MIZZOU. wrestling MISSOURI. TigerStyle-1

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1 Media Guide Table of Contents... 1 Tiger Team Information...2 Media Information...3 Season Outlook Weight-by-Weight Preview...6 Big 12 Conference Information...7 NCAA Wrestling Rules and Regulations...8 The Coaches Head Coach: Brian Smith Assistant Coach: Shawn Charles...12 Assistant Coach: Lee Pritts...13 Volunteer Assistant Coach: Ben Askren Athletic Trainer: Shane Bishop, Strength and Conditioning Coach: Keith Caton...15 Missouri Wrestling Support Staff...16 The Team Justin Cole...18 Vince Demarest...19 Tyler McCormick Josh Wagner...22 James Williamson...23 John Andrews...24 Emanuel Brooks...25 Michael Chandler...26 Joey Garrity...27 Marcus Hoehn...28 Raymond Jordan...29 Andrew Sherry...30 Maxwell Askren...31 Mark Ellis...32 Dane Espinosa, Nathan Hewitt...33 Nicholas Marable, John Olanowski...34 Tyler Perry, Ashtin Primus...35 Ryan Sonderegger, Aaron Bridgeman...36 Luke Cherep, Vincent Hannon...37 Tony Pescaglia, Willie Saxton...38 Josh Skurnik, Nick Velliquette...39 Andrew Wood, Dominique Bradley...40 Trever Collins, Troy Dolan...41 Rudy Galarza, Dorian Henderson...42 Daniel Hewitt, Garrett Jones...43 Vito Krischke, Brad McCarter...44 Patrick Mosley, K.C. Pescaglia...45 Max Shanaman, Steele Shippy...46 Brandon Wiest, Brandon Wright...47 Patrick Wright...48 TV/Radio Roster...49 Opponents Big 12 Championships and Hotel Arrangements...54 NCAA Championship Information...55 Missouri Open Season in Review Missouri Wrestling History Missouri Wrestling Coaching History Brian Smith s Top-10 Performances at Missouri Missouri Hall of Fame...70 All-Americans Win Club Missouri Award Winners Missouri Records All-Time Lettermen Season-by-Season Results All-Time Records vs. Opponents...87 All-Time Coaching Records...88 NCAA All-Time History...89 This is Missouri The University of Missouri Missouri State Information The Missouri Wrestling Facilities Missouri Total Person Program/Academic Success Community Outreach/Big 12 Excellence National Exposure Missouri All-Americans The Sports Park at Mizzou Director of Athletics: Mike Alden Interim President: Dr. Gordon H. Lamb, Chancellor: Dr. Brady Deaton Head Coach Brian Smith Q&A MIZZOU wrestling M SOURI M TigerStyle-1

2 Quick Facts General Information Location:... Columbia, Missouri Founded: Enrollment:... 28,070 Arena:... Hearnes Center (13,611) Affi liation:... NCAA Division I Conference:... Big 12 Nickname:... Tigers Colors:... Old Gold and Black University Personnel Interim President:...Dr. Gordon H. Lamb Chancellor:... Dr. Brady Deaton Director of Athletics:...Michael F. Alden Alma Mater:... Evansville, 1980 Sr. Associate AD/SWA:...Sarah Reesman Sr. Associate AD/Ext. Ops.:... Whit Babcock Associate AD/Student Services:... Bryan Maggard Associate AD/Administration:...Mark Alnutt Associate AD/Operations:...Tim Hickman Associate AD/Compliance:...Mary Austin Wrestling Information Head Coach:... Brian Smith Alma Mater:... Michigan State, 1990 Record at Missouri: (9 years) Overall Record: (10 years) Assistant Coaches:...Lee Pritts (E. Michigan, 1998)... Shawn Charles (Arizona State, 1993) Record: Big 12 Finish: (2nd) 2007 NCAA Finish:... 3rd Starters Returning/Lost:...8/2 Letterwinners Returning/Lost:...16/2 NCAA Qualifi ers Returning/Lost:...6/2 All-Americans Returning/Lost:...1/2 Media Relations Assistant AD for Media Relations:...Chad Moller Assistant Director:... Kate Lakin Assistant Director:...Josh Murray Assistant Director:...Dave Reiter Associate...Tom Lewis Offi ce Phone:... (573) Wrestling Contact Assistant Director...Emily Gatewood Murray ...murrayem@missouri.edu Offi ce Phone:... (573) Cell Phone:... (573) Offi ce Fax:... (573) Mailing Address:...Missouri Media Relations PO Box 677, Columbia, MO Athletic Website:...mutigers.com Board of Curators Don Walsworth...Marceline Cheryl D.S. Walker...St. Louis Marion H. Cairns...Webster Groves John M. Carnahan, III...Springfi eld Warren K. Erdman... Kansas City Bo Fraser...Columbia Judith G. Haggard... Kennett Doug Russell...Lebanon David G. Wasinger...St. Louis Tony Luetkemeyer...Columbia Campus TigerStyle-2 Name Wt. Year Hometown High School/College John Andrews 174 Jr. McLean,Va. McLean Maxwell Askren 197 So. Hartland, Wis. Arrowhead Dominique Bradley HWT Fr. Blue Springs, Mo. Blue Springs Aaron Bridgeman HWT Rs.Fr. Maysville, Mo. Maysville Emanuel Brooks 157 Jr. Cahokia, Ill. Cahokia/Lincoln College *Michael Chandler 157 Jr. High Ridge, Mo. Northwest Luke Cherep 133 RsFr. Naperville, Ill. Naperville Central Justin Cole 141 Sr. Gladstone, Mo. Oak Park Trever Collins 197 Fr. Nixa, Mo. Nixa Vince Demarest 174 Sr. Leavenworth Co., Kan Lansing Troy Dolan 125 Fr. Blairsville, Pa. Derry Area Mark Ellis HWT So. Peculiar, Mo. Raymore-Peculiar Dane Espinosa 157 So. Neosho, Mo. Neosho Rudy Galarza 149 Fr. Miami, Fla. Miami Southbridge Joey Garrity 174 Jr. Orion, Ill. Orion Vincent Hannon 141 RsFr. Plainfi eld, Ill. Montini Catholic Dorian Henderson 174 Fr. Columbus, Ga. Columbus Daniel Hewitt 149 Fr. St. Charles, Mo. St. Charles West Nathan Hewitt 141 So. St. Charles, Mo. St. Charles West Marcus Hoehn 141 Jr. Farmington, Mo. Farmington Garrett Jones 174 Fr. Odessa, Mo. Odessa *Raymond Jordan 184 Jr. New Bern, N.C. New Bern Vito Krischke 133 Fr. House Springs, Mo. Northwest Nicholas Marable 165 So. Collierville, Tenn. Christian Brothers Brad McCarter 157 Fr. Byhalia, Miss. Harding Academy-Memphis *Tyler McCormick 133 Sr. Leawood, Kan. Blue Valley North Patrick Mosley 141 Fr. Wichita, Kan. The Independent School John Olanowski 125 So. Virginia Beach, Va. Kellam Tyler Perry HWT So. Hannibal, Mo. Hannibal K.C. Pescaglia 133 Fr. Columbia, Mo. Hickman Tony Pescaglia 125 RsFr. Coumbia, Mo. Hickman Ashtin Primus 149 So. S. Connelsville, Pa. Connelsville Area Willie Saxton 141 RsFr. Rayland, Ohio Buckeye Local Max Shanaman 141 Fr. Blairstown, N.J. Blair Academy Andrew Sherry 157 Jr. Sewickley, Pa. Pittsburgh Central Catholic Steele Shippy 197 Fr. Holden, Mo. Odessa Josh Skurnik 184 RsFr. Kirkland, Wash. Juanita Ryan Sonderegger 174 So. Overland Park, Kan. Shawnee Mission East Nick Velliquette 133 RsFr. Nixa, Mo. Nixa *Josh Wagner 149 Sr. Milton, Wis. Milton Brandon Wiest 141 Fr. O Fallon, Mo. Ft. Zumwalt West James Williamson 174 Sr. Blue Springs, Mo. Blue Springs South Andrew Wood 165 RsFr. Hannibal, Mo. Hannibal Brandon Wright 157 Fr. Germantown, Tenn. Houston Patrick Wright 165 Fr. Grand Ledge, Mich. Grand Ledge *-Team Captain Roster by Class Seniors: Juniors: Sophomores: RS Freshmen: Freshmen: The Tigers Cole, Demarest, McCormick, Wagner, Williamson Andrews, Brooks, Chandler, Garrity, Hoehn, Jordan, Sherry Askren, Ellis, Espinosa, N. Hewitt, Marable, Olanowski, Perry, Primus, Sonderegger Bridgeman, Cherep, Hannon, T. Pescaglia, Saxton, Skurnik, Velliquette, Wood Bradley, Collins, Dolan, Galarza, Henderson, D. Hewitt, Jones, Krischke, McCarter, Mosley, K. Pescaglia, Shanaman, Shippy, Wiest, B. Wright, P. Wright Roster by Weight 125: Dolan, Olanowski, T. Pescaglia 133: Cherep, Krischke, McCormick, K. Pescaglia, Velliquette 141: Cole, Hannon, N. Hewitt, Hoehn, Mosley, Saxton, Shanaman, Wiest 149: Galarza, D. Hewitt, Primus, Wagner 157: Brooks, Chandler, Espinosa, McCarter, Sherry, B. Wright 165: Marable, Wood, P. Wright 174: Andrews, Demarest, Garrity, Henderson, Jones, Sonderegger, Williamson 184: Jordan, Skurnik 197: Askren, Collins, Shippy HWT: Bradley, Bridgeman, Ellis, Perry

3 Media Information Credential Requests: Please direct all home meet credential requests to Emily Gatewood Murray, Assistant Director of Missouri Media Relations, at P.O. Box 677, Columbia, MO Requests can also be made by sending a fax on company letterhead, with attention to Gatewood Murray, at (573) or by at murrayem@missouri.edu. Interview Policy: The University of Missouri interview policy prohibits releasing a studentathlete s home phone number to members of the media. There are numerous opportunities for members of the media to interview the University of Missouri wrestling team. Every effort will be made to fill requests made by members of the working media. Interviews: All interview requests must be made through Assistant Director of Missouri Media Relations Emily Gatewood Murray (573) Requests will be scheduled based on student-athlete and/or coach availability. The wrestling team has scheduled practice hours of Monday-Friday beginning at 3:30 p.m. Post-Match Interviews: Head Coach Brian Smith and the Missouri wrestling team will be available in the Hearnes Center media room following a brief cooling-off period after each dual. Please submit your requests to Assistant Director of Media Relations Emily Gatewood Murray following the completion of the final match. Athletic Media Relations: The Media Relations Office is located on the second level of the Hearnes Center in room 260. Access is available through the west side of the Hearnes Center. During home meets, the Missouri Athletic Media Relations staff will provide rosters, match notes and media guides for the Tigers and their opponents (when available). Starting lineups will be available immediately prior to the start of each home match Schedule Date Opponent Location Time Nov. 9 Rider Lawrenceville, N.J. 7 p.m. Nov. 10 Hofstra Hempstead, N.Y. 6 p.m. Nov. 18 Missouri Open (FH) Columbia, Mo. All Day Nov. 30-Dec. 1 Las Vegas Invitational Las Vegas, Nev. All Day Dec. 16 Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tenn. Noon Dec. 19 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pa. 6 p.m. Jan. 4 Bucknell Columbia, Mo. 7 p.m. Jan National Duals Cedar Falls, Iowa All Day Jan. 19 Oklahoma State Columbia, Mo. 1 p.m. Jan. 27 Cornell Columbia, Mo. 1 p.m. Feb. 2 Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. 7 p.m. Feb. 8 Oklahoma* Columbia, Mo. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 Oregon State Columbia, Mo. 2 p.m. Feb. 17 Iowa State Ames, Iowa 2 p.m. March 8 Big 12 Tournament Stillwater, Okla. All Day March NCAA Championships St. Louis, Mo. All Day ALL HOME MEETS IN BOLD All meets will be held in the Hearnes Arena unless otherwise noted (FH-Fieldhouse). *-Second annual Beauty and the Beast Event (co-host with Missouri gymnastics) Pronunciation Emanuel Brooks E-man-u-uhl Nicholas Marable MARE-uh-bull Luke Cherep CHAIR-up Patrick Mosley mose-lee Vince Demarest Troy Dolan DEM-uh-rest DOUGH-lan John Olanowski Tyler/K.C. Pescaglia ohl-uh-now-skee puh-scag-lee-uh Mark Ellis L-es Ashtin Primus PREE-muhs Dane Espinosa es-puh-no-suh Maxwell Shanaman SHAN-uh-man Rudy Galarza guh-lar-zuh Josh Skurnik skuhr-nick Joey Garrity Marcus Hoehn GARE-uh-tee HANE Ryan Sonderegger Nick Velliquette son-duh-reg-uhr VILL-uh-qwet Vito Krischke VEE-toe krish-kee Brandon Wiest WEEST On The Front Cover: (Bottom Row L-R): Missouri s returning NCAA qualifi ers, Mark Ellis, Josh Wagner, Michael Chandler, Tyler McCormick, Maxwell Askren. (Top Center): Raymond Jordan. The Missouri Wrestling Guide: Was written, edited and designed by Media Relations Assistant Director Emily Gatewood Murray in Adobe InDesign CS 3.0.1, with editing assistance from Assistant Directors Josh Murray and Kate Lakin and Associate Athletic Director for Administration, Mark Alnutt. Covers by Brendon Steenbergen of Big Fish Creative. Photo Credits: Sarah Becking, Jonathan Brownfield, Kyle Coburn, Bill Greenblatt, Justin Kelly, Joel Kowsky and the Columbia Visitors Bureau. Media Outlets PRINT Columbia Daily Tribune P.O. Box 798 Columbia, MO FAX: Columbia Missourian P.O. Box 917 Columbia, MO FAX: Kansas City Star 1729 Grand Kansas City, MO FAX: St. Louis Post-Dispatch 900 N. Tucker St. Louis, MO FAX: The Maneater (Student) AO47 Brady Commons Columbia, MO FAX: Associated Press 215 W. Pershing Kansas City, MO FAX: Associated Press 900 N. Tucker St. Louis, MO FAX: RADIO KFRU/KPLA Radio (1400AM/101.5 FM) 503 Old Highway 63 North Columbia, MO FAX: KTGR RADIO (1580AM) 3125 LeMone Industrial Blvd. Columbia, MO FAX: Tiger Network (MU Radio) Learfi eld Communications P.O. Box Jefferson City, MO FAX: TELEVISION KOMU-TV (Ch.8/NBC) Highway 63 South Columbia, MO FAX KMIZ-TV (Ch.17/ABC) 501 Business Loop 70 E. Columbia, MO FAX: KRCG-TV (Ch.13/CBS) P.O. Box 659 Jefferson City, MO FAX: TigerStyle-3

4 Tigers Look Strong For Season TigerStyle-4 07 bouts by way of fall, the fastest clocked at one minute, with the most impressive determined with one second remaining in his match with B.J. Jackson of Oklahoma State, Jan. 14 at the National Duals. Chandler finished his sophomore campaign with a showing that included a third place Big 12 finish and automatic bid to his The question remains the same. How can the Missouri wrestling team, a squad that finished third in the nation at the close of the campaign, improve on last year s success? Head Coach Brian Smith can no longer turn to the familiar faces of Ben Askren and Matt Pell, staples in the Missouri lineup over the past four years, for valuable team points. In addition, the TigerStyle staff thar brought the program to its highest NCAA finish in program history, has changed hands. So, just what needs to happen for the Tigers to not only return to the podium in 2008, but claim the team title they have been working toward? We build with what we have, Smith said. Over the past few years we ve continuously recruited top-10 classes. Last year we had the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation. Combine that with the strength we have returning in our lineup, the leadership of our team captains, the coaching experience we have on staff and our strength of schedule and we know we can accomplish great things. This year s 45-member squad is comprised of 16 newcomers. While most will likely redshirt their initial season at Missouri, a few are expected to challenge early for one of the coveted starting spots in the lineup. Among those to watch for is freshman Dominique Bradley of Blue Springs, Mo. A three-time state champion at Blue Springs High School, Bradley was the No. 1 recruit in the nation at heavyweight and carries both national and international accolades. Dorian Henderson and Max Shanaman are also potential additions to the lineup. Henderson is a three-time Georgia State Champion that will compete at 197 pounds for the Tigers while Shanaman is one of eight 141 pounders on Missouri s squad. Shanaman is a graduate of the No. 1 wrestling prep school in the nation, Blair Academy, and ranked 19th in the nation out of all weight classes combined. Six NCAA qualifiers return to the lineup for Missouri. Among the six are team captains Tyler McCormick (133) and Josh Wagner (149), both seniors, and juniors Michael Chandler (157) and Raymond Jordan (184). Together the four have made a total of seven NCAA appearances, with McCormick earning All-America honors in both his sophomore and junior seasons. McCormick is Missouri s sole returning All-American and looks to become the Tigers second three-time topeight finisher at the NCAA Championships. Only Askren, Missouri s first four-time All- American, has recorded such a feat. Wagner and Chandler bring experience to the middle weight classes. Now in his senior year of eligibility, Wagner is determined to leave nothing on the mat. Known for his speed and agility, Wagner won 10 of his second NCAA Championship event. All- America honors for Chandler would give Missouri its second top-eight finish at 157 pounds, with the last Tiger, Kenny Burleson, finishing seventh in One of three conference champions on Missouri s second place 2007 Big 12 team was 184 pounder Jordan. A dominant wrestler that carried a 19-match win streak entering the National Championships, Jordan won his first two matches of the national tournament, before falling to Michigan s Tyrel Todd and Harvard s Louis Caputo. Throughout the course of his sophomore outing, Jordan won 19 of his 35 matches by eight or more points. Wrestling at 197 pounds and heavyweight respectively are sophomores Maxwell Askren and Mark Ellis. Askren, Missouri s second 197 pound Big 12 Champion in program history, finished his season on a down note suffering back-to-back losses at the NCAA Championships in Auburn Hills, Mich. An uncharacteristic finish for the young Tiger who entered the National Tournament with a 28-1 record, Askren has regained his focus and is setting out once again in search of his first All-America honor. In his first year in the starting lineup, Ellis opened his redshirt freshman campaign with a fall in 3:22 over Ohio State s Corey Morrison. Ellis proved a tough competitor among league grapplers, finishing his conference season with a 4-3 mark and third place showing at the Big 12 Championships. Returning at 125 pounds is sophomore John Olanowski. Olanowski finished fourth at the Southern Scuffle and seventh at the highly competitive Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in his first year in the lineup. New to Missouri s lineup will likely be redshirt freshman Willie Saxton at 141 pounds. Saxton finished his first collegiate year of wrestling with two top-five tournament finishes including third at the Central Missouri State University (CMSU) Open. Junior Joey Garrity and sophomore Nicholas Marable will enter the lineup once again at 174 and 165 pounds, respectively. Both individuals have made previous appearances in the lineup and combined for 34 wins during the season. Garrity, who has trained with two-time National Champion Ben Askren for the past three years, is ready to take his place in the lineup when Missouri opens its season Nov. 9 against Rider. Marable, a grappler who has wrestled in both the 157 and 165 pound weight classes, will fill the void of two-time All-American Pell at 165 pounds. Marable was credited with 26 victories last season and he made seven appearances in the lineup. Guiding the team through its 62nd year in program history will be Smith, a nine year veteran at Missouri. Smith owns a.662 winning percentage which leads all of Missouri s previous wrestling head coaching staff. Coaching alongside Smith is newcomer Shawn Charles and returning assistant coach Senior captain and two-time All-American Tyler McCormick at 133 pounds.

5 Missouri Ranked Among Top Five Junior Big 12 Champion and captain Raymond Jordan wrestles at 184 pounds. Lee Pritts. Pritts, who coached with Smith for six years at Missouri ( ) returns to Columbia after spending two seasons as head assistant coach at Old Dominion. Charles comes to Missouri with an impressive resume and previous Big 12 experience having served as Nebraska s top assistant from 2001 to 2005 as well as working as an assistant at both Iowa State ( ) and Oklahoma ( ) and head coach at Fresno State during the season. In addition, the Tigers will be given the valuable wrestling knowledge of Ben Askren, Missouri s first year volunteer assistant coach and 2007 Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year. The combined coaching experience of Smith, Charles, Pritts and Askren will be necessary when the Tigers kick off the TigerStyle campaign. Taking on teams from both the eastern and western parts of the nation, Missouri will begin dual competition Nov. 9 at Rider followed by a Nov. 10 dual at Hofstra. This marks Missouri s earliest dual meet since the season in which the Tigers defeated then ninth-ranked Illinois, Following the four-day trip through the Northeast, the Tigers will return home and host the eighth annual Missouri Open, Sunday, Nov. 18. The all-day event will feature several top-tier teams including Illinois, Oklahoma, Old Dominion and Northwestern. The Tigers will return to the road once again as they participate in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational for the fifth straight season. In last year s outing, the Askren brothers secured first place finishes in their respective weight classes, helping Missouri to its firstever Las Vegas Invitational team victory. Smith s Tigers will make back-to-back road trips as they head back east to take on No. 19 Chattanooga on Dec. 16, followed with a Dec. 19 dual against No. 17 Pittsburgh. After a two week holiday break, the Tigers will begin the home portion of their dual schedule on Jan. 4 against Bucknell. A Patriot League power, Bucknell returns eight members of its 10-man lineup and should prove a talented opponent for Missouri. Once again the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals will be held in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Running Jan , Missouri looks to move beyond its two-time runner-up finish. Last season, the Tigers, then ranked No. 1 in the nation, fell to eventual National Champion Minnesota in a dual that came down to the final match of the evening. Big 12 powerhouse Oklahoma State will square off with Missouri in the Hearnes Center on Jan. 19. The 34-time National Champion Cowboys will look to snap their two-dual losing streak to Missouri with three All-Americans returning to their squad. Big 12 action will continue on Jan. 25 for Missouri as they head to Lincoln, Neb., for a 7 p.m. bout with the Cornhuskers. Loaded with a 10-man lineup in which each grappler is ranked among the top-25 in the nation, Nebraska is not an opponent to overlook. Jan. 27 is the start of a three-dual home stand in which the Tigers will battle with Cornell, Oklahoma (Feb. 8) and Pac 10 school Oregon State (Feb. 10). All three teams finished among the top 26 at the 2007 National Tournament. We try and schedule both East Coast and West Coast teams, Smith said. By wrestling Hofstra and Rider as well as Oregon State and top programs at the Las Vegas Invitational, we prepare our team for all different styles of competition. Missouri s final dual of the campaign will come Feb. 17 in Ames, Iowa, as the Tigers take on Cael Sanderson s Big 12 Champion Cyclones. The Big 12 Tournament returns to the Gallagher Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., on March 8. All five Big 12 teams are currently ranked among the top 20 in the nation and only 38 of the leagues best wrestlers will advance to the NCAA Championships. The Big 12 is a tough conference, Smith said. I think I say that every year but if you look at the national rankings, we re all among the top-10 programs in the nation. Nebraska has a tough team coming back and Iowa State is young but dominant. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are always recruiting talented classes and have a lot of history in their program. It s always interesting to see the way the Big 12 season plays out. The 78th annual NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships return to St. Louis, Mo., for the third time in five years. Hosted by the University of Missouri and St. Louis Sports Commission, the Scottrade Center will be home to 330 wrestlers beginning March 20. The three-day tournament will showcase the top wrestlers in the nation with Missouri fans granted some of the best seats in the house. We re very lucky to have the National Tournament in our own backyard, Smith said. Our fans are some of the best in the nation and I m always amazed by the support they show the team. It s a great feeling for our wrestlers to run out onto the mat and be greeted by a hometown crowd. It s definitely to our advantage to have Nationals so close to home. The NCAA Championships will remain in Missouri for the 2009 season. St. Louis is the only city to host the NCAA Wrestling Championships in consecutive seasons and did so earlier in 2004 and Over the past nine years, St. Louis has played host to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on four occasions (2000, 2004, 2005, 2008). Missouri fans interested in sitting in the Tiger section of the NCAA Championships are encouraged to join the TakeDown Club. More information regarding the TakeDown Club can be found on page 90 of this media guide or online by visiting com. TigerStyle-5

6 Weight-By-Weight Preview Favorite: John Olanowski Leading the lineup at 125 pounds, sophomore John Olanowski is now in his second season at the lightest of the 10 weight classes. Olanowski claimed two top-five finishes in tournament appearances last season and stands in a weight class in which he can expect to see five of the nation s top-10 wrestlers through both dual and tournament competition. Olanowski enters the season ranked as high as 17th by Amateur Wrestling News Favorite: Tyler McCormick Missouri s sole returning All-American for the campaign is Tiger grappler Tyler McCormick at 133 pounds. Earning back-to-back top-eight finishes in 2006 and 2007, McCormick is ranked as high as second in the country (W.I.N. Magazine) and will likely square off with 10 of the nation s top 20 wrestlers. McCormick finished second at the 2007 Big 12 Championships and is one of four league wrestlers ranked among the top-20 of the 133 pound weight class. Favorite: Willie Saxton The newest member of Missouri s starting lineup is redshirt freshman Willie Saxton. Redshirting his first season with the Tigers, Saxton claimed three tournament top-five finishes at 133 pounds, including a second-place showing at the Missouri Valley Tournament. This season s 141 pound weight class features six returning All-Americans, including National Champion Ryan Lang. Saxton will likely be the youngest Big 12 competitor at 141 pounds this season. Favorite: Michael Chandler Two-time NCAA qualifier Michael Chandler will take his place in the lineup at 157 pounds. A junior, this marks Chandler s third straight year as Missouri s starter and he enters the season ranked as high as ninth in the nation (W.I.N. Magazine). Chandler took third at the 2007 Big 12 Championships, earning his first automatic qualification to the NCAA Championships in Auburn Hills, Mich. Chandler is one of four Big 12 wrestlers ranked among the top-25 in the nation Favorite: Joey Garrity Making his 15th career start at 174 pounds is Tiger utility wrestler Joey Garrity. Training with four-time All-American Ben Askren, Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith feels confident in Garrity s ability to come out and dominate on the mat. Garrity wrestled in two dual meets his sophomore campaign ( ) and is in a weight class that is laden with strong Big 12 talent Favorite: Josh Wagner Entering his second season as Missouri s starter at 149 pounds, senior Josh Wagner is one of three Tiger captains and one of six NCAA qualifiers returning for the campaign. Wagner enters the year ranked 13th in the nation (W.I.N. Magazine), improving on last year s preseason standing of 17th. Known for his quickness on the mat, Wagner is the second-highest ranked league wrestler at 149 pounds and stands behind eighthranked Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State. Favorite: Nicholas Marable As a redshirt freshman, Nicholas Marable competed in both the 157 and 165 pound weight class. With the graduation of two-time All- American Matt Pell, Marable will now take his spot in the 10-man lineup at 165 pounds. Marable finished among the top three of his weight class at the CMSU Open, Missouri Open and Southern Scuffle last season and ranked as high as 13th. This year, Marable enters his sophomore campaign ranked 12th (W.I.N. Magazine) at 165 pounds. Favorite: Raymond Jordan Missouri s 2007 Big 12 Champion at 184 pounds, Raymond Jordan begins his junior campaign ranked sixth in the nation (WrestlingReport.com). Jordan is a two-time NCAA qualifier and enters the year with 62 career wins. Expected to wrestle with nine of the nation s top 15 competitors at 184 pounds, Jordan is the highest ranked Big 12 wrestler in his weight class and third highest ranked Tiger in the preseason polls. Favorite: Maxwell Askren Maxwell Askren is putting the past behind him as he enters his sophomore year with the Missouri wrestling squad. A 2007 Big 12 Champion at 197 pounds, Askren finished his redshirt freshman season with a 28-3 record including wins over several of the nation s top competitors. Askren is ranked third in the country (WrestlingReport.com) at 197 pounds and leads his Big 12 opposition, who rank fifth, eighth, 23rd and 25th. 197 HWT Favorite: Mark Ellis In his first season in the Missouri starting lineup, Mark Ellis managed to become the Tiger s first heavyweight NCAA qualifier in four years. Finishing third in his first Big 12 Championship appearance, Ellis, now a sophomore, is ranked 13th in the nation (WrestlingReport.com). Competing in the eighth annual Missouri Open on Nov. 18, Ellis may have the opportunity to wrestle No. 1 ranked Dustin Fox of Northwestern. TigerStyle-6

7 Big 12 Conference Success On The Field And In The Classroom The Big 12 Conference has been synonymous with success in competitive play and in the classroom as it enters its 12th season, and league members anticipate continued success during the academic year. In the first 11 years of the Big 12, the conference can boast of 30 team and over 350 individual NCAA Championships. The success continued this past season, with team titles in men s cross country (Colorado) and women s volleyball (Nebraska), in addition to numerous individual crowns. Over the past three seasons alone a total of 11 NCAA trophies have been hoisted by Big 12 institutions, with at least one national crown won in 10 of 11 years for the conference, including each of the past 10 seasons. Through the first nine Bowl Championship Series title games, the Big 12 leads all conferences with five appearances in the contest. Big 12 squads have played for the football national championship five times in the last eight years, with berths in 12 BCS games overall. In basketball, eight men s and women s teams have advanced to their respective Final Fours in the past six seasons as the Big 12 continues its place among the elite intercollegiate athletic conferences. Numerous national honors have been won by men s and women s studentathletes during conference history, with Kevin Durant (Texas) the most recent to garner accolades as the consensus 2007 National Player of the Year. The Big 12 and its member institutions are committed to a competitive environment where sportsmanship and fair play take center stage. Whether on the field, in the classroom, or within the community the student-athletes, administrators, coaches and game officials of the Big 12 support the highest ideals in sportsmanship. Big 12 student-athletes also do well in garnering national academic recognition. This past season, two league standouts were named the Academic All-America of the Year in their sport by ESPN The Magazine and the College Sports Information Directors of America. Nebraska s Sarah Pavan (volleyball) boasted a 4.0 grade-point average in Biochemistry, while Aaron Ivey of Oklahoma (baseball) also has a 4.0 GPA in Energy Management. Pavan was also named as recipient of the prestigious Honda- Broderick Award as Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. She is the first athlete since the Big 12 was formed to earn the accolade. Competitive excellence, scholarship and sportsmanship are all equal components of the Big 12 philosophy. All-Big 12 teams and Academic All-Big 12 squads are recognized for each sport at the end of their respective seasons. At the end of each academic year, the Conference honors its top male and female student-athletes with the Big 12 Athlete of the Year and Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year awards. Institutions can also nominate studentathletes for the prestigious Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarships at the end of each academic year. A total of 177 scholars have received more than $1 million in postgraduate financial aid through the first 10 years of the program. The Big 12 sponsors 21 sports. Men s squads include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, swimming & diving, tennis and wrestling. Women s teams are fielded in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball. The conference is made up of 12 institutions that have shared many traditional rivalries throughout their histories. Member schools include - Baylor University, University of Colorado, Iowa State University, University of Kansas, Kansas State University, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, University of Texas, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University. The institutions created a league that encompasses seven states, over 45 million people and more than 18 million television households within its geographic footprint. The conference conducts championships for 20 of its 21 sports. Each championship helps to determine teams and/or individuals that will represent the Conference in national postseason competition. The winner of the Big 12 football championship game earns the league s berth into the prestigious Bowl Championship Series. In the last several years the Big 12 has increased its bowl agreements and expanded television opportunities for all sports through contracts with ABC/ESPN, FSN and CSTV. Most recently, the league renewed and expanded its multi-year arrangement with ABC/ESPN, Inc. In its 11-year history, the conference has distributed $913.2 million to its 12 member institutions. The Big 12 staff administers to over 4,600 student-athletes in 21 sports. The conference is headquartered in Irving, Texas. Big 12 Wrestling National Champions 1997 Eric Guerrero, Oklahoma State 1997 March Branch, Oklahoma State 1997 Barry Weldon, Iowa State 1998 Teague Moore, Oklahoma State 1998 Eric Guerrero, Oklahoma State 1999 Eric Guerrero, Oklahoma State 1999 Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2000 Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2000 Byron Tucker, Oklahoma 2000 Brad Vering, Nebraska 2000 Trent Hynek, Iowa State 2001 Michael Lightner, Oklahoma 2001 Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2001 Mark Munoz, Oklahoma State 2002 Johnny Thompson, Oklahoma 2002 Aaron Holker, Iowa State 2002 Joe Heskett, Iowa State 2002 Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2003 Johnny Thompson, Oklahoma State 2003 Teyon Ware, Oklahoma 2003 Robbie Waller, Oklahoma 2003 Jake Rosholt, Oklahoma State 2004 Jason Powell, Nebraska 2004 Zach Roberson, Iowa State 2004 Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State 2005 Teyon Ware, Oklahoma 2005 Zack Esposito, Oklahoma State 2005 Johny Hendricks, Oklahoma State 2005 Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State 2005 Jake Rosholt, Oklahoma State 2005 Steve Mocco, Oklahoma State 2006 Nate Gallick, Iowa State 2006 Johny Hendricks, Oklahoma State 2006 Ben Askren, Missouri 2006 Jake Rosholt, Oklahoma State 2007 Paul Donahoe, Nebraska 2007 Trent Paulson, Iowa State 2007 Ben Askren, Missouri Big 12 Wrestling National Champion Teams 2003 Oklahoma State 2004 Oklahoma State 2005 Oklahoma State 2006 Oklahoma State TigerStyle-7

8 NCAA Wrestling Rules and Regulations A MEET A meet shall be conducted in 10 weight classifi cations or matches between wrestlers of the same weight class. Matches shall be seven minutes long, divided into three periods, with the fi rst period three minutes and the second and third periods two minutes each. Home Team Designation: For scoring and identification purposes, the home team will be considered green and the visiting team, red. WRESTLING POSITIONS Neutral Position: The match will start with both contestants standing opposite each other with their lead foot on the green or red area of the starting lines, and their other foot even with or behind the lead foot. In the neutral position, neither wrestler has control. When the referee sounds the whistle, the wrestlers will begin wrestling. Defensive Starting Position: The defensive wrestler takes a stationary position at the center of the mat with both hands and knees on the mat, as directed by the referee. Both knees must be on the mat even with and behind the rear starting line. The heels of both hands must be on the mat in front of the forward starting line. The elbows shall not touch the mat. This position also must allow the offensive wrestler to be able to assume a legal starting position on either side of the defensive wrestler. Offensive Starting Position: The offensive wrestler shall be on the right or left side of the opponent with at least one knee on the mat and head on or above the midline of the opponent s back. One arm (right or left) is first placed loosely around the defensive wrestler s body perpendicular to the long axis of the body, with the palm of the hand placed loosely against the defensive wrestler s navel, and the palm of the other hand (left or right) is placed on or over the back of the near elbow, this being the near side. One knee shall be on the mat to the outside of the near leg, not touching the defensive wrestler; and a knee or foot may be placed in back of the defensive wrestler s feet, not touching the defensive wrestler. Optional Offensive Starting Position: Wrestlers selecting the optional starting position must indicate their intent to the referee. The referee shall inform the defensive wrestler of the offensive wrestler s intention and allow the defensive wrestler to adjust. The offensive wrestler may select a position on either side or to the rear of the defensive wrestler with all weight supported by both feet, one knee or both knees. The offensive wrestler is to place both hands on the opponent s back (area between neck and waist), thumbs touching. Only the hands of the offensive wrestler are to be in contact with the defensive wrestler. The offensive wrestler is not to place one or both feet or knees between the opponent s feet or legs, or in front of the forward starting line or the line extended. In addition, the offensive wrestler is not to straddle the opponent. Stalemate: When the contestants are interlocked in a position other than a pinning situation in which neither wrestler can improve their position, the referee shall stop the match as soon as possible; wrestling will be resumed as for out of bounds. Position of Advantage: The offensive wrestler maintains the position of advantage until the opponent (defensive wrestler) is awarded an escape or a reversal by the referee. In Bounds: Contestants are considered to be in bounds if the supporting point(s) of either wrestler are on or inside the boundary line. A wrestler s supporting point(s) is the point(s) of the body touching, or within, the wrestling area that bears the wrestler s weight, other than that point(s) being used to hold the opponent. [Down on the mat, the usual point(s) of support is the knee(s), the side of the thigh, the buttock(s) or the hand(s).] Wrestling shall continue as long as the supporting point(s) of either wrestler remains in bounds. For the purpose of awarding a point(s) at the edge of the wrestling area, a point(s) shall be awarded when control is established or lost while any TigerStyle-8 part of a supporting point or any part of a foot of either wrestler fi nishes on the mat in bounds. When the defensive wrestler s back is exposed to the mat in a pinning situation while at least the supporting point(s) of either wrestler is in bounds, wrestling shall continue as long as there is a possibility of the offensive wrestler bringing the opponent back in bounds. In this situation, the defensive wrestler s shoulder(s) or scapulae is a supporting point(s). Near-fall points may be earned or a fall called if any part of the defensive wrestler s pinning area is in bounds. SCORING OPPORTUNITIES Takedown: A takedown shall be awarded when, from the neutral position, a contestant gains control by taking the opponent down to the mat beyond reaction time and the supporting point(s) of either wrestler is in bounds. When a signifi cant portion of the defensive wrestler s weight is borne on a hand(s), it is considered a supporting point(s). For the purpose of awarding takedown points at the edge of the wrestling area, points shall be awarded when control is established while any part of one supporting point or any part of a foot of either wrestler fi nishes on the mat in bounds. If the foot of the wrestler attempting a takedown was outside the wrestling area, breaking the boundary of an imaginary cylinder surrounding and extending above the wrestling area, a takedown shall not be awarded. Escape: A defensive wrestler is awarded an escape when the offensive wrestler loses control of the opponent while any part of a supporting point or any part of a foot of either wrestler remains on the mat in bounds. An escape may be awarded while the wrestlers are still in contact. Reversal: A reversal occurs when the defensive wrestler comes from the bottom/defensive position and gains control of the opponent, either on the mat or in a rearstanding position. For the purpose of awarding reversal points at the edge of the wrestling area, points shall be awarded when control is established while any part of a supporting point or any part of a foot of either wrestler remains on the mat in bounds. Near Fall: Two-point Near Fall. A near fall is a position in which the offensive wrestler has the opponent in a controlled pinning situation in which (1) the defensive wrestler is held in a high bridge or on both elbows, or (2) any part of one shoulder or scapula, or the head is touching the mat and the other shoulder or scapula is held at an angle of 45 degrees or less to the mat, or (3) any part of both shoulders or both scapulae are held within four inches of the mat. Two points shall be awarded for such near-fall situations when one of these three criteria have been met for two seconds. In any pinning situation, a near fall may occur if any part of the defensive wrestler s pinning area remains in bounds. A continuous roll-through is not to be considered a near fall. Three-Point Near Fall: If a criterion for a near fall is met and held uninterrupted for five seconds, three points shall be awarded. Counting the Near Fall: A verbal count and, whenever possible, a visual hand count shall be used in determining a near fall. A near fall is ended when the defensive wrestler gets out of a pinning situation. The referee must not signal the score for a near fall until the situation is ended. Only one near fall shall be scored when using the same pinning combination, regardless of the number of times the offensive wrestler places the defensive wrestler in a near-fall position during the pinning situation. Only the wrestler with the advantage, who has the opponent in a pinning situation, may score a near fall. Bridge-backs in body scissors or bridge-overs with a wristlock are not considered near-fall situations, even though a fall may be scored. When defensive wrestlers place themselves in precarious situations during attempted escapes or reversals, particularly leg vines and body scissors, a near fall shall not be scored unless the offensive wrestler has control of and defi nitely has restrained the opponent in a pinning situation for two seconds. Imminent Scoring: When a match is stopped for an injury during a scoring situation (e.g., takedown, reversal, escape) and the referee determines that scoring would have been successful if the wrestling had continued, the referee shall charge an injury timeout to the injured contestant and award applicable points to the noninjured wrestler. Time Advantage- Recording Time Advantage: The offensive wrestler who has control in an advantage position is gaining time advantage (i.e., riding time ). A timekeeper records that wrestler s accumulated time advantage throughout the match. A multiple timer may be used to record the time advantage. At the end of the match, the referee subtracts the lesser time advantage from the greater. If a contestant has one minute or more of net time advantage, that wrestler is awarded one point. Use of Time Advantage in Tournaments: The recording of time advantage (riding time) is required for use in all competition. Dual meets, team-advancement tournaments and tournament competition that do not utilize time advantage shall not count on the NCAA Individual Season Record Form. END OF MATCH Fall: Any part of both shoulders or part of both scapulae of either wrestler held in contact with the mat for one second constitutes a fall. The one-second count (onethousand-one) shall be a silent count by the referee and shall start only after the referee is in position to observe that a fall is imminent, after which the shoulders or scapulae area must be held in continuous contact with the mat for one second before a fall is awarded. Technical Fall: A technical fall terminates the match and occurs when a wrestler has earned a 15-point advantage over the opponent. A time-advantage point cannot be awarded until the third period has concluded. A wrestler earning a differential of 15 points during a match can lose only by committing an act of flagrant misconduct. Major Decision: A major decision occurs when the margin of victory after three periods is eight through 14 points. Decision: A decision occurs when the margin of victory is fewer than eight points. A decision also is credited to the wrestler who is awarded the fi rst point(s) in the sudden victory of an overtime match that does not end with a fall, default or disqualification. Default: A default is awarded in a match when one of the wrestlers is unable to continue due to an injury or by choice of his or her coach. A default shall be included as a win or loss in each wrestler s individual season record. Disqualifi cation: A disqualifi cation is a situation in which a contestant is banned from participation in accordance with the Penalty Table. A disqualification shall be included as a win or loss in each wrestler s individual season record. Forfeit: A forfeit is received by a wrestler when the opponent, for any reason, fails to appear for the match. In order to receive a forfeit or medical forfeit, the nonforfeiting wrestler must be dressed in a wrestling uniform and appear on the mat. A forfeit or medical forfeit shall be included as a win in the victor s season record. Medical Forfeit: A medical forfeit may be declared when a contestant is injured or becomes ill during the course of tournament competition.