Columbia, Mo. – The Missouri wrestling program announced today that it will hold its annual Black and Gold wrestle-offs Thursday, Nov. 3, in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse. The Tigers, sitting at No. 14 in the preseason rankings, will begin action at 7 p.m. (CT). Admission is free to the public.
Headlining the matches will be returning All-Americans Ben Askren (174) and Matt Pell (165). Askren, a junior and a native of Hartland, Wis., enters the season ranked No. 1 in the nation and looks to improve on his second straight runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. Pell (Luxemburg, Wis.), who finished seventh at 184 pounds last season to earn his first All-America honor, returns to his natural collegiate wrestling weight of 165 pounds and enters the 2005-06 campaign ranked No. 5 in the nation.
Missouri fans will also get their first glimpse at the 2005-06 freshmen class, 12 newcomers looking to make an impact at the Division I level. Jumping into the fire immediately will be heavyweights Sean Connole (Erie, Penn.) and Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.), both of whom will likely burn their redshirts and start at the Tigers heaviest weight this season.
“We have several very competitive weight classes this year, and the Black and Gold match is one of the deciding factors in who will start at our opening dual meet, “Head Coach Brian Smith said. “It’s also a chance for the incoming freshmen to put on a Missouri singlet for the first time and participate in their first collegiate match with referees and the three-two-two clock format. ”
In addition to the Black and Gold matches, the Tigers will hold a free youth clinic in the Missouri wrestling room (fourth floor of the Hearnes Center) for young wrestlers eighth grade or under. The clinic will be conducted by Smith and the Tiger coaching staff, and will include an information session about the Columbia Youth Wrestling Club. Participants will have a chance to sign up for the club, which practices in the state-of-the-art Missouri wrestling facilities.
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