Tiger Wrestlers Named to National Academic Team
4/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
April 28, 2006
Columbia, Mo. - Junior 2006 NCAA Champion Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) and sophomore All-American Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) were named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic team as announced today. This marks Askren's second career NWCA Academic honor and McCormick's first.
Missouri's first NCAA Champion in the 61-year history of the program, Askren owns a 3.19 grade-point average in Geography. Askren rewrote the Tiger history books this season setting Missouri's most consecutive wins (45), falls in a season (25) and career falls (62) marks. Among his many end of the season honors, Askren, who wrestles at 174 pounds, was named the recipient of the Hodge Award, wrestling's equivalent to the Heisman, as well as the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Sports Illustrated on Campus Athlete of the Year and RevWrestling.com Wrestler of the Year.
McCormick, a business major with a 3.950 GPA finished seventh in his first NCAA Tournament appearance. Wrestling at 133 pounds, McCormick finished the NCAA Championships with a 5-2 record, winning his final bout of the tournament, 6-4 over eighth-ranked Matt Keller of UTC. McCormick finished his sophomore campaign with a 31-9 record, earning second place finishes at the Big 12 Championships and Missouri Open.
A total of 67 wrestlers were named to the NWCA All-Academic Team, with 11 of the individuals hailing from the Big 12 Conference.
