Nov. 10, 2004
Columbia, Mo. - Returning All-American Ben Askren and Missouri wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith will travel to the campus of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville for the 39th annual Marines All-Star Classic, Monday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. (CT). Hosted by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), the event will feature seven NCAA Champions and eight pre-season No. 1-ranked wrestlers, with five matches pitting the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked wrestlers in the nation against each other.
Ranked No. 2 in the nation at 174 pounds, Askren will pair with 2004 NCAA Champion Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State (currently ranked No. 1). The two met five times throughout the 2003-04 campaign, with Askren taking his only win over the Cowboy at the Big 12 Championships in Ames, Iowa., in a 9-7 decision. Askren and Pendleton are two of six Big 12 wrestlers invited to compete in the prestigious tournament.
As head coach of the No. 10 team in the nation, Smith will assist in coaching responsibilities throughout the 12 matches (10 plus two local feature matches). Also selected to coach are Jack Spates (Oklahoma), Mike Denny (Nebraska-Omaha) and Pat Marsh (Augustana College).
"I'm honored to have been chosen by the NWCA to coach at the All-Star Classic," Smith said. "It's a credit to our program to be recognized at this level. I hope that with the event being hosted at SIUE a lot of our Missouri fans will come out and watch Ben as well as the other outstanding wrestlers compete."
This year's event marks the first time the All-Star tournament has ever been held on a Division II campus. Tickets can be purchased for the Marines All-Star Classic, presented by Real Pro Wrestling, by calling SIUE at 618-650-2949.
2004 Marine All-Star Tournament Lineup 125: #1 Sam Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) vs. #3 Nick Simmons (Michigan State) 133: #1Travis Lee (Cornell) vs. #4 Mark Jayne (Illinois) 141:#3 Teyon Ware (Oklahoma) vs. #4 Cory Cooperman (Lehigh) 149: #1 Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State vs. #2 Dustin Manotti (Cornell) 157: #2 Jake Percival (Ohio) vs. #3 Ryan Bertin (Michigan) 165: #1 Troy Letters (Lehigh) vs. #2 David Bolylard (Central Michigan) 174: #1 Chris Pendleton (Oklahoma State) vs. #2 Ben Askren (Missouri) 184: #1 Greg Jones (West Virginia) vs. #2 Paul Bradley (Iowa) 197: #1 Jon Trenge (Lehigh) vs. #3 J.D. Bergman (Ohio State) HWT: #1 Steve Mocco (Oklahoma State) vs. #2 Cole Konrad (Minnesota)Local Feature Matches 149: Joe Rujawitz (SIUE) vs. Chad Swagman (Truman State) 174: George Kirgan (Northern Illinois) vs. Kiel Geise (Missouri Valley)