Missouri Wrestling
CLEVELAND, Ohio. – No. 4 Mizzou Wrestling was once again ranked at the top of the Mid-American Conference monthly rankings, as announced Thursday by the MAC office. In addition to being ranked No. 1 in the team standings, four #TigerStyle grapplers were ranked No. 1 in their individual weight classes. Junior 197-pounder J’den Cox (Columbia, Mo.), redshirt sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus (Altoona, Iowa), redshirt senior 174-pounder Blaise Butler (Belvidere, Ill.), and redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis (Blue Springs, Mo.) all ranked atop of their respective weight classes.
As a team, Mizzou earned 27.0 points in the latest poll, determined by voting in the individual rankings. A team receives four points for a wrestler ranked first, three points for a second-place ranking, two points for a third-place ranking, and one point for a fourth-place ranking.
The Tigers own a 5-0 dual record heading into this weekend’s duals against Buffalo and No. 14 Cornell. Last time out, Mizzou defeated Kent State on the road on Dec. 12. Mizzou has already defeated three ranked opponents this season, beating Northern Iowa, Ohio State, and Ohio. The Tigers also grabbed the team championship at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in December.
Cox owns a 14-1 record this season, earning individual championships at the Joe Parisi Open and the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The Tiger junior has tallied five technical falls this season, the most of any Mizzou wrestler. Miklus, 9-2 on the season, has amassed more points in dual competition than any other Tiger. The Iowa native has three falls, a technical fall, and a decision win in dual competition, adding up to 26 points. Butler, a transfer from Virginia, is 9-1 on the season and 4-0 in dual competition. Butler’s 5-4 decision win over Cody Walters (Ohio) on Dec. 13 helped him surpass Walters in the individual rankings, who was ranked No. 1 at 174-pounds in December. Lewis, competing in his first season as an attached wrestler, owns a 13-3 record and has recorded eight falls on the year, the most of any Tiger.
Also ranked in the individual rankings is redshirt sophomore 125-pounder Barlow McGhee (Rock Island, Ill.), redshirt junior 133-pounder Zach Synon (Cary, Ill.), redshirt junior 141-pounder Matt Manley (Perry, Okla.), and redshirt junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes (Mascoutah, Ill.). McGhee, Synon, and Mayes were ranked No. 2, while Manley was ranked No. 3.
The Tigers will be in action twice this weekend, first when hosting Buffalo during the Beauty and the Beast dual-event with Gymnastics on Friday, and second, Sunday against No. 14 Cornell, held at Jesse Auditorium. Friday’s event will begin at 7 p.m. CT and Sunday’s dual at 1 p.m. CT. Both duals will be broadcasted on the Mizzou Network.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).
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