Feb. 6, 2006
Chris McCormick's junior season ended in a heartbreaking, 5-4 overtime loss to the No. 4 ranked wrestler in the country. Disappointed by defeat, McCormick had one more year of eligibility left and knew that there would be more opportunities. This year, McCormick doesn't have that same luxury.
Standing at 5-foot-6 and wrestling at 141 pounds, McCormick, now a senior, has been a big piece of the foundation for the Mizzou wrestling program the past five years.
With only five chances to wrestle before the Big 12 and NCAA Championships, McCormick is pulling out all the stops, hoping to streak into the postseason taking down opponents by force.
So far this season, McCormick has rattled off a 26-7 record, tallying up five decisions by fall, two by technical fall, two by major decision, and 17 by decision.
On Dec. 30, at the "Southern Scuffle," McCormick took fourth place. On the way, he dismantled then No. 7 ranked David Hoffman of Virginia Tech, getting the decision 9-2. Since that point, McCormick has only lost three times, twice to then No. 15 Sean Markey at the `Scuffle.
McCormick has tasted victory many times this season, racking up third place at the CMSU Open on Nov. 13, first place at the Missouri Open on Nov. 20, and fourth at the aforementioned `Scuffle. McCormick said that he felt his best match came at Pittsburgh on Dec. 19.
"My best match so far this year was against [No. 11] Ron Tarquino from Pittsburgh. I had a complete match, and wrestled for seven minutes hard." McCormick said.
The journey to becoming an elite wrestler hasn't come without obstacles or surprises. Leaping out of his cap and gown at Blue Valley North High school, in Leawood, Kan., McCormick joined the Tiger wrestling team just months later, contributing as a true freshman. McCormick noted that the experience was both exciting and helpful, as it jump-started McCormick's growth as a Tiger wrestler.
After solid seasons as a freshman and sophomore, McCormick redshirted his junior year. After contributing for two years, many competitors would have been discouraged by the redshirt, but McCormick says that it gave him a great opportunity to grow as a wrestler.
As a disciple of "Tiger Style" wrestling, McCormick believes that his strengths as a wrestler come from as far down as the soles of his shoes.
"I'm strong on my feet, I can control a match early and I can push all the way though and dominate." McCormick said.
McCormick's last home dual will come this Sunday against Oklahoma. Having been in the Tiger program for five years, he can hardly believe how fast the time has gone. McCormick looks back on the kid who came to Columbia as a freshman in 2001, and realizes how much he's grown. "I was real young, I was 18 when I first started and I didn't know a lot about what I was getting into," McCormick said. "As I've grown up I've learned a lot about life, a lot about school, and a lot about wrestling and how to persevere."
Perseverance has been the hallmark of McCormick's never-say-die attitude, allowing him to improve as a wrestler and competitor. Battling the flu this season at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, McCormick was still able to get three decisions against tough opponents in `Sin City.'
In the Mutigers.com website, Missouri wrestling head coach Brian Smith said that, "The key to reaching All-America status for Chris is to be consistent and maintain his focus this season."
With the season winding down, McCormick has the opportunity to make his final campaign at Mizzou something special. McCormick agrees with Coach Smith's assessment.
"I think I'm one of the top eight guys in the country." McCormick said. "If I work harder on my consistency towards the Big 12 Championships and the NCAAs, I think I'm definitely an All-American."
Even though Sunday is McCormick's last home dual, Tiger wrestling fans will be able to hear McCormick's name in the Hearnes Center for several years to come. Sophomore Tyler McCormick - Chris's brother - wrestles at 133 and has potential `All-American' talent as well.
Having traveled the road of a successful Tiger wrestler, McCormick has plenty of advice for Tyler as well as other young Tiger wrestlers. "Treat everyday like it's your last day. Before I knew it, I'm looking down the road and I've got a month-and-a half of my whole career," McCormick said. "You don't see it coming."
McCormick probably wishes that opposing Big 12 wrestlers didn't see him coming. Unfortunately, that won't be the case. The 141-pound wrestler will be a marked man come Big 12 Championship time.
Coming down the stretch, McCormick will try to lead as a senior, the best way he knows how: by example. Looking back on nearly half a decade spent building the Mizzou wrestling program, McCormick is astonished by one thing.
"How far we've come. I never expected to be at this level and now I've got to finish it off right." he said.
Finishing it off right is all McCormick thinks about now. As a vital part of the Tiger's postseason plans, McCormick plans to climb over the competition. Every match is meaningful for the senior, and with little time left, McCormick is wrestling with nothing to lose.
----Written by Josh Fowler, MU Media Relations Student Assistant