June 7, 2004
Columbia, Mo. -Head Coach Brian Smith announced the names of five wrestlers that will join the Missouri wrestling team for the 2004-05 campaign. The group has been ranked as the 10th-best recruiting class in the nation as designated by Intermat. Among the list are four Missouri natives; Mike Chandler, Marcus Hoehn, Seth Robison and Leremie Shaffer. Andrew Sherry will travel west from his home state of Pennsylvania to compete for the Tigers. All together, 12 wrestlers have signed on to wrestle for Missouri for the upcoming season.
"This is not only the largest recruiting class I've signed since starting here in 1998, it's also probably one of the highest quality classes we've signed," Smith said. "Our recruiting base has really increased and that's evident by the fact that we've brought in talent from all over the nation."
A member of the Northwest High School class of 2004, Chandler finished second at the Missouri State High School Championships at 152 pounds. Chandler is expected to wrestle at 157 for Missouri.
Expected to wrestle at 141 pounds, Hoehn won the Missouri State title at 130 pounds his junior year (2003), finishing second as a sophomore (2002), third as a senior (2004) and sixth as a freshman (2001). Hoehn was crowned freestyle state champion in 2004 and finished sixth at senior nationals in Cleveland, Ohio. Hoehn has earned several honors throughout his career, including St. Charles West and SEMO Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler (2004), Southeast Missouri Conference Wrestler of the Year, a member of the J-98 Dream Team and J-98 Most Outstanding Wrestler (2003). Topping the school record book with most career wins, (163), Hoehn graduated from Farmington High School.
Robison, also a graduate of Farmington High School, finished second at the Missouri State High School Championships both his junior (2003) and senior (2004) year at 135 pounds. Finishing fourth as a sophomore, Robison is expected to wrestle at 149.
2004 Missouri state champion at 152 pounds, Shaffer is a three-time high school All-American who wrestled for Raymore-Peculiar High School (Peculiar, Mo.). Shaffer finished eighth at the 2004 Junior National Championships.
Graduating from Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School in Sewickley, Penn., Sherry (145) had a second place showing at the Pennsylvania State Wrestling Championships this season, improving from an eighth place finish his junior year. Sherry accumulated a 126-27 career record and was named to the 2004 Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League for his achievements on the mat and in the classroom. Sherry is also expected to wrestle at 157 pounds for the Tigers.
"Our goal is of course to bring home a National Title," Smith said. "With each exceptionally strong student-athlete we bring in, we move one step closer to our goal."