Nov. 7, 2003

The ninth ranked Missouri wrestling team will open its season with the Black and Gold intersquad scrimmage, Saturday, Nov. 8, at 11 a.m., in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse. Two mats will be set up to allow for simultaneous matches.

Entering his sixth season with the Tigers, head coach Brian Smith anticipates some heated wrestle-offs in several of the 10 weight classes.

"The black and gold scrimmage is a great way to put the wrestlers into a competitive setting," Smith said. "It gets the athletes as close as possible to an actual competition and allows them to see, compete and perform under the lights and in front of fans."

Coming off of a 15-6 2003 season that saw Mizzou finish second at the Big 12 Championships and 16th at the NCAA Championships, the Tigers are anxious to get back into competition.

"This will really be our way of determining starters for the season," Smith said. "It's more of a wrestle-off than an actual black versus gold meet."

Missouri returns All-American Tyron Woodley at 165-pounds while seniors Kenny Burleson (157), J.P. Reese (141), Jeremy Spates (149) and Ian Semelroth (174) will enter their final year of eligibility.

Eight of MU's wrestlers earned top spots in various preseason rankings. Woodley and Reese grabbed the highest honors at seventh.