Missouri wrestlers have disappointing finish

By TROY SCHULTE
For the Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Missouri was among the distant also-rans in the NCAA wrestling championships on Saturday, a distinct drop-off for a program that challenged for the title a year ago.

Missouri finished third last year, the best in program history and 11th this season. The Tigers had three All-Americans for the fourth time in five years, but had no finalists for the first time since 2002.

Coach Brian Smith said it wasn’t a step back, just the end result of a few heartbreaking losses.

“This program is going to be here. It’s not a fluke anymore, we’re going to be around for a long time,” Smith said. “Every year we’re going to be a solid program, I really believe that.”

Missouri appears to have a solid foundation in place, with only two seniors to replace. All three of Missouri’s All-Americans — Nick Marable (165), Raymond Jordan (184) and Max Askren (197) — return next season and all should start the season ranked in the top five of their respective weight classes.

Two others, 157-pound Michael Chandler and heavyweight Mark Ellis, ended up one win shy of All-American status that goes to those who finish in the top eight in the national meet.

The second round of the tournament dashed Missouri’s hopes, with three of five wrestlers losing. Smith tried to persuade them to finish strong.

“We met in my room and I said ’guys, this is the start of next season,”’ Smith said. “’You’ve got to go out and show them that there is still pride in this program, even though we didn’t wrestle great yesterday.”’

Marable, a sophomore, finished third at 165 pounds and could be top ranked next season. That won’t be a bad place to start, considering the Tigers started this season with questions at three weights that never got answered.

Missouri hasn’t qualified a wrestler for the national tournament at 125 pounds the last three years and at 141 the last five. Missouri had four different wrestlers start at 174 pounds this year, a weight in which Ben Askren claimed the program’s first two individual championships the last two years.

Those returning are hopeful the Tigers can climb again with a group of redshirt freshman who were part of a recruiting class that was ranked as high as No. 2 two years ago.

“We have a strong freshman class coming in next year,” Jordan said. “You’re going to see some of those names that a lot of people haven’t heard of and they’re going to make some noise.”