Standout Sprague wrestler Peña will attend Oregon State
Junior commits early but cannot sign with Beavers until next year
BILL POEHLERStatesman Journal
November 27, 2007
R.J. Peña has always been ahead of the curve.
As a 10-year-old, Peña was a triple crown national champion wrestler.
In his first two years at Sprague High School, Peña won state championships.
As a junior he has verbally committed to wrestle at Oregon State starting with the 2009-2010 school year.
"I kind of wanted to get all that stuff off my mind," said Peña, who plans to study medicine at Oregon State. "I knew before I committed that I was going there."
Peña won't be allowed to sign with Oregon State until this time next year at the earliest.
If the NCAA changes the National Letter of Intent early signing period for wrestling as it did for some sports this year, Peña may not be able to sign until February 2009.
"No. 1, is that the coaching staff from Iowa is there," said Sprague coach Kary Hadden, an Oregon State alumni. "I think we have one of the best staffs on the west coast, if not in the country.
"I think it's a great fit. I think he's going to be able to go in there and be a big impact his first year. What's going to be exciting here for us is he's going to be here local."
Peña had interest from other prominent college wrestling programs from all over the country, but chose to stay within a 30-minute drive of his hometown.
"He could have just about gone anywhere," Hadden said. "This time next year would have been really hectic with people flying in, flying him out. With doing this, he's going to save people a lot of money."
Peña won the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions last year as a sophomore and rocketed to the No. 1 national ranking.
The coaching staff of OSU's Jim Zalesky and Troy Steiner was impressed enough to offer the junior a scholarship to wrestle for them.
"I've known how good the coaches are," Peña said. "Zalesky's originally from Iowa. I know how good of coaches they are and I know that was the best program for me to be a national champion."
At Oregon State, Peña will join former Sprague teammate Keegan Davis, who is redshirting as a sophomore for the Beavers.
Unlike most wrestlers, though, Peña has committed early.
"It takes a lot of stress off of R.J.," Peña's father Roger said. "He's close to home, we can watch him wrestle, the coaches can watch him wrestle."
Another Sprague athlete has verbally committed to compete at Oregon State: Senior Tony Wilson to play football, who can't sign until February.
Junior commits early but cannot sign with Beavers until next year
BILL POEHLERStatesman Journal
November 27, 2007
R.J. Peña has always been ahead of the curve.
As a 10-year-old, Peña was a triple crown national champion wrestler.
In his first two years at Sprague High School, Peña won state championships.
As a junior he has verbally committed to wrestle at Oregon State starting with the 2009-2010 school year.
"I kind of wanted to get all that stuff off my mind," said Peña, who plans to study medicine at Oregon State. "I knew before I committed that I was going there."
Peña won't be allowed to sign with Oregon State until this time next year at the earliest.
If the NCAA changes the National Letter of Intent early signing period for wrestling as it did for some sports this year, Peña may not be able to sign until February 2009.
"No. 1, is that the coaching staff from Iowa is there," said Sprague coach Kary Hadden, an Oregon State alumni. "I think we have one of the best staffs on the west coast, if not in the country.
"I think it's a great fit. I think he's going to be able to go in there and be a big impact his first year. What's going to be exciting here for us is he's going to be here local."
Peña had interest from other prominent college wrestling programs from all over the country, but chose to stay within a 30-minute drive of his hometown.
"He could have just about gone anywhere," Hadden said. "This time next year would have been really hectic with people flying in, flying him out. With doing this, he's going to save people a lot of money."
Peña won the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions last year as a sophomore and rocketed to the No. 1 national ranking.
The coaching staff of OSU's Jim Zalesky and Troy Steiner was impressed enough to offer the junior a scholarship to wrestle for them.
"I've known how good the coaches are," Peña said. "Zalesky's originally from Iowa. I know how good of coaches they are and I know that was the best program for me to be a national champion."
At Oregon State, Peña will join former Sprague teammate Keegan Davis, who is redshirting as a sophomore for the Beavers.
Unlike most wrestlers, though, Peña has committed early.
"It takes a lot of stress off of R.J.," Peña's father Roger said. "He's close to home, we can watch him wrestle, the coaches can watch him wrestle."
Another Sprague athlete has verbally committed to compete at Oregon State: Senior Tony Wilson to play football, who can't sign until February.
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