March 3, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - The Missouri wrestling team will travel eight grapplers to the 2007 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, March 15-17 at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich. This marks the most Missouri wrestlers to make a run at an NCAA Championship title, besting the previous high of seven set in 2003 and 2006.

Six Tiger grapplers earned automatic bids to the tournament after finishing among the top-three of their respective weight class, with senior Matt Pell (Luxemburg, Wis.) and junior Josh Wagner (Milton, Wis.) awarded wild card bids by vote of the five Big 12 Head Coaches.

Missouri NCAA Qualifiers 133-Tyler McCormick (second appearance) 149-Josh Wagner (first appearance) 157-Michael Chandler (second appearance) 165-Matt Pell (third appearance) 174-Ben Askren (fourth appearance) 184-Raymond Jordan (second appearance) 197-Maxwell Askren (first appearance) HWT-Mark Ellis (first appearance)