COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou wrestling is fresh off arguably their greatest season in program history. The 2014-15 Tiger Style squad finished the regular season with a perfect 24-0 record and a No. 1 national ranking.
Additionally, the team racked up a National Duals Finals championship, the program's first ever regular season conference championship, their fourth consecutive conference tournament title and a fourth place team finish at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
While head coach Brian Smith loses a talent rich senior class, the Tigers are set to bring in a whopping 19 new grapplers to Columbia, Mo. this upcoming season. Mizzou Athletics will catch up with each of the incoming freshman throughout the summer, and get an inside look at their high school journey and what they're looking forward to most at Mizzou.
Up next is Dylan Wisman from Millbrook High School in Millbrook, Va. Wisman concluded his high school career as one of the top recruits in the nation, as he's currently ranked No. 40 in FloWrestling's High School Senior Big Board and No. 11 ranked 182 pound wrestler in the country.
The personal wrestling accolades for Wisman stretch a mile and certainly jump off the page. The Millbrook, Va., native went 161-19 overall, including back-to-back Virginia State Championships to close out his career at Millbrook High School. During his 2014 junior season, Wisman recorded an impressive 49-2 record en route to his first 182 pound state title.
The national recognition and success in the state of Virginia instantly made Wisman a highly regarded prospect among top NCAA Division I wrestling programs. After his official visit to Columbia, Mo. and touring the University of Missouri, Wisman quickly knew Tiger Style was the route he wanted to take.
"It felt like a good place from the start," Wisman said. "I trusted Coach (Brian) Smith and Coach (Alex) Clemsen and really liked the program's facilities. Coach Clemsen mainly recruited me while he was an assistant coach at Virginia, and then he continued to do so when he went to Mizzou."
Wisman joins a talent rich 2015 recruiting class making their way towards mid-Missouri. Along with his No. 40FloWrestling national ranking, future Mizzou wrestling teammates Jaydin Clayton (No. 35) and Will Roark (No. 94) round out a nationally regarded incoming freshman class.
As one of the big three national recruits set to begin their Tiger Style career in August, Wisman knows he'll be looked upon to continue the program's year-to-year high expectations.
"We can all be expected to have high standards," Wisman said. "All three of us have high goals on the mat, and we'll continue to have high expectations in our collegiate careers at Mizzou as well."
While Wisman currently stands as a highly regarded recruit and ended his high school career on a high note, the four-time Virginia State qualifier failed to reach his ultimate goal until his junior season. In each of his 2012 freshman campaign and 2013 sophomore season he fell just short and finished in second place.
Entering the summer following his sophomore season, Wisman knew that he had to improve both his mental and physical prowess if he wanted to finally achieve his first career high school state championship.
"It was all about me developing as a wrestler over time and learning the little things," Wisman said. "Things that weren't clicking my freshman and sophomore years eventually did over time. My first state title during my junior year and finally winning felt the best. No longer being runner-up was a great feeling."
To no one's surprise, following his first championship in Virginia State high school competition, Wisman went on a tear in national competitions and further cemented his status as one of the top grapplers in the nation. National accomplishments included a 2014 NHSCA Junior Nationals Championship, 2014 FloNationals 182 pound Championship, 2015 NHSCA Senior Nationals Championship, and 182 pound third place finish at 2015 FloNationals.
When comparing his experience at these esteemed national events to his high school matchups, Wisman liked to take the same approach each time out.
"I think the way I train I take everything one match at a time," Wisman noted. "As I go out onto the mat, I look at everyone the same no matter who it is."
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