Missouri wresting prepares for Big 12 Championships

The team hopes to see success in a tournament setting.

By Zach Miller

Published March 5, 2010

The Missouri wrestling team spent the last three weeks preparing for the Big 12 Championships in Norman, Okla., this weekend. Five Tiger wrestlers will be making their first appearances in the Big 12 Championships, a meet in which Missouri has never won a team title.

Seniors No. 5 Max Askren and No. 5 Nick Marable have already won conference titles during their careers, and senior No. 6 Mark Ellis has won an NCAA Championship but not a Big 12 title.

Ellis will face senior No. 3 David Zabriskie of Iowa State in the heavyweight semifinals. Ellis has never beaten Zabriskie but remains confident.

"I just got to go score my takedowns and win," Ellis said.

Ellis could also end up facing senior No. 1 Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State this weekend. Ellis has beaten Rosholt in the past but lost by a 3-2 score this season.

"I still think I'm better than both of them," Ellis said. "I wrestle harder than both of them. I just didn't get them down, and I have to change that this weekend."

Askren won a conference title at 197 pounds in 2007 but is competing at 184 pounds this season for the first time in his collegiate career. Askren has been very successful at the lower weight, going 14-1 and 8-0 in dual meets this season.

"I've already made it two days in a row at the Midlands (Dec. 29 and Dec. 30), so I'm not concerned," Askren said about participating in his first conference championship at 184 pounds.

Marable, who has already won two Big 12 titles, went 31-3 this season and 13-1 in dual meets. His only loss in a dual came to junior No. 2 Jon Reader of Iowa State by a 3-2 decision Feb. 14. Marable and Reader could meet again this weekend.

Redshirt freshman No. 11 Brent Haynes will make his first conference championship appearance this weekend. Haynes has been a pleasant surprise for the Tigers this season but is the lowest ranked Big 12 wrestler in the 197-pound weight-class. All four other wrestlers are ranked in the top eight, including the top two spots.

All five Big 12 wrestlers at 174 pounds and at heavyweight are also ranked.

"It's a tough conference," coach Brian Smith said. "I'm not going to lie to you."

Sophomore No. 20 Dorian Henderson, the Tiger wrestler at 174 pounds, went 0-4 in conference dual competition this season.

Missouri was just 1-3 in Big 12 dual competition this season, but Smith said his team is built for tournament play.

"Obviously, we have to get better, but I know that as a tournament team we are a better team," Smith said. "I think our kids like wrestling better in tournaments, it's that type of mentality. When we went to the Midlands, we ranked in front of a lot of teams that are ranked ahead of us now. Tournaments are a different thing."

Six Tiger wrestlers placed in the top eight for their weight at the Midlands. The only Tiger who is ranked but did not place was junior No. 17 Todd Schavrien at 141 pounds. Two wrestlers placed at heavyweight: Ellis and sophomore Dominique Bradley.