Jan. 22, 2010
Columbia, Mo. - The 15th-ranked Missouri wrestling team (3-4) will compete in three duals over a two-day span, beginning first with Hofstra on Friday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. (CT) in Hempstead, N.Y. From there, the Tigers will travel to Philadelphia, Pa., and take on George Mason and Drexel at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. (CT), respectively on Saturday, Jan. 23.
The 2009-10 season marks the third straight year in which the Tigers and Pride of Hofstra will go head-to-head. Missouri leads Hofstra, 4-0, in an all-time series that dates back to the 2001-02 campaign. The last time the Tigers competed in Hempstead, N.Y., they used a come-from-behind effort and key win by heavyweight Mark Ellis to seal a 22-21 victory.
This season, Missouri brings seven ranked wrestlers to the evening meet held in Mack Sports Complex. Senior All-American Maxwell Askren owns the best ranking of his teammates at third in the nation at 184 pounds. Askren is one of four Tiger wrestlers ranked among the top-10 of their respective weight class.
Hofstra, 5-6-2 on the year, will wrestle one grappler ranked among the top-25, 17th-ranked Jonny Bonilla-Bowman at 157 pounds. Bonilla-Bowman and Missouri 157-pounder Patrick Wright first met two years ago at the 2008 Missouri Open. Wright came out the winner by way of 12-8 decision. At the time, Bonilla-Bowman was ranked 15th in the country.
Led by Head Coach Tom Shifflet, Hofstra is coming off of a 3-1 showing at the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Duals last Saturday, Jan. 16. The all-day meet pit Hofstra against Sacred Heart, Boston University, Old Dominion and Missouri's second opponent of the road series, George Mason. Hofstra's only loss on the day came to Old Dominion, 29-10.
George Mason, 3-5 on the year, earned its last win Jan. 16 against Sacred Heart, 33-16. For his work on the mat, sophomore 174-pounder Mendbagana Tovuujav was awarded CAA Co-Wrestler of the Week. Tovuujav, a 2009 NCAA qualifier, went 4-0 in the all-day meet and owns a 22-7 record on the year. Tovuujav will take on Missouri's 10th-ranked Dorian Henderson in the first of two Tiger duals Saturday, Jan. 23. Henderson is currently 18-8 on the season and has won three of his last five matches.
Saturday's duals with George Mason and Drexel are a first in Tiger history. The three way meet which features the Big 12 Tigers and CAA George Mason Patriots and Drexel Dragons will be contested in the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Drexel enters its meet with Missouri with a 5-8 record, most recently dropping its last two competitions against Binghamton and Old Dominion. Dragon 133 pound wrestler Steve Mytch ranks 13th in the nation and recently set a new career wins mark of 122 victories.