May 30, 2001

Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri wrestling team has added six recruits to the Tiger lineup, as announced today by Head Coach Brian Smith.

"This is a good group of student-athletes who are prepared to make the transition into Division One competition," said Head Coach Brian Smith.

Austin DeVoe will join the Tigers from Columbus, Kan., where he wrestled at Columbus Unified High School. Under the direction of Head Coach Todd Napier, DeVoe amassed an overall record of 150-3, placing second at the state championships as a freshman, and winning the state tournament his next three years. He placed third at the Junior Nationals All-American Freestyle tournament in 1999, was a runner-up at the 2000 Fila Cadet Nationals, was the 2001 Kansas High School 4A Wrestler of the Year, and won the 114-pound Western Junior Regional Championship Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., earlier this year.

Also joining the Tiger wrestling team is Chris McCormick, from Blue Valley North High School in Leawood, Kan. A teammate of DeVoe on the East Kansas Wrestling Club, coached by Kevin Klemm, McCormick recently placed second at the Southern Plains Regional Freestyle tournament, and was the Kansas 123-pound state champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman in 2000. He earned a career record of 130-31 in his high school campaign, and won the state tournament in 2001 at 130 pounds.

TJ Hansen, from Dallas Jesuit Prep School in Dallas, Texas, has also committed to wrestling at Mizzou. A three-time state champion, Hansen logged 178 career victories in high school, and recorded a 65-1 record in his junior and senior campaigns. The three-time prep All-American chose Mizzou over Arizona State.

Josh Valenti, a 125-pounder from Carthage, Mo., will also join the Tiger wrestling squad. At Carthage High School, he earned a career record of 139-13, including two state runner-up medals and a state champion title.

Jeff Foust, from Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Mo., was a state champion at 189 pounds, and helped his squad win the 4A state title earlier this year. He was an honorable mention on the High School All-American list published by Intermat Magazine.

Karl Person, from Lawton-MacArthur High School in Lawton, Okla., will join the squad as a heavyweight. Former teammate to current Tiger Brian Hinson, Person was named a High School All-American at this year's High School National Tournament. He considered attending the University of Oklahoma before choosing Missouri.