As a team, the Tigers finished the 79th annual Division I Wrestling Championships in seventh with 70 points. Iowa captured its second consecutive team title with 96.5 points, while Ohio State took second (92 points) and Iowa State third (84.5 points). The top-15 finish is Missouri's sixth straight, dating back to the 2004 NCAA Championships, and highest finish since taking third in 2007. Since the start of the program in 1928, the Tigers have managed three top-10 team finishes, the first coming in 1984 at 10th. Two of the three top-10 finishes have come under current Tiger Head Coach Brian Smith.
"At the start of the year, Mark was fighting for a spot in the lineup," Smith said. "He's battled and continued to work and improve in every position on the mat. He's tough. I'm so glad that he got the title. He put so much time into the season. You don't get to the Championship round if you're not a good wrestler, and Mark's a talented competitor."
Ellis and Dudziak were scoreless in the first period, although the Duke Blue Devil was hit with stalling early in the bout. Ellis chose down to start the second and escaped in 1:05, while Dudziak opted to start down in the third and escaped in 20 seconds. The two heavyweights pushed through the one minute sudden victory period and scrambled on the edge of the mat for the first 30 second tie breaker. The second 30 second period in which Ellis chose down proved the difference in the match and marked Ellis' third win of the season in overtime.
"I've been blessed by God to have the people I do around me," Ellis said. "I can't thank Coach Smith enough for his faith in me. I also have to thank Ben (Askren) for pushing me and working with me and encouraging me along the way. Also, Dom Bradley. He's another heavyweight in our room and he's tough. I don't look at him as being second string. He definitely helped me get where I am today. I promise you, he's going to win a National Title."
In addition to Ellis, Raymond Jordan, Michael Chandler, Maxwell Askren and Nicholas Marable all earned All-America honors by finishing among the top seven of their respective weight class. Missouri tied with national champion Iowa for the most All-Americans of the tournament, five.
Jordan, a senior, collected his second career trophy by finishing third at 174 pounds. The fourth Missouri wrestler to earn All-America honors in more than one weight class, today's third place showing was an improvement over last year's fifth-place finish at 184 pounds.
Chandler and Askren both finished the day in fifth place at 157 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively. The first career All-America honor for Chandler, the Tiger grappler wrapped up his collegiate career by earning his 100th win in his 2-1 decision over Matt Moberly of Bloomsburg.
Wrestling at 165 pounds, Marable was one of three Missouri wrestlers to earn their second All-America accolade, finishing seventh with a 6-4 win over Tyler Sherfey of Boise State.
The highest attended NCAA Championships in history, a total of 97,111 fans were at the annual event, including 17,385 at the title finals. St. Louis has now hosted four of the five highest attended NCAA Championships of all time.
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