March 17, 2007

Recap |  Notes  | Final Highlights 

NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Auburn Hills, Mich. Championship Round Post-Match Quotes

Senior 174-Pound National Champion Ben Askren

On what Title means to Program

"I'm so proud of the team. We said all year we're going for the national championship but we're in third place right now and I'm not ashamed of that at all. I'm so proud of all those guys."

On Starting Slowly

"I know I have a big gas tank, and if I don't score big early I can fall back on my conditioning. I heard him starting to breathe hard and I knew I was going to get him sooner or later."

Head Coach of the Third Place Missouri Tigers, Brian Smith

On what the win means for program

"It's a great day for the program. Our ultimate goal was to win the national title, but Missouri hasn't brought home a team trophy in any sport since 1965. Our administration and the state of Missouri is very excited about what these young men did today. It was another goal of ours to get the program on the stage, so it's another step towards moving the program closer to a national title."