2023 NCAA Division I The Season: MIssouri

 

*NOTE* - I want to make it clear what this is and what this is not.  What this is NOT is an overview of the entire team. What this is, is a who’s who preview of THIS season 2022-2023. Meaning that I am going to talk about the starters who I feel will have an impact THIS year. Those who will win big matches in duals. Those who will earn placings in major tournaments like CKLV, RENO, MIDLANDS, MATMEN INVITE, SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, CONFERENCES & NCAA’s.  In some cases a weight class will have multiple talented wrestlers. I will note that & I will also be making posts later on about the best wrestle-offs to look forward to this season.  Then after that is determined I will make post later into the season of who our best backups are in the nation.

This post will NOT include redshirts. Those who are redshirting this season will be included in a separate post entitled “22’-23’ Best Redshirts.” 

The word here this year for Missouri is potential. While the Tigers return three All Americans to their lineup including a National Champion, they have five others who have finished one match shy of All American themselves. In terms of a team race & contending for one of those top four team trophies, there is a lot of difference between three All Americans and eight. So as you can see the potential for Missouri to do well in the post season is most certainly there. 

125 lbs
Noah Surtin 

Two time NCAA Qualifier Noah Surtin is one of those potentials I was talking about up above. He was one match shy of being an All American last season. 4th in the Southern Scuffle. 

133 lbs
Connor Brown 

An NCAA qualifier all the way back in 2018, I am anxious to see what Connor Brown can do in his final season of eligibility.  He's definitely had some nice wins in his career & he's done some other big things like take a 4th place finish at the Midlands in 2019. However, he's battled a ton of injuries during his career as well. If healthy, he'll be an asset to the Tiger lineup. 

141 lbs
Alan Hart 

16-7 on the year, three time NCAA qualifier Alan Hart was one match away from being an All American in 2021. Red hot at the Southern Scuffle last season, he made the finals with a very impressive win over Clay Carlson of South Dakota State. Performances like that are vital to the Tiger's success. 

149 lbs
Brock Mauller 

Two time All American Brock Mauller is back after redshirting this past season. 6th in 2019, he was 5th in 2021. While I'm going to stand on the hill that says Yianni Diakomihalis owns the 149 lbs weight class, I do think runner-up honors is at this point anyone's game & Mauller is for sure one of the top players. 

157 lbs
Jarrett Jacques 

A four time NCAA qualifier with two MAC titles & an impressive 3rd place finish at the Southern Scuffle last season, I am rather shocked that Jacques doesn't already have a top 8 NCAA finish somewhere on his resume. He was close in 2021, when he made the round of 12.  This is his final shot to do so & call him a senior, super senior, grad student or at this point an elder, this is his final shot. 

165 lbs
Keegan O'Toole 

3rd in 2021 & a national champion this past season, Keegan O'Toole has lost exactly once in his entire collegiate career thus far. If that doesn't say it all, little else will. 

174 lbs
Peyton Mocco 

Peyton Mocco is another Tiger who really turned it on and turned it up at the Southern Scuffle last season. Handled Stanford's Tyler Eischens 5-2 in the quarterfinals & then stuck Duke's Matt Finesilver in route to a runner-up finish in the semi-finals. Also had a very nice BIG 12 tournament, sticking Oklahoma's Anthony Mantanona & securing a 2-0 victory over South Dakota State's Cade Devos which also led to a runner-up finish. At the NCAA's he lost first round & came all the way back to the round of 12, which again included victories over both Finesilver & Mantanona. He's proven he can be top 8 NCAA's, it's simply a matter of making it happen. 

184 lbs
Sean Harman 

Sean Harman had some successes last season at 174 lbs.  Impressive wins over Wyoming's Hayden Hastings & Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott. Anxious to see how he does at 184. 

197 lbs
Rocky Elam 

I'll probably get some flack for saying this, but I believe that 197 lbs is a still a fairly open weight class & I do think that Rocky Elam is among the contenders.  5th in 2021 & 4th in 2022, the young Tiger is well on his way to becoming a five time All American & seeing a 1st within those finishes wouldn't surprise me in the least.  He's got some things to figure out, Stephen Buchanan & Yonger Bastida being two of them. 

HWT
Zach Elam 

Like four of his other teammates it is a bit surprising that Zach Elam hasn't made the award stand at the NCAA's yet. He certainly has the talent & the ability.  A three time NCAA qualifier, he was one match shy of All American honors this past season.  Trent Hillger of Wisconsin & Matt Stencel of Central Michigan, both All Americans are among many of the impressive victories Elam has had thus far in his career.