COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Wrestling head coach Brian Smith has added another talented young wrestler to the team's 2020 signing class, inking Duwayne Villalpando (Wichita, Kan./Maize HS) to a national letter of intent. A Kansas Class 5A State Champion at 170 pounds, Villalpando joins a Mizzou signing class that already ranks as high as No. 2 nationally, according to The Open Mat.
- A five-star recruit according to TrackWrestling.com
- Claimed a Class 5A State Championship at 170 pounds as a senior in 2020
- Took first at the KSHSAA 5A Regional, the 2020 Shawnee Mission North Invitational and the BVNW Husky Invitational as a senior
- Is Kansas' top-ranked wrestler at 170 pounds
- Originally committed to Nebraska back in 2018, but decommitted as his personal relationship with Mizzou assistant Kendric Maple led him to Mizzou
- Went 51-3 during the 2017-18 season, earning a Class 5A State Championship with a 9-4 win over Mill Valley's Jarrett Bendure
- Helped Maize High School to a third-place finish in 2017-18
Coach Smith on Duwayne Villalpando
"Duwayne and coach Kendric Maple are from the same city and same club, and Kendric has built a great relationship with him so I know there is a lot of trust there. I'm excited to see how that translates to Duwayne's career at Mizzou," head coach Brian Smith said. "Duwayne was a little overlooked on the recruiting trail, but he wrestled in an extremely talented weight class his senior year in Kansas, and won a state title. Be has a bright future and we're excited to add him to the signing class."
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