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Career Stats

*Redshirt season

CAREER HONORS

• Four-time NCAA All-American: 2021 (Fifth Place), 2022 (Fourth Place), 2023 (Third Place) and 2024 (Sixth Place)
• Four-time NCAA Qualifier: 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024
• 2023 Big 12 Champion (197 pounds)
• 2021 MAC Champion (197 pounds)
• 2021 Junior World Champion (92 kg)
• 2022 Southern Scuffle Champion (197 pounds)
• Two-time NWCA Scholar All-American: 2023 and 2024
• Three-time Academic All-Big 12: 2022 (Second Team), 2023 (First Team) and 2024 (Second Team) 

REDSHIRT SEASON (2024-25)

• Did not compete 

JUNIOR (2023-24)

• NCAA All-American (Sixth place, 197 pounds)
• 2024 NCAA Qualifier (No. 12 seed, 197 pounds)
• Runner-up at the Big 12 Championship (197 pounds)
• Cougar Clash Champion (197 pounds)
• NWCA Scholar All-American
• Academic All-Big 12 Second Team 
• Opened the season on an eight-match win streak, including a first-place finish at the Cougar Clash (Dec. 2) and four dual victories
• Finished with a 14-6 record during the season, with eight ranked wins and four bonus-point victories
• Won first three NCAA Tournament matches on his way to becoming one of five wrestlers to be a four-time All-American in program history 

SOPHOMORE (2022-23)

• NCAA All-American (Third place, 197 pounds)
• 2023 NCAA Qualifier (No. 3 seed) 
• Big 12 Champion (197 pounds)
• NWCA Scholar All-American and Academic All-Big 12 First Team 
• Completed his third season in the Black and Gold with a 15-2 record, including a 7-1 mark in dual competition
• Opened his season with a six-match win streak, including three bonus-point victories
• Was the consensus No. 1 wrestler at 197 pounds between December 2022 and February 2023
• Finished the season with 10 victories over ranked opponents
• Competed at the NWCA All-Star Classic (Nov. 23), defeating 2022 NCAA runner-up Jacob Warner of Iowa in the exhibition
• Earned his second conference title with a 3-0 showing at the Big 12 Championships (March 4-5), becoming the fifth Missouri wrestler to win championships in multiple conferences (Dom Bradley, Alan Waters, Drake Houdashelt, Keegan O’Toole)
• Started the NCAA Championships (March 16-18) as a No. 3 seed, the highest seeding of his career
• Ended his All-American campaign with a 5-1 record, securing a third-place finish with a victory over No. 2 seed Bernie Truax (POLY), his highest-ranked win of the season

FRESHMAN (2021-22)

• NCAA All-American (fourth place, 197 pounds)
• NCAA Qualifier: No. 7 seed at 197 pounds 
• Finished third at the Big 12 Championships, March 17-19 (197 pounds) 
• 2022 Southern Scuffle Champion (197 pounds)
• Academic All-Big 12 Second Team
• Competed in his second freshman season due to COVID eligibility, going 24-7 overall and 10-4 during dual competition
• Took first place at the Southern Scuffle, Jan. 1-2, winning the 197-pound class with two bonus-point victories
• Picked up five ranked wins during the regular season with the highest win coming against No. 10 Kordell Norfleet (ASU) in a 4-2 decision, Feb. 12
• Fought through the backside of the bracket after losing in the first round at the Big 12 Championship to finish 5-1 
• Wrestled to a 5-2 record at the NCAA Championships, March 17-19, including knocking off higher-ranked No. 5 seeded Nino Bonaccorsi (PITT) 6-1 and No. 3 seeded Eric Schultz (NEB) 3-2

FRESHMAN (2020-21)

• 2021 All-American (fifth place)
• 2021 NCAA Qualifier (No. 7 seed) at 197 pounds
• 2021 MAC Champion (197 pounds)
• 2021 Junior World Champion (92 kg)
• Finished true freshman season as the No. 6 ranked wrestler at 197 pounds
• Made collegiate debut with a ranked win against No. 26 Landon Pelham of Central Michigan in a 7-3 decision, Jan. 8
• Tallied three ranked wins on the season, all of which occurred in his first three dual starts
• Recorded five bonus-victories (two falls, two major decisions, one technical fall)
• Defeated Cleveland State’s Ben Smith 10-4 to capture the MAC title at 197 pounds
• Entered NCAA Championships a perfect 10-0
• Fought through entire consolation bracket after losing to Oklahoma’s Jake Woodley in the first round of NCAA Championships, before defeating Woodley in the fifth-place match by 9-3 decision

2021 Summer

• Qualified for the UWW Junior World Championships at 92 kg
• Dominated the field in Ufa, Russia, winning gold at 92 kg, alongside teammate Keegan O’Toole. The pair are the second and third Tigers to do so in the event (Dom Bradley, 2009)

BEFORE MIZZOU

• Nation's No. 11 recruit according to FloWrestling while TrackWrestling had him rated as the nation's No. 10 pound-for-pound recruit
• Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award for Missouri
• Central Region Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award recipient 
• Overall high school record of 156-16
• 2018-19 State and District Champion
• 2019 Post-Season Nationals First Place (Club)
• 2019 UWW Cadet World Team Trials Third Place (Club)
• 2019 Junior Freestyle Nationals Fourth Place (Club)
• 2018 Super 32 Third Place (Club)
• 2018 Cadet Freestyle Nationals First Place (Club)
• 2017-2018 State third place-finisher and District Champion
• 2017 Pre-Season Nationals First Place (Club)
• 2017 Cadet Freestyle Nationals Sixth Place (Club)
• 2016-2017 District Second place
• His team finished fourth place or better at the state championships every year he was on the team
• Wrestled for high school coach Elisha Bears

Personal

• Full Name: Rocky Joseph Elam
• Birthdate: Jan. 2, 2002
• Son of Bryan and Cherise Elam
• Majoring in Agriculture
• Brother, Zach, was a heavyweight at Mizzou (2018-24)

Elam on Choosing Tiger Style
"I chose Tiger Style because it fits how I live my life. It's more than just working hard and smart inside the wrestling room. It's also applying the things you've learned about character from wrestling and being a great person in the outside world. It's expecting to win in every situation because I know I've prepared and set myself up to succeed. It's having so much passion and commitment for wrestling and showing it in training and competition. I know it's not just a part-time commitment. It's a lifestyle that I live and will always live, it's not just when I'm going to the University of Missouri."