Nov. 7, 2007
The sixth-ranked Missouri wrestling team is set to open its 62nd season of competition Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. (CT) against 27th-ranked Rider in Lawrenceville, N.J. Following the evening dual, the Tigers will travel to Hempstead, N.Y., and battle with No. 13 Hofstra beginning at 6 p.m. (CT), Saturday, Nov. 10. This marks the earliest start to the Tiger wrestling season since the 2001-02 campaign in which Missouri defeated then-No. 9 Illinois, 20-13, at St. Charles West High School in St. Charles, Mo.
Missouri's Saturday dual against Hofstra can be heard on line through WRHU Radio by visiting the schedule section of Missouri's website and CLICKING HERE A season-opener for both teams, the Friday dual is the third all-time meeting between Missouri and Rider. With the series tied at 1-1, Rider claimed the first dual win, 31-6, against Wes Roper's 1997-98 Tiger squad. Current Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith's 2004-05 team managed a 37-9 victory over Rider at the Virginia Duals, with eight Tiger grapplers earning wins in their respective weight class. Senior wrestler Tyler McCormick (133 pounds) is the only member of the 2004-05 10-man lineup that will have wrestled Rider twice in the three year span.
Missouri owns a 32-29 record in season openers having added a win last year against then-No. 10 Ohio State, 29-9. With a 5-4 season-opening record under Smith, the Tigers opening dual win streak dates back to the 2003-04 campaign in which the Tigers held off then-No. 1 ranked Oklahoma State, 21-17.
Eight members of Missouri's 10-man squad are currently ranked among the top-25 in the nation in their respective weight class, with McCormick ranked highest at second in the nation. McCormick is Missouri's sole returning All-American for the 2007-08 campaign, but the Tigers strength in the upper weight class with Big 12 Champions Raymond Jordan (184 pounds) and Maxwell Askren (197 pounds). Additionally, a total of six NCAA qualifiers, individuals who helped Missouri to its highest NCAA finish in program history, third, return to the lineup.
Redshirt freshman Tony Pescaglia (125 pounds) and true freshman Rudy Galarza (149 pounds) will be the youngest Tigers on this week's trip, while junior Emanuel Brooks (157) will travel North looking to make his first collegiate start in Missouri's lineup.
Scouting the Broncs: Led by Head Coach Gary Taylor, now in his 30th season, the Rider Broncos are looking to improve upon their thrid place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in 2007. The Broncos finished the 2006-07 season at 11-8 (5-3 in the CAA). Rider returns three NCAA qualifiers this season. Senior 141 pounder Don Fisch collected 32 wins in his junior campaign and finished fifth at the 2007 NCAA Championships. Three-time NCAA qualifier T.J. Morrison, a 197 pound senior, enters the season with a 78-33 career record. Junior 184 pounder Doug Umbehauer is a two-time NCAA qualifier and the reigning CAA champion in his weight class. Rider begins the season with nine wrestlers ranked in the CAA and four ranked nationally. The all-time series between Rider and Missouri is tied at 1-1.
Scouting the Pride: Led by second year Head Coach Tom Shifflet, Hofstra completed the 2006-07 season with an 18-4-2 record (7-0 in the Colonial Athletc Association, CAA) and ranked seventh in the nation. Hofstra won its sixth consecutive conference title last year with seven indiviual CAA champions and seven NCAA qualifiers. The Pride have four of the seven NCAA qualifiers from 2007 returning to the team this year. Senior Charles Griffin, a 141 pounder who holds a career record of 89-20, is a three-time CAA champion and NCAA qualifier and was named an All-American in 2007. Another three-time CAA champion and NCAA qualifier is senior 125 pounder DaveTomasette. Owning a career record of 83-29 is 184 pounder senior Joe Rovelli who rounds out the three teammates who are all three-time CAA champions and NCAA qualifiers. Sophomore Lou Ruggirello, at 133 pounds and record of 31-9, was also a CAA champion and NCAA qualifier in his freshman season. The Hofstra Pride open up this season ranked 13th in the USA Today/Intermat/NWCA Preseason Poll. The Missouri Tigers lead the series against Hofstra 2-0.
The Last Time... Both of Missouri's meetings with Hofstra have come during the Brian Smith era. First meeting in 2002 at the Virginia Duals, Missouri bested the Pride, 25-13. The last meeting between the two schools came during the 2003-04 campaign when Missouri walked away with the 19-13 win at the National Duals, eventually finishing second at the two-day tournament. All 10 members of Missouri's starting lineup that competed against Hofstra in 2004 have graduated.
New York, New York Missouri's trip to Hofstra marks the Tigers' second appearance in three years in the Big Apple. First traveling to New York City in January of 2005, Missouri battled, but lost, to sixth-ranked Lehigh, 22-17 in the prestigious New York City Athletic Club. Two Tigers that made the trip to New York in 2005 are seniors on this year's squad, Tyler McCormick (133 pounds) and Josh Wagner (149 pounds).
True Freshman Travels True freshman Rudy Galarza is traveling with the Tigers this week and could see time in the Missouri lineup at 149 pounds. Galarza becomes the fourth true freshman in four years to compete for the Tigers. Last season, Ashtin Primus led the way for Missouri at 141 pounds. Primus is now redshirting his sophomore academic campaign to move up to the 149 pound weight class.
Smith Hits Decade Mark Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith enters his 10th year at the helm of the Tiger wrestling program. Owning a 110-56-1 record with the Tigers, Smith holds the highest winning percentage of any wrestling coach in Missouri history at 67 percent.
10 Years Ago Going along with the previous note, 10 years ago, in Brian Smith's initial year with the Tigers, Missouri lost its season opener with Illinois, 33-3. His first squad at Missouri finished the year with a 4-9 record. What a difference 10 years makes!
Several Tigers Head to CMSU Open Several members of Missouri's 41-man squad will be competing in the 33rd annual Central Missouri State University (CMSU) Open Sunday, Nov. 11, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT). In last season's showing, two Tigers including current 165 pound starter Nicholas Marable, earned titles at their respective weight class with five additional Tigers finishing among the top six of their weight class. For his work on the mat, Marable went on to earn CMSU Open Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.