April 25, 2006
Columbia, Mo. - Putting the final touches on the 2005-06 wrestling campaign, the Missouri wrestling team held its annual banquet April 22nd at the Upper Crust in downtown Columbia. Head Coach Brian Smith and the coaching staff presented individual awards to several wrestlers that were instrumental in the team's 13-5 season, during which the Tigers were ranked as high as No. 7.
Junior Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) received three awards during the banquet, including the formal presentation of the Dan Hodge Trophy by former Oklahoma grappler Dan Hodge, for whom the award is named. The Hodge Trophy, recognized as wrestling's Heisman, is given to the most dominant wrestler in the nation. Askren completed an undefeated 45-0 season with a 14-2 major decision over No. 2 Jake Herbert of Northwestern at 174 pounds to become the first individual national champion in the history of Missouri wrestling. Askren was also named Missouri's Most Outstanding Wrestler for the third consecutive season, becoming the only Tiger to receive the honor three times. Askren set new Missouri records for season falls (25), career falls (62) and consecutive wins (45), as well as becoming the fastest Tiger to reach the 100-win club with a victory over Oklahoma's Wes Roberts Feb. 5.
Sophomore Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) was named Missouri's Most Improved Wrestler after completing a 31-9 season at 133 pounds and earning All-America status at the NCAA Championships Mar. 18. McCormick nearly qualified for Nationals as a freshman, but an injury at the Big 12 Championships ended his freshman season. Coming back to full strength as a sophomore, McCormick entered the national tournament unseeded but came away with a seventh-place finish to win his first All-America honor.
Picking up the second honor for the McCormick brothers, senior Chris McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) was given the Ed Lampitt Total Tiger Award recognizing the wrestler who is a leader both on and off the mat. The Tiger's starter at 141 pounds, McCormick compiled a 28-11 record on the year, taking fourth place at the Southern Scuffle Dec. 29-30. A leader off the mat as well, McCormick was the Student Athletic Advisory Committee Representative for the wrestling team.
Redshirt freshman Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) received the Hap Whitney Coach's Award, given to the wrestler that displays dedication, commitment, sacrifice and unselfishness to the team. Wrestling at 157 pounds, Chandler finished the regular season on a 7-3 run, then earned a wild card at the Big 12 Championships March 4 with two wins, including a fall over No. 17 Chris Oliver of Nebraska. Validating his wild-card selection, Chandler defeated No. 4 Matt Lebe of West Virginia at the NCAA Championships March 17, reaching the All-American round as a freshman. Chandler finished the season with a 19-16 mark.
Redshirt freshman Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C.) burst onto the scene with a stellar campaign for the Tigers at 184 pounds and received the Marshall Esteppe Most Outstanding Freshman Award. Jordan defeated 10 ranked opponents on his way to a 33-12 record, including an 11-10 defeat of No. 11 Vince Jones of Nebraska that allowed Jordan to take second at the Big 12 Championships and qualify for the NCAA Championships, where he finished 2-2.
Askren also received the award for Most Pins, while junior Amond Prater (Marietta, Ga.) was recognized for his work in the weight room. The 133-pounder has been called the strongest athlete, pound-for-pound at the University of Missouri by the strength-and-conditioning staff and finished the season with a 21-9 mark.