just 10 at 44-34. Given the early dominance by the Beavers, letting W. Illinois back in the game before the break probably had Beaver fans scratching their heads and wondering where the defense was.

Coming out of halftime the Beavers stepped up their defensive game and made life difficult for the Leathernecks, holding them to just 32.4% from the field after allowing them to shoot 54.2% in the first half. A 15-6 run early in the 2nd half put OSU up 61-43 and all but sealed the deal on OSU's sixth CBI win in three years. Remember OSU won the 2009 CBI Championship.

OSU was led by Jared Cunningham who finished with 22 points on 9-14 shooting and added eight boards, five assists, three steals and a thunderous alley-oop dunk delivered by Ahmad Starks. Cunningham seemed to be playing very loose, creating offense anytime he wanted and hit a milestone in the process. Jared passed the great Gary Payton for 2nd place on the all-time junior scoring list with 605 points and moved to 16h on OSU's all-time scoring list with 1,231 points.

Ahmad Starks continued his hot streak, shooting 50% from the field (2-5 from deep) and was 2nd to Cunningham with 16 points. Starks also added four assists and two take-aways and with his two three pointers, set the Oregon State sophomore record with 78.

Perhaps the most noticeable player outside of Cunningham was freshman Eric Moreland who's defensive game has really picked up over the 2nd half of the season. Moreland finished the game with five blocked shots, four points and six boards in 29 minutes. With an off season to put on weight and become stronger inside and in his lower half, the sky is the limit for Moreland, who some feel could become one of the most dominant shot blockers in the country.

The Beavers will continue their run to the CBI Championship this Monday when TCU travels to the Pacific Northwest for a 7:00pm tip-off. TCU finished 5th in the Mountain West Conference. TCU ranks 89th in the nation in points (71.5), 262nd in rebounds (32.7), 116th in assists (13.5) and 117th in field goal percentage (43.3%).

Tickets for Monday's game will go on sale beginning Thursday at 9 a.m. to Beaver Athletic Student Fund members and season ticket holders. All fans may purchase tickets beginning at 9 a.m. Friday at 1-800-GO-BEAVS or at the Gill Coliseum ticket window. Oregon State students will once again get free tickets beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at Gill Coliseum.

Post-Game Press Conference / Game Highlights

Extra Notes:

OSU out-rebounded the Leathernecks 37-15.
OSU forced 17 turnovers (nine steals) but committed 23 turnovers of their own.
OSU went 15-17 from the charity stripe (88.2%) while W. Illinois made just 2-4.
OSU had nine blocked shots.
OSU scored 42 points in the paint to W. Illinois' 20.

Courtsey of osubeavers.com:

Corvallis, Ore. - The Oregon State women's basketball team has been selected to play in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, announced Monday night. The Beavers will play UC Davis on Thursday, Mar. 15 in Gill Coliseum.

Game time will be announced later today.

The Beavers earned an at-large berth into the WNIT after finishing tied for fifth in the Pac-12 Conference in regular season play.

Tickets to the WNIT will be available beginning Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. by visiting the ticket office in Gill Coliseum or by calling 1-800-GOBEAVS only.

Season ticket holders are able to purchase their own seats beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Season ticket holders can only purchase their regular season seats by visiting the ticket office or calling 1-800-GOBEAVS. They can not be purchased online. Season ticket locations not purchased by Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. will be made available to the public on Tuesday, beginning at 6:00 p.m. online, and all other tickets are available online then as well.

Reserved tickets are $11, and adult general admission seats are $8. Senior/youth tickets are $6 while Oregon State students can get tickets to the game for $4 with a student ID card (limit one ticket per student).

Oregon State comes into the WNIT with an 18-12 overall record after finishing the Pac-12 regular season with a 9-9 mark. The Beavers finished the season tied for fifth with UCLA. Paired with Washington State at the Pac-12 Tournament, after earning the sixth seed due to the league's tiebreaker rules, the Beavers narrowly lost to the Cougars, 65-56.

It is the first WNIT trip for the Beavers under head coach Scott Rueck. The Beavers have made the WNIT eight times with a 12-6 record, winning two national titles in 1980 and 1982. Oregon State's last trip was in 2009.

UC Davis finished the regular season 17-12, falling to Pacific in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament. Oregon State is 1-0 all-time against the Aggies, winning 66-56 in Gill Coliseum on November 26, 2006.

Other teams in Oregon State's portion of the bracket include Saint Mary's and UNLV, which the winner of the Oregon State/UC Davis contest will face, Washington, Cal Poly, Utah, Utah State, Pacific, Arizona State, San Diego, Cal State Northridge, Texas Tech, Eastern Illinois, Tulane and Mississippi Valley State.

For more information on the WNIT and to see a full bracket, visit www.womensnit.com.