Dec. 28, 2009
Capping off the 2009 calendar year in Evanston, Ill., the 16th-ranked Missouri wrestling team is set to compete in the two-day Midlands Championships, Dec. 29-30. This marks the second straight season in which the Tigers will compete as a team at the annual event held in the Welsh-Ryan Arena. Last year, Missouri finished third behind Iowa and Iowa State with 2009 National Champion Mark Ellis earning the Midlands Heavyweight title.
Wrestling begins at 9:30 a.m. (CT) and is expected to wrap up at approximately 11 p.m. (CT) with the quarterfinals on Dec. 29. Day two is slated for an 11 a.m. start time. Updated brackets will be available throughout the tournament on Missouri's athletic website, www.mutigers.com.
This season, six Tigers were awarded pre-tournament top-eight rankings. Missouri was one of three schools in which two or more wrestlers were seeded among the top-eight of their respective weight class, with both Ellis and sophomore Dominique Bradley both seeded in the heavyweight bracket.
A total of 31 Division I wrestling programs, 11 ranked among the top 25 in the nation will battle for Midlands supremacy. Iowa has won two of the last three tournament titles. Missouri is one of two Big 12 schools competing in the prestigious event. Iowa State will also send members of its second-ranked squad.
Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith has traveled 18 wrestlers, eight ranked among the top-25 of their respective weight class, to the tournament held on the campus of Northwestern University. Two Tigers, freshmen Kyle Bradley (141) and Zach Toal (165) will compete unattached, gaining valuable experience while not affecting their opportunity to redshirt. True freshman Brad Wisdom is the youngest Tiger to wrestle at the Midlands and is one of eight Missouri grapplers making their first appearance at the annual event.
One Tiger wrestler to keep an eye on is senior Nicholas Marable. The fourth-ranked 165-pounder owns a 93-20 career record and a spotless 17-0 on the year. Marable stands a mere seven wins away from becoming the 17th Missouri wrestler to join the 100-win club.
Last season, eight Missouri grapplers finished among the top-eight of their respective weight class.