Wrestling takes on two top 10 foes this weekend
The wrestling team will begin their final two bouts of the season on Friday night when they take on No. 9 Central Michigan.
The event is part of the third annual Beauty and the Beast competition, featuring the Missouri wrestling and gymnastics squads competing simultaneously. All fans have been encouraged to wear gold to the event.
The Chippewas and Tigers have seen each other once this season, at the Midlands Tournament in December. Missouri placed third in the tournament, while Central Michigan was a distant fourth. Central Michigan is led by 125 lb. freshman Scotti Sentes and 174 lb. Mike Miller, both ranked No. 9 in their respective weight classes.
Sentes will wrestle Missouri freshman Troy Dolan, who has gone 15-19 so far this season, and this could be an area where the Chippewas could get some team bonus points, since Dolan has struggled this season.
At 174, Miller will face Missouri senior Raymond Jordan, ranked No. 4, which should result in a Missouri win.
Another key match will be at 197, with junior Max Askren facing off against Central Michigan's Eric Simaz. The two met at the Midlands Tournament, with Askren winning 12-2, but several weeks ago, Askren wrestled Simaz's younger brother' Cam, in the Cornell dual, and Askren was only able to pull out a 4-3 win. Now, Simaz has a better understanding of Askren, and could make it a closer match.
Iowa State, coached by the only person in NCAA history to go undefeated in college, Cael Sanderson, will come to Columbia on Sunday for Missouri's senior day. Sanderson's younger brother, Cyler, ranked No. 7 at 157 pounds, will wrestle senior Michael Chandler, ranked No. 8. The two hold a 2-2 tie in their meetings before, but Sanderson won the most recent match during the semi-finals of the Midlands Tournament.
Another key matchup will be between junior Nick Marable and Iowa State's Jon Reader. Both are returning All-Americans, and while Marable holds a 3-0 lead in their previous meetings, they have all been close. Coming into this dual, the Cyclones have won four straight and have shutout five opponents this season.