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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE // April 2, 2013
NEWS
& NOTES
Smith
Named MAC Wrestling Coach of the Year
Smith
led the program to a 16-3 dual record in 2013, culminating with a Conference Championship and five All-Americans.
COLUMBIA,
Mo. –
Mizzou Wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith is the 2013 Mid-American Conference
Coach of the Year for wrestling, the Conference announced Tuesday morning. Smith has been honored in two different conferences after being named Coach of the Year last year prior to the University departing the Big 12.
In the programÂ’s first year as an affiliate member of the MAC Conference, Smith
and the Tigers roared through the Championships in early March, winning their second-consecutive conference title. Missouri posted 136.0 team points, themost in MAC Championship history, and had four individuals place first in their brackets. The title ended
an 11-year reign held by the Central Michigan Chippewas.
After sending all 10 starters to the NCAA Championships in 2012, SmithÂ’s club
qualified all 10 once again in 2013. The Tigers finished seventh in the 72-team field, and added five All-Americans to the programÂ’s history. Alan Waters, Dom Bradley, Nathan McCormick, Drake Houdashelt, and Mike Larson all made their way onto the podium this
year.
Tiger Style ended 2013 with a 16-3 dual record, improving SmithÂ’s all-time
career record at the helm of the Tigers to 189-88-3. His .680 winning percentage and 189 dual wins makes him the winningest coach in Mizzou Wrestling history. Smith has let the Tigers to 12 consecutive winning seasons.
Under his leadership, Missouri has become a top program around the nation.
The Tigersended the year ranked No. 4 by the NWCA/USA Today poll. In 15 years, Smith has coached 19 All-Americans, claiming 31 total medals.
In 1998, Smith inherited a program that had not seen a winning record since
the 1991- 92 campaign. The Tigers are now continuously ranked among the top-10 in the nation, reaching as high as No. 1 during the course of the 2006-07 campaign. On Dec. 12, 2006, Missouri wrestling became just the 11th wrestling program in history to earn
a No. 1 ranking.
Stay tuned with Tiger Style by following us on Twitter (@MizzouWrestling) and
Facebook, and as always on MUTigers.com.
@trandazzo8