Sept. 4, 2001

Missouri wrestling coach Brain Smith announced the selection of senior John Kopnisky and sophomore Jeremy Spates as team captains for the upcoming season. Kopnisky and Spates are both past qualifiers for the NCAA national tournament, Kopnisky in 2000 and 2001 and Spates in 2000.

"I am very fortunate as a coach to have two kids that are the type of people that these two are," Smith said. "Talent-wise and with their work ethic, they are the obvious choices. But also the type of individuals they are make them an even more obvious choice."

Kopnisky finished the 2000-01 season with a 30-9 record and was 2-2 in the NCAA's. In the 1999-2000 season he was 32-9 and again advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Spates was redshirted for the 2000-01 season after earning a trip to the 2000 NCAA Tournament.

"These two bring the experience to our team that we haven't had in the program," Smith said. "This will be the first season that we have had this kind of leadership."

Kopnisky's father, Bob was MU's wrestling coach from 1974-86 and Spates father, Jack, is the wrestling coach at Oklahoma.

"They have been around wrestling their whole life and they know what it's about," Smith said. "They are able to act like assistant coaches for us. They are the liaisons between the team and me and in a way they are the older brothers for the other guys on the team.

"The focus for both John and Jeremy is to be national champions. They live the sport. Everyday they try to do something to help them succeed as a wrestler. They don't go a day without thinking and living wrestling and working toward the goal of a national championship."