Tyrel Todd coaching for Purdue against Michigan (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Mizzou Wrestling head coach Brian Smith has hired Purdue's Tyrel Todd as the program's new associate head coach, subject to the completion of a successful background check per University policy, announced today by Mizzou Athletics. Todd comes to Mizzou following a very successful five-year stint at Purdue, serving as the Boilermaker's lead assistant coach since 2016. He will fill the position on Coach Smith's staff that was vacated by the departure of Alex Clemsen, who took the head coaching job at Maryland last month.
"When looking for new members of your coaching staff, it's always important to find and identify people who fit your culture and embody what your program is all about. For me, Tyrel is a perfect fit for Tiger Style and brings the type of work ethic that I know will translate well to the type of wrestlers that we have in the room every day. He is a decorated wrestler and left an unbelievable mark on Purdue's program during his five years there. I am excited to welcome him and his wife Loni, and their two daughters, to Columbia and can't wait to see the impact he will have on Tiger Style."
"This is a very exciting opportunity for me to work with Coach Smith and his outstanding staff," Todd said. "I have known Coach Smith since my recruitment by Missouri in high school. I believe in a strong team community that is committed to excellence. I am fired up to put on the stripes, go Tigers."
Todd began his stint at Purdue during the 2014-15 season and helped elevate the program thanks to a tireless work ethic on the recruiting trail. He helped put together three consecutive top-25 recruiting classes, starting in 2016 when he was elevated to the program's lead assistant role. He secured nine top-100 recruits over his first four seasons at Purdue, and the program reaped the benefits of that in 2017-18. That year, the Boilermakers turned in their best Big Ten Championships performance in six years at the Big Ten Championships with 59.5 points to finish ninth in the team standings. The 59.5 points were the most at Big Tens for Purdue in nearly a decade. He coached six placewinners at the meet, the most since seven Boilermakers landed on the podium in 2012.
In four seasons with Todd on staff, Purdue had 27 NCAA Championship qualifiers and 24 Big Ten Championships placewinners.
Prior to his stint at Purdue, Todd served as an assistant coach at Cal Poly (2010-11) and Arizona State (2013-14). While on staff at Cal Poly, Todd coached four NCAA qualifiers (141, 157, 165, 197), including a runner-up finish from Borislav Novachkov at 141. The following season Ryan DesRoches earned All-America honors at 174.
In July 2013, Todd was named an assistant coach at Arizona State where he worked hands on daily with the upper-weights, including Blake Staffer, who earned All-America honors at 184 pounds with a third-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Championships. Todd's work at ASU focused on recruiting, coordinating practices, developing training schedules and organizing team travel.
Todd is an extremely decorated collegiate wrestler, earning All-America honors three times at Michigan, culminating with 2009 Big Ten Championship during his senior season at Michigan. That year, he went 25-3 overall and earned fourth place at the NCAA Championships. He finished his collegiate career with a 121-30 overall record, ranking 16th in UM history in career wins.
He excelled in the classroom as well at Michigan, a trait that was important to Coach Smith during the search process. He was an All-Big Ten Academic selection and Athletic Academic Achievement Award winner in 2006, received the Snip Nalan Scholarship for Wrestling in 2008-09 and was named the team's Distinguished Scholar in 2009.
Todd also found success wrestling freestyle at 84 kg. He took fifth at the 2007 ASICS U.S. National Championships, eighth in 2008 and was seventh in 2011. In 2008, Todd placed fourth at the Olympic Trials, narrowly missing a bid for the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Todd is a native of Bozeman, Montana, and hails from a six-generation dairy farming operation. He received his bachelor's degree in secondary education from Michigan in 2009, majoring in history and minoring in psychology. He and his wife, Loni, have two daughters, Jacy Clair and Reyn Lindsay.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the program on its social media channels (Mizzou Wrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook).
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