Nov. 8, 2001

The University of Missouri wrestling team will open its 2001-02 season on Friday in a boarder war against Illinois. The match will start at 7 p.m. at St. Charles West High School in St. Charles, Mo.

The Tigers enter the season ranked 21st and have six nationally ranked wrestlers. Senior captain John Kopnisky, who is ranked ninth by The Wrestling Mall and Amateur Wrestling News and seventh by W.I. N. Magazine leads MU. Kopnisky is a two-time NCAA qualifier and looks to make a third straight trip to the National Tournament and become a national champion and all-American. By the end of the season he will likely become the eighth wrestler in Missouri history to record 100 career wins.

Sophomore Jeremy Spates joins Kopnisky as co-captains. Spates was a NCAA qualifier in 1999 and redshirted last season. The Wrestling Mall has Spates ranked 10th in the 149 pound class. He is ranked 11th by Amateur Wrestling News and 12th by W.I.N. Magazine.

Junior Mark Bader is also ranked by all three publications with the highest ranking being 16th by Amateur Wrestling News. Sophomore Justin Spates is ranked 16th by both The Wrestling Mall and Amateur Wrestling News, sophomore Scott Barker is ranked as high as eighth by The Wrestling Mall and Kevin Herron is No. 20 among heavyweights on The Wrestling Mall rankings.

Illinois is ranked in the top ten by all publications. The Fighting Illini will be looking for their sixth straight Top 12 NCAA finish. They also have five nationally ranked wrestlers in their lineup including defending national champion in the heavyweight class, John Lockhart.

Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith enters his fourth year at Mizzou. He has compiled a record of 22-30-1 at MU and has seen the Tigers improve each year he has been at the helm.

Following the matchup with Illinois, the Tigers will compete in the Central Missouri State Open on Nov. 11. They open the home portion of the schedule on Nov. 18 with the second annual Missouri Open.

The Missouri schedule is packed with nationally ranked schools including strong Big 12 opponents Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Nebraska. MU will also face wrestling powerhouses Purdue, Michigan State, Indiana, Old Dominion and Cornell.