A Look Back at Cox's Historic Freshman Season
8/10/2016 4:42:00 PM | Wrestling
In 2014, Cox became the first Mizzou wrestler to win an NCAA Title as a true-freshman
COLUMBIA, Mo. – J'den Cox (Columbia, Mo.), 2016 U.S. Olympian and two-time NCAA Champion, will make his first Olympic appearance when he competes in the 86 kg freestyle wrestling weight division on Aug. 20 at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. Today, Mizzou Athletics looks back Cox's historic freshman season as a member of Mizzou Wrestling.
In 2013-14, Cox became the first wrestler in Mizzou history to capture an NCAA title as a true freshman and just the 14th freshman in NCAA history to do so. The season-performance was one for the record books, as Cox's winning percentage of .950 (38-2) still marks sixth in season winning percentage in program history.
Cox opened up the season with 10 straight victories and two open tournament titles at 197 pounds at the Daktronics Open and Joe Parisi Open. Cox would become champion in four of five tournaments throughout his true freshman campaign, with his lone setback coming at the Southern Scuffle where he finished third. Despite his third place finish, he picked up two signature wins over No. 3 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) on day two of the Scuffle including an 8-2 trumping of the Nittany Lion in the third place match, catapulting him up the 197-pound rankings.
The Columbia, Mo. native finished 11-1 in dual play, starting each of Mizzou's 12 duals. Down in Norman, Okla., Cox jumped to the No. 2-spot in the country after a 6-1 disposal of No. 3 Travis Rutt (Oklahoma). At the MAC Championships, Cox cruised to the finals with a 21-6 technical fall over Jackson Lewis (Central Michigan) and an 11-1 major decision over Shawn Scott (Northern Illinois). In the championships match, Cox would avenge his first collegiate loss by way of a 10-1 major decision over Phil Wellington (Ohio). His championship performance earned him the MAC Championship's 'Most Outstanding Wrestler'.
Cox dominated at the 2014 NCAA Championships, defeating No. 1-seed Nick Heflin (Ohio St.), 2-1, to capture the 197 pound NCAA title on March 22, 2014, becoming the fourth wrestler in Mizzou wrestler to finish the season on top of the podium (Ben Askren, 2006-07; Mark Ellis, 2009; Max Askren, 2010).
"It feels amazing. I've worked so hard," said Cox following the win over Heflin. "I was telling all these guys, losing here means I've got to push the restart button again. I didn't feel like doing that at all in this tournament, and came through all the training. Everything I've gone through this summer, morning practices, two-a-days, everything, it's come down to this, winning the gold."
In five matches in Oklahoma City, Cox never gave up a takedown. A 10-4 decision over Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) and a 19-6 major decision over No. 15 Braden Atwood (Purdue) on sent Cox to the quarterfinal round, where he would become the youngest Tiger to claim All-American honors with a 5-1 decision over Conner Hartmann (Duke). The first-year Tiger scored three points in the second period of the semifinal bout versus No. 14 Chris Penny (Virginia Tech) and added a point for ride time to set up title match with Heflin.
Cox broke the scoreless tie in the second period of the 197-final, escaping in four seconds after starting the period in the down position. Heflin escaped to tie in the third, but Cox continued to shoot and Heflin was hit for his second stall call, giving Cox the 2-1 lead and eventually the title.
"I didn't just imagine it. I dreamed it. This is a dream of mine. It's something I put all of my heart and work to and I always tell people there's no point -- I see it this way: There's no point to do something if you're not going to push yourself to try to do it to the best of your ability," said Cox.
"I'm so happy for him," said Head Coach Brian Smith. "He's an amazing athlete and such a student of the sport. He's was so confident and focused coming in after high school and then he lost (to Wellington). He is always focused but after that it was this incredibly intense focus, and he just kept getting better and better and better. He's an amazing kid."
In addition to having the sixth-best season winning percentage in program history in 2013-14 with a mark of .950 (38-2), Cox posted 10 major decisions en route to his first NCAA title, tied for the seventh-most in a season. His 38 wins ranks 12th among victories in a season. Following the season, Cox would be named MAC Freshman of the Year and Wrestler of the Year.
Players Mentioned
