Missouri Wrestling in Fourth After Session III of the Big 12 Wrestling Championship

Nine Tigers have received bids for the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championship in Kansas City, Mo., March 21-23, 2024.

Brett Rojo/For The Big 12 Conference

TULSA —  Missouri wrestling struggled in Session III of the 2024 Big 12 Wrestling Championship with medical forfeits, struggling to get the takedowns and come back from deficits. 

The Tiger's starters grappled with injuries and sickness in the last four duals. All of the starters returned to the mat for the championship but were unable to get higher podium spots and team scores despite having the resting time before the post-season. 

The wrestlers refrained from shooting indiscriminately. Instead, they focused on being smart and efficient in every shot. While this approach may have led to missed opportunities for significant attacks, it showcased their ability to understand what would get them points on the board. 

Consolation Semifinals 

Noah Surtin and Logan Gioffre both medically forfeited out of today's tournament and placed sixth in their respective weight classes. The drops will not affect their automatic 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championship bid. 

No. 6 redshirt sophomore Josh Edmond (141) wrestled No. 4 West Virginia redshirt sophomore Jordan Titus. Edmond was able to attack and keep the movement going with Titus. However, in the first period, Titus was visibly shaken and unable to walk straight, leading to an injury timeout. Ultimately, Edmond was awarded the win as Titus withdrew from the match. 

Following Edmond, No. 5 redshirt senior Brock Mauller (157) was able to attack efficiently and tried to get points in his match with No. 6 South Dakota State sophomore Cael Swensen. Mauller's attempts weren't enough as he dropped the match 3-4 to move on to the fifth-place match.

Following Mauller, both No. 4 redshirt senior Peyton Mocco (174) and No. 4 redshirt sophomore Colton Hawks (184) dropped their matches too. 

• No. 2 Iowa State redshirt freshman MJ Gaitan over Mocco 14-5, major decision
• No. 3 SDSU redshirt freshman Bennett Berge over Hawks 2-4. 

No. 3 redshirt senior Zach Elam rode out No. 5 Oklahoma State redshirt junior Konner Doucet in the third period after being awarded an escape point to secure the win 2-0. The win placed Elam in the third-place match. 

3rd, 5th, and 6th Placing

• 141 - No. 6 Edmond defeats No. 2 OSU redshirt freshman Tagen Jamison to get the upset win, 8-1, and placed third. 
• 157 - No. 5 Mualler secured fifth place with a 19-3 win over No. 8 Oklahoma junior Jared Hill. 
• 174 - No. 8 WVU redshirt freshman Brody Conley defeats No. 4 Peyton Mocco 11-1. Mocco placed sixth.
• 184 - No. 4 Hawks came onto the mat strong against No. 5 ISU senior Will Feldkamp with an early takedown and almost secured a fall. Hawks defeated Feldkamp 9-7 to take fifth. 
• 285 - No. 3 Zach Elam defeats No. 4 OU redshirt senior Josh Heindselman (OU) 8-0 major decision to secure third place.

Of Note: 

• Edmond, Hawks and Z. Elam qualified for the NCAA Championships at 141 pounds and 285 pounds, respectively. 
• The Tigers have nine wrestlers heading to the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championship after this weekend. 

Standings

1. Iowa State - 144.5
2. Oklahoma State - 137.5
3. South Dakota State - 114
4. Missouri - 111.5
5. West Virginia - 91.5
6. Northern Iowa - 91
7. Oklahoma - 68.5
8. Wyoming - 64.5
9. Air Force - 45
10. Northern Colorado - 33.5

Up Next

The finals will occur at 7:30 p.m. CT on March 10 and be broadcast on ESPN2. No. 1 junior Keegan O'Toole (165) and No. 3 Rocky Elam (197) will be the two Missouri wrestlers to compete for the top of their respective podiums. 

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