NAIA Preview Series: #5 Texas Wesleyan

Texas Wesleyan’s Lexie Basham. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

by Jeremy Eusterwiemann
Twitter: @wiems19

Texas Wesleyan took big jumps as a team last year. They had an incredible performance at the National Invitational Tournament. In fact, the Rams had a solid squad throughout the season and it showed as they had 7 All-Americans in the end. They return 5 All-Americans and stud Lexie Basham who had herself a summer. With her leadership and addition of Jasmine Sands who should plug in right away and be an All-American threat, this team looks to continue to build and propel their program forward. Any tournament that the Rams are at will no doubt be an exciting one. 

Here’s a conversation with new head coach Jose Lazo.

What are your reflections on last season?
Last year was a breakout year for our women's program. We had 7 All-Americans, including a national champion, in our 3rd year. We return 5 of them, so we are excited to see the growth over this season and what we can accomplish in the upcoming months.

Talk about your returning class. Who are some of the women you have high expectations for this year?
We have high expectations for all our returning ladies. We are excited to see Madison Brown, a 2x All-American, get after again this year. Another 2x All-American, Camille Fournier, will be in the mix again for a top-place finish. Also returning is 1x All-American Devin Patton, who looks a lot stronger than last season and is looking to improve on her 7th-place finish. Gracie Lafferty is also one to follow, as she had a tremendous national tournament run to a 6th place finish. Mea Mohler, who was All-American two years ago, looks to make her mark again. Leilani Hernandez, who lost in the blood round, and Aalyah Villarreal, will make a huge impact this season.

Lastly, Lexie Basham will lead the way for this team. She has had an eventful year thus far, winning a national title, wrestling at Final X, and placing 5th at U23 Worlds. We are excited to see them get after it this season.

Talk about your incoming freshmen class. Who are you excited about and what are some of the names that you expect an immediate contribution from?
I am excited about the additions to the lineup this year. Jasmine Sands, who was on the team, will be a force to be a tough out for whoever has to wrestle her. She will be our 109-pounder this season. A freshman that we added was #11 ranked high schooler at 127 pounds Elizabeth Duvall. She poses some difficulties when wrestling with her, and we believe she will come in and make an immediate impact. At semester break we added two transfers, who had to sit out a full calendar year due to conference rules. Kaycie Tanimoto and Mattison Parker will plug in and add some depth. Parker is getting back into the groove and is looking good.

How do you feel about your preseason?
We have had a great preseason so far. We are continuing to show improvements on the mat and staying in the weight room. Our athletes look like they are getting stronger and seem fresh. A significant moment for our program was when Lexie competed at Final X, Spanish Grand Prix, and the U23 Worlds. These moments showcase what we are trying to do here. I understand Lexie is an exceptional athlete, but she is a sponge and is always looking to get better. Her experience at the OTC benefits the rest of our athletes as they can learn and take away excellent techniques that she has learned while there.

Talk about some of your team's goals this season. Are there any specific events you are excited about?
Our goals have mostly stayed the same. We want to continue to get better and stronger as the season progresses and peaks at the right time. We, of course, are chasing down another Conference Championship and a national title. We respect the difficulties of doing so, which allows us to stay focused on the main thing. Several events are always exciting. Of course, the 1st tournament of the year is like Christmas. However, the ones that get the juices flowing are MoVal, NWCA National Duals, and Grandview. These three are big tournaments where we can see some of the best women’s wrestling this country has to offer. Just talking about it gets me fired up for the season to start.

What are some things you've built into your program that you credit for the success you've had so far?
A couple of the critical things we have added this year that have benefitted us so far are one on one film study and recovery. Our wrestlers are setting up times to work with the coaching staff to get work on specific needs, which I know will help them and the team. They also now can watch and break down films of not only themselves but their opponents. We are finding our mistakes and getting the opportunity to correct them. Another vital component to our preseason success is getting in the training room and getting the prehab, recovery, treatment, and rehab when needed. This season is long, so we are proactive in the athlete's health.

Who are some of the personalities in the room that are providing leadership and shaping your culture?
So we have several wrestlers who provide leadership in different ways. Lexie Basham leads by example and has competed at the highest level. Our athletes can lean on her if they have any questions due to her experiences. Devin is also one who leads by example and never complains. She keeps a positive attitude and is always ready to get after it and get better. Jasmine Sands is our academic and mindset leader. She is a phenomenal student and always works to improve her team's mindset. We are continuing to build leaders here at Texas Wesleyan.

Anything else you would like to mention?
The assistant coaches in this program are the reasons we are making strides. Each one brings a unique background that allows all of our athletes to make a connection to this staff. Jared Haberman is our lead technician and does an outstanding job teaching and showing these young ladies what it takes to be a national champion. Drake McKee (TxWes), Phil Esposito (Truman St), Matt Dowler (EU), and Andrew Vera-Jackson (Embry Riddle) bring a ton of experiences from all different levels and contribute a ton to this program. Our coaching staff is building excellent relationships with these ladies, which will help us this season.