Senior transfer Mike Whitehead (left) is expected to wrestle at heavyweight during Sunday and Monday's Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C.Senior transfer Mike Whitehead (left) is expected to wrestle at heavyweight during Sunday and Monday's Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C.
Wrestling

Missouri Wrestling Heads South for Southern Scuffle

Dec. 26, 2003

Just like snowbirds, the Tigers of the Missouri wrestling program will head south for a few days this winter. Head coach Brian Smith and his 10-man team will open the Southern Scuffle on Sunday, Dec. 28, which wraps up Monday, Dec. 29. The eighth-ranked Missouri wrestling team will face fierce competition in Greensboro, N.C., as four nationally ranked teams are expected to compete in the all-day event, with around 39 top-ranked wrestlers challenging for individual championship titles.

In its inaugural year, 21 teams from across the Midwest and East Coast will converge on Greensboro, N.C., for what has been deemed the Southern Scuffle. Former national champions Minnesota (2001, 2002), currently ranked ninth in the nation, will be in attendance as will No. 13 Penn State and No. 23 Edinboro. Other schools that will represent and received honorable mention votes in the weekly Intermat Magazine poll include The Citadel, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Ohio and Rider.

Making his official Missouri debut at heavyweight is senior transfer Mike Whitehead. Whitehead, who has competed in several open events this season, is ranked 11th in the nation (Intermat Magazine) and is expected to prove a valuable asset to the ever developing Missouri wrestling team. Entering Sunday's contest, Whitehead holds an 8-1 record.

Taking the other starting spots in the Missouri lineup are seniors Kenny Burleson (157), J.P. Reese (141) and Jeremy Spates (149), juniors Paul Collum (133) and Tyron Woodley (165), sophomores Austin DeVoe (125) Jeff Foust (197) and Matt Pell (184) and redshirt freshman Ben Askren (174). For a full list of individual ranking please see page two of the notes.

"The Southern Scuffle should provide our team with a good strong challenge," Smith said. "Everyone is anxious to head down to North Carolina and compete against some of the schools that we don't often face in our regular season."

The Tigers are coming off of a Dec. 13, win over Indiana (29-15) in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse. The win propelled Missouri to 2-0 on the season.