@MizzouWrestling Sweeps MAC Honors for Third Straight Season
3/29/2016 11:40:00 AM | Wrestling
Brian Smith named Coach of the Year, Cox Wrestler of the Year, and Lewis Freshman Wrestler of the Year
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Following its fourth straight Mid-American Conference Championship, fifth conference championship overall (Big 12 Title in 2012), and a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, Mizzou Wrestling swept the end-of-the-year MAC awards, announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Head Coach Brian Smith earned MAC Coach of the Year honors for the fourth straight season (fifth overall, Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2012), while junior 197-pounder J'den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) won MAC Wrestler of the Year for the second time in his career (2014), and redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis (Blue Springs, Mo.) earned MAC Freshman Wrestler of the Year.
The three awards mark the third consecutive season #TigerStyle has swept the end of the year MAC honors. In 2014, Smith was named Coach of the Year, while Cox won Wrestler of the Year and Freshman of the Year in 2014. Last season, Smith was Coach of the Year, while Drake Houdashelt took home Wrestler of the Year honors and redshirt sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus (Altoona, Iowa) won Freshman Wrestler of the Year.
This season, Smith led Mizzou to its seventh Top 10 NCAA finish in program history and the third-highest finish overall. Six of the seven finishes for Mizzou have come with Smith at the helm, including the top three; third in 2006-07, fourth in 2014-15, and sixth in 2015-16. #TigerStyle finished the dual season with a 14-2 record, winning its second straight MAC Regular Season title after finishing 8-0 in the MAC for the second consecutive season. Over the last two and a half seasons dating back to Feb. 7, 2014, Mizzou has won 42 of its last 44 duals, capturing the 2014 NWCA National Duals Championship. Mizzou won its fifth straight conference tournament title on March 6 after finishing the 2016 MAC Championships with 127.5 team points, 34 points ahead of second place Central Michigan.
Cox became the second wrestler in program history (Ben Askren, 2006, 2007) to win two NCAA National Championships with a 4-2 decision over Penn State's Morgan McIntosh on March 19 in New York City at Madison Square Garden. Cox scored a takedown with eight seconds remaining to defeat McIntosh, who was undefeated and held the No. 1 seed entering the tournament. The Tiger junior finished the season with a 33-1 record, scoring bonus points in 23 of 33 wins via nine falls, seven technical falls (tied for fifth-most in program history for a single season), and seven major decisions.
As a true freshman, Cox won the 2014 197 pound National Championship, followed by a fifth place finish at the national tournament in 2014-15. Cox became the fourth three-time All-American in school history, following Ben Askren (2004-07), Max Askren (2008-10), and Drake Houdashelt (2013-15).
The hometown Tiger became the 24th member of Mizzou's 100-win club with a 16-7 major decision victory in Mizzou's 19-14 win over Nebraska in the NWCA National Duals Series on Feb. 21. Cox reached the century mark in 105 matches, the fastest to 100 wins in program history. Cox also owns the best winning percentage of any wrestler in program history over 100 wins at .955 (108-5), slightly ahead of Ben Askren's mark of .950 (153-8). For his career, Cox has 14 technical falls, fourth most in Mizzou history and 24 major decisions, sixth most.
In his first year on the official roster, Lewis earned All-America Honors, finishing fourth at the 2016 NCAA Wrestling National Championships. Mizzou has had a freshman earn All-America honors each of the last three seasons after Cox earned All-America status in 2014 and Miklus in 2015. Lewis finished the season with a 29-6 record, scoring bonus points in 16 of 29 wins, including a team-high 10 falls. Lewis defeated seven ranked opponents this season, including back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents in February. On Feb. 14, Lewis defeated then-No. 6 ranked Max Rohskopf (N.C. State), 6-1, followed by a 4-0 win over then-No.9 ranked Austin Wilson (Nebraska) on Feb. 21.
Lewis captured the 2016 165 pound MAC Championship on March 6, outscoring the opposition 30-3 in three matches en route to the title. The Tiger freshman placed third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 5 and won the "Most Falls in the Least Amount of Time" Award for the tournament after recording five first-period falls in the tournament. Last season, in his redshirt season as an unattached wrestler, Lewis went 21-8, recording 15 pins.
Mizzou will look to build on a successful 2015-16 campaign as all four All-Americans and seven of nine NCAA qualifiers will return in 2016-17. The 2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships will take place in St. Louis, Mo. at the Scottrade Center.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).
