James Hackney
While Mizzou hasn’t had too many lineup changes in recent years, this season will see at least three new starters. Connor Brown, Allan Hart, and Jarrett Jacques have graduated, leaving Mizzou’s #4 ranked 2022 recruiting class an opportunity to step in. While there’s chances for changes, this is what’s expected coming into this year. With the Tigers hosting NCAA’s in Kansas City, they’ll be looking to bring home a trophy.
125lbs: #17 Noah Surtin (Junior)
Noah Surtin is coming into his third season as the full time starter after jumping into the lineup in late 2021. Since then he is a 3x NCAA qualifier, 2x conference finalist, and made the bloodround in 2022. Last year he missed some action with an early season knee issue, but came back to make the finals of the Southern Scuffle and the Big 12 tournament. Mizzou will need his bonus point potential in duals and tournaments as he had a career high 58% bonus rate with a 17-7 record.
He had a number of ranked wins throughout the season, but had some surprising losses to Antonio Lorenzo (Cal Poly) and Jore Volk (Wyoming). At NCAA’s he had a tough first round match against Braxton Brown (Maryland), then was injured in consolations against Jarrett Trombley (NC State). Surtin is ranked just outside the top 16 coming into this season, but 125lbs is wide open and he has All-American potential this season.
133lbs: #25 Zeke Seltzer (Freshman)/Trey Crawford (Sophomore)/Eric Lovelace (Sophomore)
With the graduation of Connor Brown, most expect blue chip recruit Zeke Seltzer to step in after redshirting. The #21 overall recruit in 2022, Seltzer had a solid 21-7 record while competing at 133/141. He had a solid win over 2023 qualifier Ethan Rotondo (Cal Poly), and wrestled tough to place at the Tiger Style Invite, Lindenwood Open, Cougar Clash, and the Roger Denker Open at 133. If he shows the expected improvement from his redshirt year, Seltzer is likely to climb the rankings….
