March 20, 2006
Columbia, Mo. -
The University of Missouri's Ben Askren won the first-ever NCAA title in the school's wrestling history Saturday, when he rolled to a 14-2 major decision in the 174-pound final, beating Northwestern's Jake Herbert on his way to being awarded the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the meet (another first for MU).
The individual title marked the 12th such championship in Mizzou Athletics history. Askren became the first Tiger since Derrick Peterson in 1999 (800 meters in outdoor track) to win an individual NCAA title. He is the 10th different Tiger student-athlete to win such distinction, and as a junior, he has the chance to join Peterson and former Olympian Dick Cochran as the only Tigers to win two NCAA titles. Peterson won the 800 meters both indoors and outdoors in 1999, while Cochran won the NCAA discus title in consecutive years (1959-60) to become MU's first-ever multiple-time NCAA winner.
Overall, Mizzou has claimed 14 NCAA non-team event titles. Adding to the 12 individual titles are two indoor track distance medley relay championships won by the Tiger men in 1974, and the Tiger women in 2001.
Mizzou has won two NCAA team championships, as accomplished by the baseball team in 1954, and by the men's indoor track team, in 1965.
Following is a listing of MU's NCAA individual and team championships...
MIZZOU NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
NCAA Individual Titles
Year Sport Tiger Event
1944 Men's Track (Outdoor) Bill Bangert Discus
1945 Men's Track (Outdoor) Edward Quirk Shot Put
1955 Men's Cross Country Keith Bacon n/a
1958 Men's Track (Outdoor) Bob Davis Pole Vault
1959 Men's Track (Outdoor) Dick Cochran Discus
1960 Men's Track (Outdoor) Dick Cochran Discus
1974 Men's Track (Indoor) Charlie McMullen, Dave Rogi Distance Medley Relay
Jim Crawford, Mike Rabuse
1979 Men's Track (Outdoor) Nat Page High Jump
1984 Men's Track (Outdoor) Albert Lane 110m Hurdles
1985 Women's Track (Outdoor) Sabrina Dornhoefer 5000m Run
1989 Women's Track (Indoor) Natasha Kaiser 400m Dash
1999 Men's Track (Indoor) Derrick Peterson 800m Run
1999 Men's Track (Outdoor) Derrick Peterson 800m Run
2001 Women's Track (Indoor) Ann Marie Brooks, Ashley Wysong, Distance Medley Relay
Kerry Hils, Sunny Gilbert
2006 Wrestling Ben Askren 174 Pounds
NCAA Team Titles
Year Sport
1954 Baseball
1965 Men's Track (Indoor)