Wrestling prepares for best of the Big 12

By Nick Forrester

Published March 7, 2008

When the Big 12 Wrestling Championship begins on Saturday, competition will likely be more intense than in years past, as all five teams stand a reasonable chance to take the title.

“There’s a lot more parity in the Big 12 this year,” senior Tyler McCormick said. “Anyone can beat anyone. Last year, only two or three teams were in the race, where as this year, all five teams have a shot to win it.”

Since the Big 12 was founded in 1996, no MU men’s team in any sport has won a conference championship.

The tournament will be Missouri’s first meet since an 18-15 loss to Iowa State on Feb. 17.

“We’ve been off for three weeks, but we don’t think of it as off,” coach Brian Smith said. “It’s just a preparation phase for the Big 12s. This is going to be one of the toughest Big 12 tournaments. I just hope they embrace it, look at it as tough competition, and have fun with it because that’s the type of team that they are. I think they’re prepared, ready and confident, which is important. We’re in the phase where they’re ready to go. Now it’s just keeping them up and keeping them confident.”

In the meet against Iowa State earlier in the season, No. 4-ranked MU junior Raymond Jordan lost in overtime to No. 1-ranked Iowa State sophomore Jake Varner. The two are likely to have a rematch on Saturday.

“He likes to wrestle a slow-paced match, and last time I simply wrestled his match,” Jordan said.

Smith said Jordan’s and Varner’s previous matches have been exciting.

“If Raymond goes out and wrestles the best that he can wrestle, he should never lose,” Smith said. “All of their (Jordan’s and Varner’s) matches have gone down to the last takedown. Varner’s very strong and powerful, so we just need to get Raymond to open up.”

Iowa State coach Cael Sanderson said Varner is one of Iowa State’s most consistent wrestlers.

“He’s been a solid foundation for us,” Varner said.

Junior Michael Chandler and sophomores Max Askren and Nick Marable enter the Big 12 Wrestling Championship with undefeated conference records, earning all of them a No. 1 seed. Jordan and senior Josh Wagner earned No. 2 seeds, while the other five wrestlers have either a No. 4 or No. 5 seed.

The top three wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis on March 20-22.

“We want to win the Big 12’s,” Smith said. “But more importantly, we want to qualify as many people as possible for the NCAA’s so we have a shot at the national title.”