May 4, 1999
Columbia, Mo. - Missouri head wrestling coach Brian Smith has announced the signing of seven prospective student-athletes to national letters of intent to wrestle for MU next year. Smiths first recruiting class as head coach of the Tiger program, which features several nationally ranked high school wrestlers, will be ranked among the best in collegiate wrestling for 1999.
"We are very happy to welcome these student-athletes to Missouri. This is the type of class we needed to compete in the Big 12 Conference. Our coaching staff has worked very hard at getting this very talented class to Missouri," head coach Brian Smith said. "These kids, plus the athletes we have returning from this past season will create alot of competition in our wrestling room, which is important to developing an elite program. Now the challenge is for our staff to develope this talent and turn these kids into All-Americans and national champion-caliber wrestlers."
1999 Wrestling Recruiting Class
Name Hometown
Kenny Burelson-157 Neosho, Missouri
Dirk Desmond -149 Hebron, Nebraska
Tanner Harris-125 Choctaw, Oklahoma
Josh Maze-197 Wichita, Kansas
Steve Sakis-165 Chesapeake, Virginia
Jeremy Spates-141 Norman, Oklahoma
Rob Stolin-174 St. Charles, Missouri
Harris was the undefeated state champion from wrestling-rich Oklahoma this past season, earning all-state and all-city honors. In four years at Choctaw High School, Tanner and his teammates won a high school National Championship in 1998 and finished third in the nation in 1996, 1997, and 1999. He is a two-time regional champion as well as a three-time state of Oklahoma placer. He is the highest ranked future Tiger, currently holding down the No. 5 ranking in the nation at 125. Tanner intends on majoring is history education.
Coach Smith on Harris "Tanner is a four-time placer from Oklahoma so anytime you can steal a great kid like that from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State you feel good. He has tremendous talent and will be a great addition to our team and our room for several years to come."
One of the most highly decorated wrestlers in the class, Steve comes to MU from Virginia where he was the 1999 Prep National Champ from Blair Academy in Chesapeke, Virginia. Steve spent three years at Great Bridge High School before transferring to Blair for his senior season, a season in which Blair was ranked eighth in the nation. He is the 1998 Freestyle State Champion of Virginia and a two-time regional champ as well. Steves Great Bridge teams were the 1998 Virginia state champions, finishing the season ranked fifth in the nation and 1997 runner-up in the state. Sakis intends on majoring in business.
Coach Smith on Sakis "Steve comes from two of the best high school programs in the country. He has had great coaching and is a hard-nosed, aggressive wrestler who will battle anyone."
This past seson, Dirk became just the fifth four-time state champion in the history of Nebraska wrestling, coming from behind to win the championship in overtime. Desmond was also a three-time freestyle state champion, a member of the Nebraska National Freestyle Dual team and a three-time member of the Junior National team. Over his career, Desmond posted a 136-3 record and a 367-11 mark on takedowns. Dirk also lettered four times in both football and track, joining the exclusive 12-letter club at Hebron High School, was an Academic All-State Team-Honorable and earned membership into the National Honor Society. He is ranked in the top ten of his weight class nationally among high school wrestlers and will probably wrestle at 149 for MU. Dirk intends on majoring on athletic training at Missouri.
Coach Smith on Desmond "Dirk is a coachs son who is an all-around winner. Obviously hes a great wrestler having become the fifth four-time champion in Nebraska, but he is a great kid in other ways and will be a great asset to our program and to our wrestling room."
Jeremy was a high school All-American, a two-time Junior All-American, and an Olahoma state champion. Spates has spent this season as a part-time student at Oklahoma University where his father, Jack Spates, coached the Sooners to the Big 12 Tournament title. Spates wrestled unattached in several college tournaments this past year, winning the St. Louis Open freshman/sophomore division and placing at the Missouri Valley Open. He comes to Missouri a full four years of eligibility. Tiger coach Brian Smith served as an assistant under the elder Spates at Cornell from 1993-1997. Jeremy intends on majoring in business and has aspirations of one day being a wrestling coach.
Coach Smith on Spates "Jeremy will bring great experince to our room at 141. Ive known him since he was in the sixth grade and he has made great developements along the way. It is great for our program that he chose Missouri, particularly since his dad coaches at Oklahoma. Jeremy will step right in and be very competitive for us from the start."
Rob is another state champion headed to Mizzou in the fall. As a senior at St. Charles West High School in suburban St. Louis, Stolin won the state championship, going 39-0 for the season. The first place medal was his third top three finish as a high school wrestler and also earned him the right to compete for All-American status, which he achieved with an eighth place performance at the High School Nationals. Rob has earned a 4.2 GPA in four years at St. Charles West and is ranked #1 in his graduating class. Rob intends to major in engineering at Missouri.
Coach Smith on Stolin "Ive already nicknamed him The Nightmare because he is so difficult to wrestle technique-wise. He will improve with competition and really has unlimited potential. Plus he is an excellent student and that will only help him as he continues his education."
KENNY BURELSON
A multi-sport athlete from Neosho, Missouri who was a two-time Missouri state champion, a four-time state medalist and a two-time district wrestler of the year. Kenny was a state medalist and three-year letterman in golf as well as a cross country state qualifier. Burelson was a three-time high school Academic All-State selection and holds three state records for fastest pin on the mat. Kenny is intending to major in business.
Coach Smith on Burelson "What impressed us the most about Kenny was his work ethic and that is such an important component to becoming a successful collegiate wrestler. Kenny will be a very good wrestler for us if he continues to work with that intensity."
Maze is a two-time state champion from Wichita, Kansas who comes to Missouri from a very successful wrestling program at Bishop Carroll High School. As a senior, Josh was both State champion and City League champion compiling a 33-2 record. Over Joshs career, Bishop Carroll earned a third place and a runner-up team trophy at the state championships as well as capturing the City League championship in 1998. Also a multi-sport athlete, Josh was a two-year baseball letterman and a three-year football letterman, earning All-State honorable mention on the gridiron as a senior. Maze intends to major in journalism at Missouri.
Coach Smith on Maze "Were very excited about Josh as a multi-talented athlete who was a two-time state champion while only working on wrestling part time. It will be fun to see what he can do wrestling full-time at MU."
These seven outstanding student-athletes join Mark Vollmar, who was Smiths first signee during the early signing period in November, as the first recruiting class for Brian Smith at Missouri. The staff, however has not completed their efforts, as Smith expects to attract more wrestlers to MU before the signing period ends August 1.