Stillwater’s Corley will be a Tar Heel
11/15/2007
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Stillwater High’s Ky Corley doesn’t have to worry about impressing college wrestling coaches over the next four months. He took care of that before his final mat campaign started.
The Pioneer senior signed with the University of North Carolina on Wednesday.
“I was glad to get it done,” said Corley, a three-time state qualifier and finalist as a junior. “That’s why I signed early, so I can focus on getting better each day. It’s a relief.”
Corley, who has a lofty 94-12 career record, is the third straight Division I signee for SHS head coach Doug Chesbro. Lance Thompson (’06) and Walker Clarke (’07) both signed with Oklahoma State.
“No matter what happens, (UNC) is getting a tough, intelligent kid,” Chesbro said. “You throw in a 3.8 (GPA) and schools are willing to take a chance on somebody who might not be a state champion.
“I know Ky can relax now. He is pretty pumped about the whole thing.”
The process started over the summer.
“He’d been getting some letters, but nothing really serious. Getting hurt and missing Fargo probably hurt him a little bit as far as getting some attention,” Chesbro said. “He’s smart enough to know that he’s not on everybody’s radar, so I called some coaches and Ky put together a DVD of some matches from last year. You throw in his ability and what a quality young man he is and some coaches got interested in a hurry.”
Corley took a trip to Annapolis, Md., to visit the Naval Academy.
Two weeks ago, he flew to Chapel Hill, N.C., and immediately realized that was the place for him. He also took a trip to West Point to visit the Army program, coached by former OSU star Chuck Barbee.
“Everything is built around UNC in Chapel Hill,” Corley said. “It has a great college environment, everything is Carolina blue in that town. I guess (head coach CD Mock) liked what he saw in me and I felt like I really meshed with the team.”
UNC qualified two for the 2007 NCAA Championships and finished 48th as a team.
Corley is coming off a 28-3 campaign that included 17 bonus-point victories. After claiming the East Regional 125-pound title, Corley lost in the state finals to Broken Arrow’s Drew Partain.
As a sophomore, Corley was 32-3, the West Regional champion, and a bronze medalist at the state championships.
As a 112-pound freshman, Corley was the West Regional champion, 33-6 overall, and the third place finisher at the final tournament of the season.
Priority No. 1 — signing — was taken care of on Wednesday.
Priority No. 2 — winning that elusive state title — is next on the agenda.
The Pioneers open the season the first Saturday in December at the Ark City Tournament in Ark City, Kan.
