No. 2 Wrestling Prepped For Big 12 Match At No. 20 West Virginia

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 2 Missouri wrestling travels east to faceoff with No. 21 West Virginia on Friday, Jan. 26. The action will start at 6 p.m. CT at WVU Coliseum. 

Fans can tune into the match through Big 12 Now on ESPN+, where Eric Little and Tony Onorato will have the call. 

ALL-TIME VS. WEST VIRGINIA 

• The dual marks the fourth match between Missouri and West Virginia, as Mizzou holds the 3-0 series lead.
• January 4, 2004, was the first meeting between the two programs in the Sun Devil Duals, ending in a  22-15 MU win. 
• The Tigers have outscored the Mountaineers 89-34 in team points throughout the previous three meetings. 

LAST TIME VS. THE MOUNTAINEERS

• Two falls led the way for Missouri over West Virginia (38-3) in the previous meeting on Dec. 2, 2022. 
• Peyton Moore (125) and Connor Brown (133) both earned pins to start the dual, marking Moore’s first fall as a starter in his first start. 
• Mizzou also saw decision wins from Allan Hart (141), Jarrett Jacques (157), Keegan O’Toole (165), Peyton Mocco (174) and Zach Elam (285), while Brock Mauller added a major decision at 149 pounds. 

COACHES RANKINGS

• Missouri stood out in the first NCAA coaches rankings of the season as one of four teams to have all 10 starters ranked. 
• The Tigers have five of the 10 listed in the top five of their respective weight classes: Brock Mauller (157, 5th), Keegan O’Toole (165, 1st), Peyton Mocco (174, 4th), Rocky Elam (197, 3rd) and Zach Elam (285, 4th).
• Additionally, Noah Surtin (125, 6th) and Clayton Whiting (184, 9th) crack the top 10, while Logan Gioffre (149, 11th) follows close behind. 
• Rounding out the starters are Josh Edmond (141, 20th) and Kade Moore (133, 24th). 
• Coaches’ rankings are determined by 14 coaches in each weight class, with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences. Only wrestlers designated as a starter at a respective weight class may be considered. Wrestlers must have eight Division I matches in the weight class, with at least one within the last 30 days.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

• Former Mizzou associate head coach Alex Clemsen wrestled for Tim Flynn from 2002-07 when he was the head coach at Edinboro. 

KEEGAN’S KITCHEN

• Junior Keegan O’Toole is cooking this season, holding an 11-0 record and 100 percent bonus rate at 165 pounds. 
• O’Toole recently defeated No. 23 Hunter Garvin of Stanford by fall (5:34). 
• The junior has totaled six ranked wins this season, with just one coming via decision against No. 5 Edmond Ruth at 174 pounds against Illinois on Dec. 21. 
• Moreover, he secured the fastest pin of his career (0:35) over Brett McIntosh of Wyoming on Dec. 8. 

ELAM’S EDGE 

• Leading the team in wins with a 15-0 record this season, redshirt senior Zach Elam is taking advantage of his last year in Black and Gold. 
• Of his 15 wins, 10 have been bonus-point victories: seven falls and three technical falls. 
• The seven pins from the redshirt senior rank sixth amongst Division I wrestlers leading the team and marking a single-season high, besting the six he earned his freshman season (2018-19). 

SHOT CALLER, BROCK MAULLER

• Redshirt senior Brock Mauller picked up his 112th career win most recently at No. 18 Stanford on Jan. 10. Mauller’s win total ranks 16th all-time in program history. 
• The Columbia, Missouri native needs two wins to pass Brent Hayes (113) and reach the top 15. Additionally, with eight more victories Mauller can move into the top 10 all-time with 120. 
• Of the wrestlers currently in the top 10, the redshirt senior’s win percentage (.903) ranks fourth behind J’den Cox (.965), Ben Askren (.950) and Alan Waters (.907). 

WEEKLY HONORS

• Most recently, redshirt freshman Kade Moore was named NCAA Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 10 after pinning No. 5 ranked Sam Latona of Virginia Tech in a 22-17 dual win. 
• Junior Keegan O’Toole bumped up to 174 pounds against Illinois on Dec. 21, in the absence of redshirt senior Peyton Mocco due to injury. O’Toole defeated the No. 5-ranked 174-pounder Edmond Ruth 12-7, earning him Big 12 Wrestler of the Week honors. 

MOST WINS (ACTIVE, 50+)

• Brock Mauller (112), Zach Elam (92), Peyton Mocco (88), Keegan O’Toole (74), Rocky Elam (64) and Noah Surtin (57). 

UP NEXT

• The Tiger hop on a quick flight to Ithaca, N.Y., to take on No. 14 Cornell inside Newman Arena in Bartels Hall. The action begins at Noon CT and can be streamed on ESPN+.