Head Coach Brian Smith Announces Team Captains
...Askren, McCormick, and Foust Will Lead Tigers in 2005-06 ...

Sept. 8, 2005

Columbia, Mo. - Missouri Wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith announced today that Ben Askren, Tyler McCormick, and Jeff Foust have been named team captains of the 2005-06 squad.

Foust, a senior from Blue Springs, Mo., was the Big 12 Champion in 2004 at 197 pounds and earned the Most Improved Wrestler award from the coaches at the end of the 2003-04 campaign. An NCAA qualifier that same year, Foust will again headline Missouri's lineup at 197 pounds, while providing valuable leadership in the locker room.

A junior, Askren (Hartland, Wis.) is the only returning captain from last year's team, which placed 11th at the NCAA tournament, the second-highest finish in Tiger history. Askren rewrote the Mizzou record books last season, breaking MU records for most consecutive wins (26) and most falls in a season (20) on his way to a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

Leawood, Kan., native McCormick was tabbed captain after grappling his way to a 20-14 record last year and receiving the Marshall Esteppe Most Outstanding Freshman award. Strong in the classroom, McCormick earned the Total Person Program Academic Excellence Award, given to the Missouri wrestler with the highest grade-point average.

The Tigers open their season Nov. 11 against Stanford in Kansas City, Mo. For ticket information, stop by the ticket office in Mizzou Arena or call 1-800-CAT-PAWS. -MU-