Thursday, March 15
Cleveland, Ohio
11 a.m.
University of Missouri
vs
NCAA Championships Session I
No. 3 @MizzouWrestling Seeks Third Team Trophy at 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships
3/13/2018 10:48:00 AM | Wrestling
Mizzou will have nine wrestlers, seven seeded wrestlers in Cleveland
| 2018 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOURNAMENT | LOCATION | DAY | TIME (CT) | WATCH |
| NCAA Championships | Cleveland, Ohio | March 15-17 |
March 15 - Session 1 - 11 a.m. |
Watch Guide |
| NOTES: Match Notes | ||||
MIZZOU HEADS TO CLEVELAND LOOKING FOR A TEAM TROPHY
- Mizzou Wrestling will conclude its 2017-18 campaign at the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships, as it seeks its third-ever team trophy and fourth straight NCAA top-10 finish in Cleveland. Mizzou will have nine wrestlers in the tournament, the fourth straight season it has sent nine or 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Mizzou has qualified seven or more wrestlers in 13 of head coach Brian Smith's 20 seasons at the helm of the program, including seven or more in eight straight seasons dating back to 2011-12.
- A schedule of the NCAA Championships can be found below, with the ESPN family of networks providing coverage of the tournament. TrackWrestling will provide updated brackets at the NCAA Championships.
- Mizzou repeated as MAC Tournament Championships for the sixth straight season as Mizzou set the conference record for points with 177 points, the third time in the last four seasons it has set the conference point record. Mizzou crowned a preogram-best seven conference championships, as redshirt junior 133-pounder John Erneste, redshirt sophomore 141-pounder Jaydin Eierman, redshirt junior 149-pounder Grant Leeth, redshirt senior 157-pounder Joey Lavallee, redshirt sophomore 165-pounder Connor Flynn, redshirt junior 174-pounder Daniel Lewis and redshirt senior 197-pounder Willie Miklus all claimed titles.
- Mizzou concluded the dual season with a perfect 19-0 mark, its second-ever perfect season, as the Tigers matched the 2014-15 team that went 24-0 and won an NWCA National Duals title. Coincidently, the last time Mizzou came out of the NCAA Championships with a team trophy was 2014-15, when the Tigers finished fourth.
- The Tigers finished off the MAC portion of its dual schedule with a 24-12 win over Northern Illinois on Feb. 2, capping a perfect 7-0 mark, the third time in the last four seasons Mizzou has done so. In seven MAC duals this season, the Tigers have outscored its conference opponents, 241-43. Dating back to Jan. 25, 2014, Mizzou has won 35 of its last 36 duals against MAC foes, with its lone setback occurring in last season's final dual, a 25-10 loss to Northern Iowa on Feb. 12, 2017. In Mizzou's stretch of MAC dual success, the Tigers have outscored the opposition, 1,063-316 in 36 duals.
- Mizzou finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in the USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll for the sixth consecutive week, it highest ranking since Feb. 24, 2015 when Mizzou reached the top spot in the poll following a 2015 NWCA National Duals Championship where the Tigers defeated Iowa. Mizzou has now been ranked in the top-10 in 74 consecutive polls dating back to Nov. 12, 2013, when the Tigers were ranked No. 11.
- In Cleveland, Mizzou looks to claim a national champion and freshman All-American for the fifth straight seasons. Since 2014, a Tiger has reached the top of the podium each season (J'den Cox, 2014, 16-17; Drake Houdashelt, 2015), as well as a freshman finish in the top-eight (J'den Cox, 2014; Willie Miklus, 2015; Daniel Lewis, 2016, Jaydin Eierman, 2017).
- At last year's NCAA Championships, J'den Cox became the program's first-ever three-time national champion. Mizzou finished fifth and matched a program-best with five All-Americans, as three Tigers made the finals for the first time in program history.
MIZZOU QUALIFIES NINE FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Mizzou Wrestling will send nine wrestlers the the 2018 NCAA Championships, the fifth time in the last seven seasons Mizzou has sent at least nine wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament.
- In his 20th season at the helm of Mizzou Wrestling, head coach Brian Smith has sent at least seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships in 13 seasons, including eight straight since 2011-12.
- Mizzou will have seven seeded at the tournament, including six in the top-eight. Redshirt sophomore 141-pounder Jaydin Eierman and redshirt senior 157-pounder Joey Lavallee lead the way for Mizzou, as they both enter as No. 2 seeds.
SEVEN STRAIGHT
- Mizzou Wrestling captured its seventh straight conference title at the 2018 MAC Championships (March 3-4), as seven Tigers claimed individual conference titles. With 177 points, Mizzou reset the conference record for points scored at a conference tournament for the second consecutive season and third time overall since joining the league in 2013, surpassing its previous totals of 154.5 points in 2017 and 139.5 points in 2015. Mizzou's seven conference champions is a program-best, surpassing its 2017 total of six.
- Redshirt junior 174-pounder Daniel Lewis put Central Michigan's CJ Brucki on his back at 1:33 for a pin to claim his third conference title. With two falls in the tournament, Lewis now has a team-leading 16 falls this season and 35 in his career. Among program records, Lewis ranks eighth and sixth, respectively. The Tiger junior joins J'den Cox (2014-17), Drake Houdashelt (2012-15), Ben Askren (2004, 06-07), Nick Marable (2008-10) and Alan Waters (2012-13, 15) as the only wrestlers in program history to claim at least three conference titles.
- At 197 pounds, redshirt senior 197-pounder Willie Miklus put Eastern Michigan's Derek Hillman on his back for a pin at 2:58 to claim his first career conference title. The fall was Miklus' 27th of his career, moving him into a five-way tie for the ninth-most career falls in program history.
- Following two falls on Saturday, redshirt sophomore 141-pounder Jaydin Eierman recorded a 24-9 technical fall over No. 2-seed Mason Smith (Central Michigan) to claim his second consecutive title.
- At 149 pounds, redshirt junior 149-pounder Grant Leeth captured his first conference title with a 9-0 major decision over Ohio's Kade Kowalski. Leeth will be riding a 17-match win streak heading into his first NCAA appearance, as the Tiger junior has not lost since the Lindenwood Open on Nov. 18.
- Redshirt senior 157-pounder Joey Lavallee defeated Kent State's Casey Sparkman, 8-2, to win his second consecutive MAC title at 157 pounds. Lavallee's three wins in the tournament give him 111 career victories, moving him above two-time All-American and current UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley (110 wins) for the 14th-most wins in program history.
- Redshirt junior 133-pounder John Erneste captured his second straight conference title with a 4-2 win over Buffalo's Bryan Lantry. Erneste will wrestle in his second NCAA Tournament in Cleveland after advancing to the round of 12 in 2017.
- After taking fourth at the 2016 Big 12 Championships while wrestling for West Virginia and redshirting last season, redshirt sophomore 165-pounder Connor Flynn captured his first MAC title at 165 pounds with a 10-5 win over Eastern Michigan's Zac Carson.
PERFECTION
- With a 23-9 win over No. 13 Northern Iowa (Feb. 17), Mizzou concluded the season with a perfect 19-0 season, its second-ever perfect season in program history.
- Both perfect seasons at Mizzou have come under head coach Brian Smith, as the 2014-15 Tigers went 24-0, won an NWCA National Duals title and its third straight MAC title.
- Coincidently, the last time Mizzou won a team trophy at the NCAA Championships was 2015, as Mizzou finished fourth at the national tournament with five All-Americans and one national champion, Drake Houdashelt.
TOP-10 STREAK
- Mizzou finished the regular season No. 3 in the USA Today/NWCA Division-I Coaches Poll on Feb. 13, the 74th consecutive poll that the Tigers have been ranked in the Top-10. It is Mizzou's highest ranking since vaulting to No. 1 on Feb. 24, 2015, following a 2015 NWCA National Duals title.
- The last time Mizzou was not ranked in the top-10 was Nov. 12, 2013, when the Tigers ranked No. 11. Before being out of the top-10 for two polls (No. 13 on Nov. 2, 2013 and No. 11 on Nov. 12, 2013), Mizzou was ranked in the top-10 for the 17 consecutive polls. Since Feb. 14, 2012, Mizzou has been ranked in the top-10 for 91 of the last 93 polls.
- During this top-10 streak, Mizzou has been ranked in the top-five of the Coaches Poll for 43 weeks, including its ascension to No. 1 in the Feb. 24, 2015 poll after Mizzou defeated No. 1-ranked Iowa to capture the 2015 NWCA National Duals title.
CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
- Since joining the Mid-American Conference in 2012-13, Mizzou Wrestling has been the dominant force within the league, winning each of the five tournament championships, as well as the dual title in 2014-15, 2015-16 and this season, 2017-18 (Mizzou was only eligible to compete in the conference tournament in 2012-13). At the 2018 MAC Championships (March 3-4), Mizzou reset the conference record for points scored for the third time in four seasons with 177 points. Previously, Mizzou set the record in 2015 with 139.5 points, and in 2017 with 154.5 points.
- Mizzou has been especially dominant this season against MAC opponents, as the Tigers have outscored its conference opponents, 241-43, in seven duals this season. Mizzou has produced a record of 56-14 in those MAC duals, and have won 28 of those matches by bonus points (4.0 per dual). Redshirt junior 174-pounder Daniel Lewis has been a force to be reckoned within MAC competition, as the two-time All-American has won each of his six MAC matches by bonus points, recording three falls, two technical falls and a major decision.
- Dating back to Jan. 25, 2014, Mizzou has won 35 of its last 36 duals against MAC foes, with its lone setback occurring in last season's final dual, a 25-10 loss to Northern Iowa on Feb. 12, 2017. In Mizzou's stretch of MAC dual success, the Tigers have outscored the opposition, 1,063-316 in 36 duals.
WINS OVER TOP-10 OPPONENTS
Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Mizzou has defeated 10 top-10 ranked opponents, including five on the road, and one against the No. 1-ranked team, Iowa, to claim the 2015 NWCA National Duals title. A breakdown of those Top-10 wins are below:
| Opponent | Score | Date |
| at No. 7 Ohio | 25-18 | Dec. 13, 2014 |
| at No. 4 Cornell | 27-9 | Jan. 10, 2015 |
| vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State | 22-10 | Jan. 23, 2015 |
| vs. No. 1 Iowa^ | 18-12 | Feb. 22, 2015 |
| vs. No. 3 Ohio State | 26-17 | Dec. 12, 2015 |
| vs. No. 7 Oklahoma | 31-12 | Jan. 30, 2016 |
| vs. No. 6 Virginia Tech | 23-19 | Nov. 20, 2016 |
| at No. 7 Cornell | 25-11 | Jan. 14, 2017 |
| at No. 10 Virginia Tech | 22-12 | Nov. 25, 2017 |
| at No. 5 Oklahoma State | 21-19 | Jan. 27, 2018 |
LAVALLEE BACK FOR MORE
- After an NCAA finalist finishes in 2017, redshirt senior 157-pounder Joey Lavallee is back for more in his fourth NCAA Championships appearance. At the MAC Championships, Lavallee defeated Kent State's Casey Sparkman, 8-2, to win his second consecutive MAC title at 157 pounds.
- Lavallee will enter his fourth NCAA Tournament with a 28-1 mark, with 19 of his victories coming by bonus points (six falls, six technical falls, seven major decisions). Lavallee's three wins in the tournament give him 111 career victories, moving him above two-time All-American and current UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley (110 wins) for the 14th-most wins in program history.
- Lavallee became the 27th member of Mizzou's 100-win club with a dominant 19-0 technical fall over No. 19-ranked Kennedy Monday (North Carolina) at the South Beach Duals (Dec. 29). Lavallee is the first Tiger to join the exclusive club since Zach Synon recorded his 100th win at the Edinboro Open last season.
- Last season, Lavallee roared back onto the scene after a redshirt season in 2015-16, winning the MAC Championship at 157 pounds and earning his first All-America honor by finishing runner-up at the NCAA Championships at 157 pounds. He finished the season with a remarkable record of 29-2 for a winning percentage of .935, the 10th-best single season winning percentage in program history.
BONUS POINT MACHINE
- Redshirt junior 174-pounder Daniel Lewis has been a bonus point machine since being inserted into the starting lineup in 2015-16. In 86 total wins, Lewis has recorded bonus points in 73.3 percent of his victories (63-of-86).
- In total, Lewis has recorded 35 falls, 18 major decisions and nine technical falls in his career. Among program records, Lewis ranks sixth in career falls and tied-for-tenth in technical falls with 10.
- At the MAC Championships, Lewis put Central Michigan's CJ Brucki on his back at 1:33 for a pin to claim his third conference title. The Tiger junior joins J'den Cox (2014-17), Drake Houdashelt (2012-15), Ben Askren (2004, 06-07), Nick Marable (2008-10) and Alan Waters (2012-13, 15) as the only wrestlers in program history to claim at least three conference titles.
- Lewis enters the NCAA Tournament with a perfect 29-0 mark on the season with 25 wins coming by bonus points as the two-time All-American has recorded 16 falls, five technical falls and four major decisions. Among team leaders, Lewis also leads the team in wins (29), dual wins (18), dual points (89) falls (16), and falls in dual competition (8).
- In 2015-16, Lewis went 29-6 and was named the MAC Freshman of the Year after a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships at 165 pounds. He totaled 10 falls, nine major decisions and one technical fall on the season.
- The bonus points did not stop in 2016-17, as Lewis went 28-6 and finished sixth at the NCAA Championships at 165 pounds. Lewis totaled 22 wins by bonus points on the season, nine falls, nine major decisions and four technical falls.
EIERMAN ROLLS INTO SECOND CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Redshirt sophomore 141-pounder Jaydin Eierman seeks his second podium finish in his second NCAA Championships appearance, as the Tiger sophomore enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed.
- Following two falls on the first day of the tournament, Eierman recorded a 24-9 technical fall over No. 2-seed Mason Smith (Central Michigan) to claim his second consecutive MAC title. The Tiger sophomore improves to 28-1 on the season with 21 wins coming with bonus points. Among team ranks, the 2017 MAC Freshman of the Year currently ranks second in falls (14), second in dual points (79), second in wins (28) and fourth in major decisions (4).
- Eierman recorded the biggest win of his career to-date with a 9-6 win over No. 1-ranked Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) at the South Beach Duals (Dec. 30). Eierman trailed in the bout, 5-3, with 30 seconds remaining when he took the top-ranked wrestler down and brought him to his back for a four-point near-fall to seal the match.
ERNESTE SEEKS PODIUM FINISH
- Redshirt junior 133-pounder John Erneste will be seeking his first poidum finish at his second NCAA Championships.
- At the MAC Championships, Erneste captured his second straight conference title with a 4-2 win over Buffalo's Bryan Lantry. The Tiger junior enters the NCAA tournament with a record of 22-2 with 10 bonus point wins (seven falls, three major decisions).
- Erneste preservered through a challenging stretch to start the season, as the Tiger junior has faced nine ranked wrestlers in the first three months of the season. Erneste came out victorious in seven of his matches against ranked opponents so far, including a 6-2 win over No. 17-ranked Chaz Tucker (Cornell) at the South Beach Duals (Dec. 30).
MIKLUS RECEIVES SIXTH YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY
- After missing the majority of the 2013-14 and 2016-17 seasons due to injuries, redshirt senior 197-pounder Willie Miklus received a sixth year of eligibility for 2018-19, granted by the NCAA.Wrestling at 184 pounds, Miklus earned All-America honors in 2015 and 2016, finishing seventh and sixth, respectively. Among program records, Miklus currently ranks sixth in career technical falls (11) and ninth in falls (27).
- After only being able to wrestle in two matches before suffering a season-ending knee injury a season ago, Miklus has roared back onto the scene in 2017-18, this time wrestling at 197 pounds. Coming off his first career conference title at the MAC Championships, the two-time All-American will be making his third NCAA Championships appearance as the sixth-seed in Cleveland later this week. Miklus has wrestled to a record of 21-3 this season, with 16 of his wins coming by bonus points (six falls, seven technical falls and three major decisions). Miklus will be taking a 10-match winning streak with him when he steps onto the mat for his first round matchup against Northern Iowa's Jacob Holschlag in Cleveland.
- In 2014-15, Miklus earned MAC Freshman of the Year honors after finishing seventh at the NCAA Championships. The Tiger grappler posted a record of 33-9 in his first competitive season, while leading the team with 14 falls. In 2015-16, Miklus earned his second All-America honor after wrestling to a 21-8 record and finishing sixth at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Miklus missed the final three months of the 2013-14 season due to a shoulder injury.
MARRIOTT & FLYNN MAKE FIRST NCAA APPEARANCE
- Following a close decision loss to Virginia Tech's No. 6-ranked Zack Zavatsky (Nov. 25), redshirt freshman 184-pounder Canten Marriott has strung together a run of 15 wins in 17 matches, helping him ascend into the top-20 individual rankings for the first time in his career.
- The hot stretch included the first win over ranked opponent for the Park Hill High School product, who defeated North Carolina's No. 16-ranked Chip Ness (Dec. 29), 3-1, in sudden victory.
- Marriott then solidified his spot in the individual rankings with a 9-1 major decision win over No. 14-ranked Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan) to help Mizzou clinch the MAC Dual Title.
- This season, Marriott has wrestled to a mark of 25-6 (14-3 in duals), and has recorded 10 wins by bonus points with five major decisions, four technical falls and one fall.
- In his first season as an attached wrestler for the Black & Gold, redshirt sophomore 165-pounder Connor Flynn has wrestled to a record of 24-7. Flynn has won 13 matches by bonus points this season, recording four major decisions, five technical falls and four falls.
- After taking fourth at the 2016 Big 12 Championships while wrestling for West Virginia and redshirting last season, Flynn captured his first MAC title at 165 pounds with a 10-5 win over Eastern Michigan's Zac Carson.
Players Mentioned
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