By Chuck Reherman, Sports Editor – When it came to deciding where he could continue his wrestling career and also get the best education for the field he wants to enter, it was an easy decision for Jaxen Gilmore.
Gilmore signed an NAIA letter-of-intent to wrestle at Oklahoma City University after he finishes his high school career.
OCU also has one of the top nursing programs in the country and that is the career that the Yukon senior wants to pursue.
Gilmore signed his letter Monday with his family, friends and members of the wrestling team watching.
“OCU was just a good fit for me,” Gilmore said. “I like the atmosphere, the coaches and the team. (Former Yukon wrestlers) Chase (Vincent) and Parker (Bohnanan) both go there and those are guys that I look to.
“Plus, I like blue, it’s new, but I like it,” he said. “They have a good nursing program and that it was I plan on doing in the future.
“They were national champions again, are close to home so family and friends can watch me wrestle.”
Gilmore is off to a good start this season with a 9-4 record. He has been a state placer the last three seasons and just finished eighth in the Reno Nationals.
Gilmore’s decision was helped that former (and now future) teammates Vincent and Bohanon wrestle for the Stars. Vincent is a freshman and Bohanon a redshirt junior.
“When I went an visited they told me how it was a good fit for them and we are all kind of the same, so it seems it would be a good fit for me.
“Their wrestling program is like tops in the state,” he said. “And, it is a private school and an expensive school, so they have top of the line gear. They have like actual functioning bodies that are like dummies and you work on them. Their training is tremendous.
“Everyone there is so welcoming and that is pretty cool,” he added. ‘And, the class sizes are not big, like they are in the teens and not the hundreds.”
Gilmore, who wrestles this year at 145, will wrestle at 149 for the Stars.
