Returning four of the seven NCAA Championship qualifiers from the 2002-03 season, the Missouri wrestling program is on track to finish among the top 10 teams in the nation. Ranked ninth nationally in the Intermat Preseason Poll, this year's class stands head and shoulders above prior MU teams.

Under the guidance of head coach Brian Smith, the returning upperclassmen bring a level of experience to the practice room that should have positive trickle down effects on the 11 newcomers. Eight returnees rank among the top-20 wrestlers in the nation, according to Intermat's Preseason Poll. With an incoming recruiting class ranked sixth in the nation, an improvement from 11th opening the 2002-03 season, the newcomers may only need to hone their already impressive skills.

Now entering his sixth year of coaching at Missouri, Smith, along with assistant coaches Bart Horton and Lee Pritts, hope to improve on last year's record-breaking season. Together, the three men combined in leading the 2002-03 team to their highest NCAA showing in 11 years (16th), claiming two All-Americans in Scott Barker and junior Tyron Woodley. It was the first time since 1995 that MU produced two All-Americans in one year. Competing at home in the Big 12 Conference Championships, Mizzou managed a second place finish and claimed two individual champions (Barker and Woodley), in what was another first for the University of Missouri.

Opening the 2003-04 campaign in St. Louis on Nov. 21, against 2003 national champions Oklahoma State, the Tigers look to improve on their 3-1 conference record of last season. The highest conference record ever for a Missouri wrestling team, Smith believes his men can do better. Taking on Nebraska and Iowa State in their respective home facilities on Jan. 24, and Feb. 13, and Oklahoma at home in the Hearnes Center Field House on Feb. 22, the season will be challenging.

"The Big 12 Conference is one of the toughest wrestling conferences in the nation," Smith said. "Personally, I think we might have one of the toughest schedules in the nation, but I think this year's team will rise to the challenge."

Aside from conference competition, the 30-man squad will face wrestlers from other top programs around the country in several high profile tournaments. Over the course of the season, Mizzou will make appearances at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 5-6), the Southern Scuffle (Dec. 28-29), the Sun Devil Duals (Jan. 4) and the National Duals (Jan. 17-18).

"This year's Las Vegas Invitational could almost be more challenging than the NCAA Championships," Smith said. "Where as in nationals you have a 30-man tournament, this two-day invitational has no limits and should be bigger than last year. Several of the best programs in the nation will be competing for first place."

Playing host to the fourth-annual Missouri Open on Nov. 23, four top-20 teams are expected to compete in the all-day event.

"The Missouri Open will be loaded with tough teams this year," Smith said. "It will be our first major tournament of the season and should provide a difficult level of competition. We'll have to bring our A game to every match if we expect to come out on top."

For only the second time in conference history, Iowa State will host the 2003-04 Big 12 Championships in Ames on March 6. Smith's wrestlers will not only contend for their first Big 12 Championship title, but hope to earn 10 bids to the national championships.

"The Big 12 Conference Championships are tough," Smith said. "It's a grind of a tournament where every team is one of the top programs in the country. Probably all five teams will have a chance of finishing among the top-10 in the country.

We have 10 solid weights this season, and this is the most experienced class we've ever brought to the Big 12 Championships. When you look at our lineup, it's legitimate, and I expect each man to wrestle up to his potential. Our team is full of depth this season and should go far."

Bringing its season full circle, the MU team anticipates traveling to St. Louis once again for the NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships. Beginning March 18, and continuing through the 20th, the University of Missouri will play co-host alongside the St. Louis Sports Commission at the Savvis Center.

"All season long we try to treat every match like we're competing against a national championship team," Smith said. "If you can wrestle at that level, and if I as a coach and my staff can get the team to perform like they're wrestling the national champions all season long, I expect that we'll do well in the long run."

Depth is the key this season for the Missouri program and Smith feels that there is plenty to go around in each weight class.

"When you look at the top five or six programs in the country, the depth in the room is what makes the program good," Smith said. "You have guys competing against the best wrestlers in the country in your own room day in and day out. That's what makes them better. You can coach them, but when they're competing against the best every day, that's what makes the difference. That's one of the reasons our program has jumped over the past few years."

Some of Smith's best include NCAA qualifiers Kenny Burleson (157), J.P. Reese (141) and Jeremy Spates (149), as well as 2003 All-American Woodley (165). Burleson and Spates will lead the team as captains this season, while senior transfer Mike Whitehead (HWT), junior transfer Paul Collum (133), sophomores Austin DeVoe (125) and Jeff Foust (197) and redshirt freshman Ben Askren (174) are expected to round out the starting lineup for the Tigers.

"All four NCAA qualifiers know what it takes to make it to nationals," Smith said. "They all four know the importance of every single match when they step out onto the mat and the importance of how to practice for the season. The work ethic that these four individuals bring to the practice room is great for the class of 11 newcomers we have coming in this season. We've never had this before where there is such an experienced group of men that our younger guys can look up to and see how they train and how they go through a season. I think our newcomers will learn a lot from them."

Among the list of newcomers are Collum and Whitehead. No strangers to college wrestling, both transferred to Missouri this season and should help lead in their respective weight classes. Collum will don black and gold for the first time after claiming a national title last season at North Idaho, while Whitehead enters the Tiger lineup after defeating several top-ranked Division I heavyweights as a wrestler at NAIA school Southern Oregon.

DeVoe, Askren and Foust have all worked their way into the Missouri lineup. The three individuals racked up big wins last season and are expected to score well throughout the 2003-04 campaign. The 2003 winner of the Marshall Esteppe Outstanding Freshman Award, DeVoe should stack up well against his competitors this season. DeVoe received honorable mention honors in the Intermat Preseason Poll and is one of only five Big 12 wrestlers mentioned in the preview. Askren, who competed solely in open meets last season, had a solid summer of training, qualifying for the Olympic Trials and creating excitement among the wrestling community. Foust filled in for an injured Barker during Missouri's opening dual against Oklahoma State last season, defeating eventual national champion Jake Rosholt and drawing the attention of a national audience.

Burleson, Reese and Spates all return for their senior year, with hopes of capturing an individual title and becoming All-Americans. Smith feels confident this could be a breakout year for each of his wrestlers.

"Each of my seniors have one goal on their mind, and that is to stand on the podium at the national championships in March," Smith said. I think the entire team is excited that nationals will be in St. Louis this year, but for Burleson, Reese and Spates, it seems to mean that much more."

Three-time Academic All-Big 12 team member, Burleson led the team in wins his junior year, falling short of All-American honors in Kansas City, Mo. Selected as the team captain for the first time in his collegiate career, Smith is confident that Burleson will provide a positive example to the rest of the team.

"Kenny has been to nationals and expects to go back," Smith said. "He's one of the hardest workers on the team, and I'm hopeful that in the end, his hard work will pay off with a trip to the podium."

Another dedicated student-athlete, Reese has put in several hours of overtime practice during the summer, focusing his energy on this year's NCAA Championships. Ranked seventh in the Wrestling Mall Preseason Poll, Reese will have the opportunity to compete against No. 1 Teyon Ware (Oklahoma) and No. 5 Nate Gallick (Iowa State) before facing both at the Big 12 Championships.

Three-time team captain, Spates is a natural leader according to Smith. The two-time NCAA qualifier has experience on his side as he enters his final year as a Tiger. Suffering an ankle injury last season, Spates is fully recovered and has proven his value, competing over the summer on the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Collegiate All-Star International Tour. Wrestling under Smith, Spates was one of 12 wrestlers selected to compete in three cities in Greece; Athens, Thessaloniki and Larisaas, as well as Sophia, Bulgaria. Spates, along with Missouri teammate DeVoe, each compiled a 7-2 record while competing overseas.

Big 12 Champion and All-American Woodley returns for another year with the Missouri wrestling program. Looking to defend his conference title, Woodley will compete against some of the strongest wrestlers in the nation. Woodley, along with Reese, hold the highest preseason rank for a Tiger at seventh. Oklahoma State's senior Tyrone Lewis is the only Big 12 wrestler ahead of Woodley in the preseason ranking.

New to the team this season are nine freshmen, including the No. 1 recruit in the country Tim Kephart of O'Fallon, Mo., and No. 9 recruit Tyler McCormick of Leawood, Kan. Also included in the class is Justin Cole, Jake Dieffenbach, Zach Lazzari, Josh Wagner, Mark Wall, Brett Watkins and James Williamson. For the first time in three years, the MU wrestling team has two sets of brothers on the team, Chris and Tyler McCormick and Joe and James Williamson.

Joining the Missouri wrestling staff is 2003 National Champion Robbie Waller (174). Waller, who is working toward a master's degree in English, is the Total Person Program Graduate Assistant for the wrestling team and will help strengthen the student-athletes both on and off of the mat.

The 2003-04 MU wrestling season promises to be one for the record books. Set on achieving a top-10 finish at Nationals, the Tigers are on the prowl.