OSU Wrestler Dusty Hone Is Ready ‘To Work Hard’ after Return from Mission Trip

Oklahoma State sophomore and 149-pounder Dusty Hone has a pretty unique story. He came to Stillwater as a four-time state champ out of Utah, wrestled his redshirt and freshman season, then went on an LDS mission in San Antonio and Austin.

He’s now back in Stillwater and just starting his sophomore season at 22 years old, he turns 23 next month. I reached out to him to talk a little about his mission trip, his return to wrestling, and his expectations going forward.

Seth Duckworth: I read the story on how originally you hadn’t planned on going on your mission, then decided to after coming to OSU. It said you reached out to John and he was pretty supportive of the process. Is that pretty accurate?

Dusty Hone: Yeah, he was really supportive of it. He had me wait a year to go, but yeah he was definitely supportive of the decision.

SD: How many years did you wrestle and where are you at with your eligibility?

DH: I did my redshirt year and then I wrestled one more year and went on my mission.

SD: So you’ll be a sophomore this year?

DH: Yes, I’ll have three years left.

SD: I know you were in the 141-149 range when you left. Are you still around the same size?

DH: I’ll probably be 149 this year, but there is a possibility of 141 as well.

SD: During your mission, you were in San Antonio correct?

DH: Yes, San Antonio and Austin.

SD: So what was the transition like going from your student-athlete life in Stillwater to your mission?

DH: It was good. Most missionaries start out younger than me, so it’s a big transition to be away from their families. I was already away from mine for two years, so it wasn’t a huge transition in that sense. Not working out as much, studying the scriptures more, studying religious things, getting on a schedule was different. We woke up at 6:30 six days a week, every day except Sunday, then we would work out for thirty minutes then we would do our studies for 3-4 hours. It was definitely different than college and wrestling. With wrestling in college, it’s hard both physically and mentally, the mission it wasn’t as physical, but it is hard mentally. You continue to think all day long, you’re talking to people all day, you’re planning. Then we get into our apartments at nine. That was each day for two years. It was definitely a good experience, I learned a lot.

SD: With all that do you think you’ve matured in that process? Now that you’re older and back in school does that help a little having experienced that?

DH: Yeah, I definitely think so. Before I left on my mission I was pretty good with school and being on time and doing those things, but definitely in the sense of getting on a better schedule and getting out of my comfort zone and talking to people. It boosted my confidence and I’m definitely more well rounded than when I left. I think that has gone over to wrestling too. I feel a little more matured even though I wasn’t able to work out as much as I wanted with only thirty minutes a day. I only ran a mile every day and did push-ups. and worked on stance and motion. I do feel more mature. Not necessarily stronger physically, but more mature and confident.

SD: You haven’t been wrestling a lot in the last two years. How has your transition back been?

DH: Obviously I’m not as in shape as I was, but every year you have to get back in shape for wrestling season. I guess you could say I was even less “in shape” when I came back. My first experience when I came back here we were running our OSU camp, our 10-day camp, and I got put with the intense guys. I would go on the runs with them, they were like seven miles and the last day we did ten miles. I started lifting and during that ten-day process, I felt pretty good. Then I did a couple lifts and I couldn’t move my arms. I ended up having to take a few weeks off. So my body wasn’t physically ready to get back in the motion of things. I had to rehydrate, get healthy, make sure I was eating right and getting the right amount of sleep. It definitely wore on my body by not wrestling and lifting, but currently, I’m back at it full speed and I feel good now.

SD: How long have you been back in Stillwater?

DH: Not sure on the exact date, but I got back in the middle of June.

SD: With school starting back are you pretty settled back in there too?

DH: I feel like I have a different perspective of things. Coming from talking to people about God and the afterlife and all those things. I’m a psychology major, so I’m starting my degree classes and all four of my classes are psychology classes, which is more interesting to me. But getting back into the routine of taking quizzes, and exams, and writing papers, I’d almost forgot how to write papers, so I have to sorta relearn those things. But it’s fine I’m settling in OK.

SD: I know it’s a bit of a transition coming back to wrestling, but this season what are your expectations?

DH: Looking at my weight we have Boo Lewallen coming back, he’s an All-American, and a really tough kid. Before I left on my mission I was behind Dean Heil. These guys are good, everyone is good on this team, so my expectations are definitely to get better, to work for that starting spot, and to help the team win a national title. That’s really what I’m here for, to reach my full potential. I feel like I can compete and be an All-American, it’s going to be a lot a work, but I definitely feel ready for it.

SD: Is there anything else you’d want to throw out there?

DH: I feel strongly that we’ll be up there competing for a national title. I’m definitely here to work hard with the team and we’re coming to compete.

Dusty’s story is an interesting one, but I’m sure readers and fans are interested in what it means for the team and program going forward to have him back for three years.

He was pretty good. As we discussed there may be some growing pains in the transition from being on a mission to being a D1 caliber wrestler again, but there is talent there. He was a big-time recruit and had an okay redshirt and redshirt freshman season before he left.

Ultimately, OSU is stacked around his size currently. From 125-149 there are All-American caliber guys everywhere, two deep at some weights. If he does manage to beat out Boo Lewallen for the starting job it’s not going to be some massive jump in talent at the weight class. With Boo there is obviously already a very good wrestler there.

Where he could become a major factor is during his senior year when Piccininni, Brock, and Lewallen will have graduated. The Cowboys don’t have any committed recruits around his size except Colt Newton and he’s a little smaller than that currently. They also don’t have anyone else on the roster at that size that would still be around, unless Kaden Gfeller goes up a weight, so if Hone can develop well over the next few years and be an All-American caliber guy by his senior year, it’s absolutely huge for the team.

You have to hope his age, maturity, and all the other things discussed in the interview can play a role. If he can embrace his current spot in the room and develop along with all the other talent around him, that could be really big for OSU in a few years.