Little Rock opens its wrestling season at the Cowboy Invitational in Stillwater, where head coach Neil Erisman, associate head coach Albert White and assistant coach Chris Chionuma once competed for Oklahoma State. Their return to Gallagher-Iba Arena is both a personal homecoming and a chance to test the Trojans against elite competition. The coaches’ message to their wrestlers: trust the preparation, keep the moment in perspective and compete.

By the Numbers
  • 3 Little Rock coaches wrestled for Oklahoma State.
  • Chionuma graduated in 2013 and won a memorable match there, 3-2, against the No. 6 wrestler in the country.
Yes, But

The venue carries history and emotion for the coaches, but they don’t want its reputation—or the caliber of the opposition—to overwhelm the Trojans. Chionuma says wrestlers should focus on the competitor in front of them and execute.

Bottom Line

Little Rock’s season opener is more than a return to Stillwater for its coaches: it’s an early test of whether the Trojans can turn their preparation into performances against top-tier competition.