Cody Thorn
Jose Lazo likes where his Texas Wesleyan women’s wrestling program is heading into the final stretch of the season.
The Lady Rams are coming off a third-place finish at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 5 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The No. 6-ranked team in NAIA pulled off an upset along the way and ended with a 39-10 win over Providence (Montana) in the their-place match. No. 1 nationally-ranked Life (Georgia) picked up a win over No. 2 Menlo (California) in the finals.
“It was kind of like we had a mindset,” Lazo said. “We don’t get talked talked about a lot (online) but like it puts a chip on my shoulder. I’ve always kind of been in the underdog role. My girls picked up a little of my personality. We kind of talked that we believe who could try to take a national title; No one expected us … I guess not many pay attention to what we do and we go up there and place third.”
That was the highest finish in the program’s history, he said.
The tournament started with a 35-8 win over Eastern Oregon University.
Wins in that match were from Jolie Lucas, Jasmine Howard (Azle), Camille Fournier (Weatherford), Belene Rios (Frisco), Mattison Parker (V.R. Eaton), Mia Mohler (Leander Glenn) and Aalyah Villarreal (El Paso Hanks).
In the quarterfinals, the Fort Worth school knocked off No. 3-ranked Grand View (Iowa), 24-19….
