2021 NCAA All-American Keegan O'Toole (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Missouri Tigers
Missouri re-enters the Big 12 after a long hiatus in the MAC, where they won nine straight conference titles. They immediately enter as a contender for the conference crown with a shot to end Oklahoma State's dominant eight-year reign. This young, talented group should have eyes on a Big 12 crown and even a top-four finish at the NCAA tournament.
TOP RETURNERS
Rocky Elam (197) and Keegan O'Toole (165) both won Junior World titles this summer and finished last season as All-Americans. Brock Mauller is another returning All-American at 149. These three, along with a host of young NCAA tournament qualifiers, put together a pretty deep squad that many believe can compete for a trophy at the NCAA tournament next season.
KEY DEPARTURES
None. This was a really young team last season, and their entire roster is back. The only variable I would mention here is some could redshirt as they had a few wrestle as true freshmen during the free Covid year last season.
NEWCOMERS
Colton Hawks - As mentioned above, every one of their starters is back, so I don't really see much shifting in the lineup from last year. But Hawks made the Junior World Team this summer and had a pretty solid true freshman outing. If there's one guy you could see potentially shaking up the lineup at all this season, he's it. Not truly a newcomer as he was on the roster as a true freshman last season.
WRESTLER TO WATCH
Rocky Elam - Elam finished as an All-American and Junior World Champion last year, but here's the reason to watch Elam. The Big 12 is stout at 197. In conference duals and the conference tournament, Elam will see NCAA Champion AJ Ferrari and All-Americans Stephen Buchanan and Jake Woodley. He'll also run into Tanner Sloan, an AA-caliber wrestler and Yonger Bastida, who will have another year of folkstyle under his belt. In non-conference matches, he'll hit Kordell Norfleet and may run into even more firepower at a few open tournaments.
The schedule for Elam this season will be a gauntlet each and every week. It will be fun to follow what he does with it.
POTENTIAL LINEUP
125-Noah Surtin/Connor Brown
As mentioned above, the entire roster is back for Mizzou. But this is the one weight where I don't think the starting spot is definitively decided. Surtin and Brown have both been NCAA tournament qualifiers and, on paper, are pretty even though Brown has dealt with some injury issues in his career. Surtin was the starter at the end of the season last year and went 1-2 at the NCAA tournament.
133-Matt Schmitt/Trey Crawford
Schmitt was the starter at the end of last season and should be the guy again this year, but Crawford did get a few starts and could contend for the spot.
Schmitt is a graduate transfer from WVU and a two-time NCAA qualifier, once for WVU and once for Mizzou. He'll be looking to break through and get his first All-American finish this season.
141-Allan Hart
Hart is another 2-time NCAA qualifier that's right on that edge of breaking through to be an All-American.
149-Brock Mauller
Brock is one of the top returning guys on the Missouri roster. He finished fifth at the NCAA tournament last season and with Boo Lewallen graduating and Austin O'Connor moving up to 157, he'll look to move up the NCAA tournament ladder a bit and even possibly contend for a title next season.
157-Jarrett Jacques
Jacques is a 3-time NCAA qualifier and, like Hart and Schmitt, will be looking to breakthrough for the first time and become an All-American. Last season he was one match away.
165-Keegan O'Toole
O'Toole is coming off a third-place finish at the NCAA tournament and a Junior World title this summer. He's a very legitimate NCAA title contender here.
174-Peyton Mocco
Mocco is sort of forced up a weight here and more of a natural 165, even listed as such on the roster. I'd guess he did some bulking over the summer with the assumption he'll be returning here. He had an undefeated regular season last year and won a few matches at the NCAA tournament.
184-Jeremiah Kent/Colton Hawks
Kent was an NCAA qualifier last season and should return as the starter looking to jump to All-American next year. Colton Hawks is another young star for Mizzou that made a Junior World Team this summer and could find a way to shake up the lineup.
197-Rocky Elam
Elam's a superstar. All-American and Junior World Champion last year. Mentioned in the wrestlers to watch portion, he'll see some very stout competition this year. Could that help him make another jump and contend with AJ Ferrari for a conference or national title?
285-Zach Elam
Elam's another NCAA qualifier, and here at HWT, one of the toughest weights in all of college wrestling for this season. The top 4-5 wrestlers at HWT are elite. Olympic champs, World champs, etc.… But Elam is part of the group on the edge right behind them that will all be battling for one of the All-American spots.
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