University of Missouri
NCAA Championships Day 3
Tigers Finish 11th at NCAA Championships
3/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 19, 2005
St. Louis, Mo. - Missouri sophomore Ben Askren (174) finished second at the 75th annual NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships today in the Savvis Center of St. Louis after suffering a 10-5 loss to defending National Champion Chris Pendleton (Oklahoma State). Senior Tyron Woodley (165) and sophomore Matt Pell (184) finished seventh in their respective weight classes. The honor is the second for Askren and Woodley and first for Pell. This marks the second time in the history of the MU wrestling program that the Tigers have been honored with three All-Americans in one season.
As a team, Missouri secured its best finish in 20 years (11th place) totaling 43 points from wins by Askren, Woodley, Pell and senior Brad Cieleski (157). The Tigers improved on last season's 13th-place finish. Oklahoma State won their third consecutive and 33rd overall national title with 153 points, while Michigan finished second with 83.
Meeting for the second consecutive year at the NCAA Championships, Askren (Hartland, Wis.) closed his sophomore campaign with a 34-3 record after dropping his third match of the season to Pendleton. Wrestling live on ESPN, Pendleton scored first with a takedown and took bottom to start the second period after Askren deferred. Scoring an escape and takedown, Askren came back with a reversal, which Pendleton followed with an escape. The period closed with Pendleton leading 6-2 and Askren was able to close the gap in the final two minutes of action by scoring on a reversal and escape. In the end, Pendleton scored three points through escape and takedown and added a final point with 2:19 of riding time.
Woodley, a two-time captain and 2003 All-American from Ferguson, Mo., was awarded seventh-place at 165-pounds after Matt Palmer of Columbia turned in a medical forfeit. The victory is an improvement over Woodley's prior NCAA finish of eighth place in 2003. Over the course of his five years with the Missouri wrestling program, Woodley tallied 110 victories, 37 coming this season. A two-time All-American, Woodley is only the sixth Tiger in the 61-year history of the Missouri wrestling program to be awarded honors twice, Askren became the seventh. Woodley's 110 career wins moves him to fifth in the MU 100-win club.
Wrestling on mat number five of the dog-bone layout, Pell (Luxemburg, Wis.) competed for seventh-place and won a 5-2 decision over Purdue's Ben Wissel at 184-pounds. It was the third meeting of the season between the two grapplers and the third victory by Pell. In today's bout, Wissel jumped to the early lead, scoring on a single-leg takedown in the first period. Pell quickly escaped and the two closed the first period, 2-1. Entering the second period, Wissel chose down and Pell rode the Boilermaker for over a minute to earn the advantage point, but neither wrestler was able to complete a shot and score for points. In the end, Pell turned up the intensity and managed an escape, followed with a takedown. Owning 3:18 of riding time, Pell secured his first All-America honor, 5-2.
Since joining the Missouri staff in 1998, Head Coach Brian Smith has led six All-Americans to top-eight showings, seven since he began his collegiate head coaching career in 1997. Among his six recent honorees, three are two-time recipients.
"I'm pleased that we were able to finish as well as we did with only five qualifiers," Smith said. "Matt, Ben and Tyron all really wrestled well at the tournament. As a coach, now I have to sit back and evaluate the year and looks for areas where we can improve. This team and staff just won't be happy until we win an individual and national title and we're determined to see that happen."
Team Scores: 1 Oklahoma State, 153 2 Michigan, 83 3 Oklahoma, 77.5 4 Cornell, 76.5 5 Minnesota, 72.5 6 Illinois, 70.5 7 Iowa, 66 8 Lehigh, 60 9 Indiana, 55.5 10 Iowa State, 57.0 11 Missouri, 43.0Championship Match Results: (Seed Entering the 2005 NCAA Tournament) 125 (5) Joe Dubuque (Indiana) decision (3) Kyle Ott (Illinois): 2-0 133 (1) Travis Lee (Cornell) decision (2) Shawn Bunch (Edinboro): 6-3 141 (2) Teyon Ware (Oklahoma) decision (1) Nate Gallick (Iowa State): 3-2 149 (1) Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State) decision (2) Phillip Simpson (Army): 5-2 157 (2) Ryan Bertin (Michigan) decision (8) Joe Johnston (Iowa): 8-5 165 (3) Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State) decision (4) Mark Perry (Iowa): 5-2 174 (1) Chris Pendleton (Oklahoma State) decision (2) Ben Askren (Missouri): 10-5 184 (1) Greg Jones (West Virginia) decision (7) Tyler Baier (Cornell): 5-3 197 (2) Jake Rosholt (Oklahoma State) decision (5) Sean Stender (Northern Iowa): 5-4 HWT (1) Steve Mocco (Oklahoma State) decision (2) Cole Konrad (Minnesota): 3-1
Fifth Session Matches: 165: Tyron Woodley (MU) win by medical forfeit over Matt Palmer (Columbia) 184: Matt Pell (MU) decision Ben Wissel (Purdue): 5-2
Fourth Session Matches: 165: Tyron Woodley (MU) major decision Justin Nestor (Pittsburgh): 11-0 165: Matt Nagel (Minnesota) decision Tyron Woodley (MU): 4-2 174: Ben Askren decision Pete Friedl (Illinois): 7-2 184: Matt Pell decision Roger Kisch (Minnesota): 10-7 184: Eric Bradley (Penn State) decision Matt Pell (MU): 8-4
Third Session Results: 157: Brad Cieleski (MU) major decision Colton Salazar (Purdue): 15-3 157: C.P. Schlatter (Minnesota) decision Brad Cieleski (MU): 8-3 165: Mark Perry (Iowa) decision Tyron Woodley (MU): 3-0 174: Ben Askren major decision E.K. Waldhaus (Oklahoma): 17-4 184: Greg Jones (West Virginia) major decision Matt Pell (MU): 13-4
Second Session Results 149: Tyde Prater (Va. Tech) decision Cody Greene (MU): 9-7 157: Brad Cieleski (MU) decision Marcus Effner (Cleveland State): 9-3 165 Tyron Woodley (MU) decision Mike Patrovich (Hofstra): 6-1 174 Ben Askren (MU) major decision Brady Richardson (Indiana): 9-0 184: Matt Pell (MU) decision Paul Bradley (Iowa) 7-6
First Session Results 149: Mark DiSalvo (Central Michigan) decision Cody Greene (MU): 7-4 157: Chris Horning (Clarion) decision Brad Cieleski (MU): 2-0 165: Tyron Woodley (MU) fall Donny Reynolds (Illinois): 4:46 174: Ben Askren (MU) tech. fall Mark Himes (Duquense) 18-2 (6:25) 184: Matt Pell (MU) Shane Webster (Oregon): 5-1
Updated MU Records 149 Cody Greene: 27-10 (66-27) 157 Brad Cieleski: 25-10 (109-30) 165 Tyron Woodley: 37-6 (110-38) 174 Ben Askren: 34-3 (66-8) 184 Matt Pell: 35-10 (66-22)
