Nov. 16, 2004

Columbia, Mo. - Ranked 10th in the nation, the Missouri wrestling team will travel to Meramec College in St. Louis to challenge No. 19 Purdue on Friday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. (CT). The dual is the Tigers' first of the 2004-05 season and will be hosted by Missouri in the Meramec Gymnasium located in the Physical Education building on the Northeast side of campus. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS or at the door the night of the event.

"The team and coaching staff is always excited to get back and wrestle in St. Louis," Head Coach Brian Smith said. "We're looking forward to wrestling Purdue. They're a dominant school in the Big Ten Conference and our duals with Purdue have been tight in the past. Everyone in the Tiger lineup is going to have to go in and wrestle hard."

Entering the dual, five Missouri wrestlers stand ranked among the top-20 in the nation at their respective weight class. Sophomore Ben Askren holds the highest MU ranking at second in the nation at 174 pounds. A captain and 2004 All-American, Askren will likely pair with junior Purdue wrestler Barry Jackson.

Ranked as high as fifth in the nation, sophomore Matt Pell will weigh in and compete at 184 pounds for his match with No. 7 Benjamin Wissel. This is the first pairing between the two wrestlers and will be the only competition where both athletes are ranked among the top-20 in the nation at their respective weight.

Team captain and 2003 All-American Tyron Woodley returns for his final run at an NCAA Championship title at 165 pounds. Woodley holds a 78-32 career record, earning five straight wins on his way to a first place finish at the Central Missouri State Open last Sunday. Woodley is currently ranked as high as sixth in the nation according to the Wrestling Mall preseason poll released Oct. 4. The 165 pound match will feature Woodley (Ferguson, Mo.) in a battle with Illinois native John DeCeault of Tinley Park.

2004 NCAA Qualifier Jeff Foust will travel to St. Louis as the No. 12 ranked wrestler at 197 pounds. Foust was 2-2 in his first NCAA Championship appearance and earned his first Big 12 title on March 6, 2004, in Ames, Iowa.

Transfer graduate student Brad Cieleski is a two-time NCAA qualifier in search of his first NCAA Championship title. Wrestling at 157 pounds, Cieleski is ranked as high as 14th in the nation. Cieleski competed in his first collegiate tournament as a Tiger last Sunday, finishing second at the CMSU Open with a 4-1 record. In his second match of the tournament, Cieleski scored a pin on Josh Cormine of Missouri Valley College in 1:35.

Rejoining the starting lineup, junior Chris McCormick has moved up a weight class and will wrestle at 141 pounds this season. McCormick took a redshirt during the 2003-04 season in order to increase in strength and weight. In his first dual since 2003, McCormick will challenge Purdue's senior Ben Sprunger.

Purdue enters Friday night's dual with four wrestlers ranked among the top-20 in the nation. Junior Chris Fleeger, ranked No. 2, will take on Missouri's redshirt freshman Tyler McCormick or sophomore Amond Prater at 133 pounds.

Projected Lineup
125-Austin DeVoe vs. Brandon Tucker or Sean Schmaltz
133-Tyler McCormick or Amond Prater vs. Chris Fleeger
141-Chris McCormick vs. Ben Sprunger
149-Cody Greene vs. Doug Withstandley
157-Brad Cieleski vs. Daniel Bedoy
165-Tyron Woodley vs. John DeCeault
174-Ben Askren vs. Barry Jackson
184-Matt Pell vs.Ben Wissel
197-Jeff Foust vs. Nathan Moore
HWT-Chase Wetenkamp vs. Jake O'Brien

Directions From North: Take Highway 270 South (Memphis) to Big Bend Blvd. Exit 7, turn left and go one mile to the College entrance on the left.

From South: Take Highway 270 North to Watson Road (Exit 366), turn left on S. Geyer Rd. and continue one mile to Big Bend Blvd., left on Big Bend Blvd. to College entrance on the right.

From 44 West: Take Highway 44 east to Watson Rd. (Exit 366 East), east on Watson Rd. to S. Geyer Rd. Left on S. Geyer Rd. for one mile to Big Bend Blvd. Left on Big Bend Blvd. to College entrance.

From 70 West: From KC/Columbia, MO - take 70 east to Highway 40/61 (Memphis exit), go 14 miles to Highway 270 south, continue south on 270 to Big Bend Blvd. (Exit 7), turn left and go one mile to College entrance on left.

From East: Take Highway 44 west to Big Bend Blvd. (Exit 278), right on Big Bend Blvd. across Lindbergh Blvd. and S. Geyer Rd. - about 1/2 mile - to College entrance located on Big Bend Blvd.