Catching up on the releases in my inbox this morning
WRESTLING--COX WINS 2ND NATIONAL TITLE
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Junior J’den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) became the second-ever two-time NCAA National Champion in Mizzou Wrestling history with a 4-2 win over Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) at Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y. on Saturday. Cox joined Ben Askren (2006, 2007) as the only Mizzou grapplers to finish a season atop of their weight class twice during their career.
Cox and McIntosh, two of arguably the most technical wrestlers in the nation, finished the first period scoreless. Cox nearly had a takedown near the end of the period, but McIntosh escaped Cox’s grasp and got out of bounds for a restart. Cox and McIntosh traded escape points to start the second and third periods, respectively. McIntosh escaped with under a minute left in the match, tying the score, 1-1. At the time of the escape, Cox had just under a minute of riding time. With the buzzer nearing, Cox got both of McIntosh’s legs to secure the takedown and the victory, 4-2 (point for riding time).
“I believe I had a great outing here at NCAAs this year. Definitely improved from the last few years. Dedication for this title goes to everyone who has ever had my back,” said Cox. “Everyone who has always been there for me. Not just when times are great, but when everything's going wrong and things are hard. People who have your back like that and the people who are always there, that you consider family, even though they're not blood, those are what this dedicates to because this was not easy.”
The hometown Tiger finishes the season 33-1, and is now 108-5 on his career. Cox recorded seven technical falls on the season, tied for fifth most in a season in program history. For his career, Cox has 14 technical falls, fourth most in Mizzou history and 24 major decisions, sixth most.
#TigerStyle finished the tournament in sixth place with 74.5 team points. Mizzou finished with four All-Americans, fourth most in program history (five in 2009, 2013, and 2015). Redshirt junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes (Mascoutah, Ill.), redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis (Blue Springs, Mo.) and redshirt sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus (Altoona, Iowa) joined Cox earning the esteemed award. Mayes finished third in the tournament, while Lewis finished fourth and Miklus sixth.
Cox became the fourth three-time All-American in school history, following Ben Askren (2004-07), Max Askren (2008-10), and Drake Houdashelt (2013-15). Cox won the National Championship in 2014 in Oklahoma City, Okla., and placed fifth last season in St. Louis, Mo.
The Tiger junior became the 24th member of Mizzou’s 100-win club with a 16-7 major decision victory in Mizzou’s 19-14 win over Nebraska in the NWCA National Duals Series on Feb. 21. Cox reached the century mark in 105 matches, the fastest to 100 wins in program history. Cox also owns the best win percentage of any wrestler in program history over 100 wins at .955 (108-5), slightly ahead of Ben Askren’s mark of .950 (153-8).
Mizzou now claims seven National Champions and 64 All-Americans in program history. In addition to Cox and Ben Askren each winning two titles, Max Askren claimed gold in 2010, Mark Ellis in 2009, and Drake Houdashelt in 2015. Next season’s NCAA Wrestling Championships will return to St. Louis, Mo., March 16-18 at the Scottrade Center.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.comand follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram(MizzouWrestling).
Match Results
197 Final:#2 J’den Cox (Mizzou) def. #1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) by 4-2 decision
Top-10 Team Scores1. Penn State, 123.0
2. Oklahoma State, 97.5
3. Ohio State, 86.0
4. Virginia Tech, 82.0
5. Iowa, 81.0
6. Mizzou, 74.5
7. Cornell, 67.0
8. Nebraska, 58.0
T9. Illinois, 50.5
T9. Michigan, 50.5
SOFTBALL SWEEPS DOUBLEHEADER VS NEW MEXICO
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – No. 15 Mizzou Softball (19-4) earned a doubleheader sweep on Saturday over New Mexico State, posting 23 runs on 24 hits against Aggies pitching. The Tigers held off a late New Mexico State comeback in game one with a 9-6 victory and cruised to a 14-3 game two win.
Redshirt senior Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) and senior Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) were incredible at the plate over the two games. Fagan went a combined 5-for-7 (.714 AVG) with four runs scored, two home runs, seven RBI and two stolen bases. Additionally, her five hits moved her into third place in all-time Mizzou Softball career hits. Crane recorded a team-high six hits (.750 AVG) with three runs scored, one home run and four RBI.
Fagan put Mizzou on top in game one with a towering first inning solo home run. The Tigers added on five runs, all with two outs, in the second inning. Freshman Regan Nash (Camden Point, Mo.) tallied her eighth RBI of the year on a base hit and Fagan followed that with a three-run home run off the scoreboard.
Fagan’s second blast of the game marked the third multi-home run outing of her career. The home run also secured Fagan’s ninth multi-hit and seventh multi-RBI game of the season.
Mizzou held a 7-0 advantage in the fourth inning before the Aggies broke through with five runs. New Mexico State made it a one-run ballgame with another run in the fifth inning. The Tigers produced two big insurance runs in the sixth following RBI singles by junior Chloe Rathburn (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Crane.
Sophomore Paige Lowary (Dallas Center, Iowa) closed the door in game one with three shutout innings. Lowary was virtually unhittable, producing a season high eight strikeouts in relief. Fagan, Rathburn and Crane each recorded multi-hit games in Mizzou’s game one triumph.
Game two saw Mizzou strike first again with Fagan ripping a first inning RBI single to left. In the top half of the third inning, junior Natalie Fleming (Silex, Mo.) recorded her first home run of the year with a blast over the center field fence.
The Tigers put a crooked number on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, pushing four runners across the plate. Crane secured her second three-hit game of the day with a two-RBI single. Mizzou added two more in the sixth, highlighted by Fleming’s second home run of the game.
Mizzou’s offense finished off its impressive game two performance with a six-run seventh inning. SophomoreMorgan Walters (Gainesville, Ga.), sophomore Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Calif.), Fagan and Rathburn each recorded run-producing hits to key the explosive inning.
Lowary kept the momentum rolling from her game one appearance, allowing one earned run over 6.0 strong innings in game two. The Tiger lefty earned the win in both matchups on Saturday, extending her team-best winning streak to six games.
KEY MOMENT (GAME 1)
Mizzou built a 7-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. New Mexico State responded with six runs in two frames to suddenly make it a slim one-run lead for the Tigers.
In the sixth inning, Mizzou received much needed insurance runs with RBI singles by Rathburn and Crane. Lowary took care of the rest in the circle for Mizzou, recording five of her eight strikeouts over the last two innings.
TOP TIGERS (GAME 1)
·Fagan: 2-for-3, 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI, SB
·Lowary: (W, 10-2) 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 8 K (season high)
·Crane: 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
KEY MOMENT (GAME 2)
The Tigers led 2-0 as they went to bat in the fourth inning. Mizzou scored four runs in the fourth to extend its lead to 6-0. New Mexico State managed single runs in three separate innings but the Tigers’ two runs in the sixth inning and six runs in the seventh inning put the Aggies in too big of a hole.
TOP TIGERS (GAME 2)
·Lowary: (W, 11-2) 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 K
·Fleming: 2-for-3, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI
·Fagan: 3-for-4, R, 3 RBI, SB
UP NEXT
Mizzou closes its three-game set at New Mexico State on Sunday, March 20. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT) and the game will broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also follow the action on Twitter (@MizzouSoftball) and StatBroadcast.com.
Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Softball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (University of Missouri Softball Team) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouSoftball).
WRESTLING--COX WINS 2ND NATIONAL TITLE
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Junior J’den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) became the second-ever two-time NCAA National Champion in Mizzou Wrestling history with a 4-2 win over Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) at Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y. on Saturday. Cox joined Ben Askren (2006, 2007) as the only Mizzou grapplers to finish a season atop of their weight class twice during their career.
Cox and McIntosh, two of arguably the most technical wrestlers in the nation, finished the first period scoreless. Cox nearly had a takedown near the end of the period, but McIntosh escaped Cox’s grasp and got out of bounds for a restart. Cox and McIntosh traded escape points to start the second and third periods, respectively. McIntosh escaped with under a minute left in the match, tying the score, 1-1. At the time of the escape, Cox had just under a minute of riding time. With the buzzer nearing, Cox got both of McIntosh’s legs to secure the takedown and the victory, 4-2 (point for riding time).
“I believe I had a great outing here at NCAAs this year. Definitely improved from the last few years. Dedication for this title goes to everyone who has ever had my back,” said Cox. “Everyone who has always been there for me. Not just when times are great, but when everything's going wrong and things are hard. People who have your back like that and the people who are always there, that you consider family, even though they're not blood, those are what this dedicates to because this was not easy.”
The hometown Tiger finishes the season 33-1, and is now 108-5 on his career. Cox recorded seven technical falls on the season, tied for fifth most in a season in program history. For his career, Cox has 14 technical falls, fourth most in Mizzou history and 24 major decisions, sixth most.
#TigerStyle finished the tournament in sixth place with 74.5 team points. Mizzou finished with four All-Americans, fourth most in program history (five in 2009, 2013, and 2015). Redshirt junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes (Mascoutah, Ill.), redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis (Blue Springs, Mo.) and redshirt sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus (Altoona, Iowa) joined Cox earning the esteemed award. Mayes finished third in the tournament, while Lewis finished fourth and Miklus sixth.
Cox became the fourth three-time All-American in school history, following Ben Askren (2004-07), Max Askren (2008-10), and Drake Houdashelt (2013-15). Cox won the National Championship in 2014 in Oklahoma City, Okla., and placed fifth last season in St. Louis, Mo.
The Tiger junior became the 24th member of Mizzou’s 100-win club with a 16-7 major decision victory in Mizzou’s 19-14 win over Nebraska in the NWCA National Duals Series on Feb. 21. Cox reached the century mark in 105 matches, the fastest to 100 wins in program history. Cox also owns the best win percentage of any wrestler in program history over 100 wins at .955 (108-5), slightly ahead of Ben Askren’s mark of .950 (153-8).
Mizzou now claims seven National Champions and 64 All-Americans in program history. In addition to Cox and Ben Askren each winning two titles, Max Askren claimed gold in 2010, Mark Ellis in 2009, and Drake Houdashelt in 2015. Next season’s NCAA Wrestling Championships will return to St. Louis, Mo., March 16-18 at the Scottrade Center.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.comand follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram(MizzouWrestling).
Match Results
197 Final:#2 J’den Cox (Mizzou) def. #1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) by 4-2 decision
Top-10 Team Scores1. Penn State, 123.0
2. Oklahoma State, 97.5
3. Ohio State, 86.0
4. Virginia Tech, 82.0
5. Iowa, 81.0
6. Mizzou, 74.5
7. Cornell, 67.0
8. Nebraska, 58.0
T9. Illinois, 50.5
T9. Michigan, 50.5
SOFTBALL SWEEPS DOUBLEHEADER VS NEW MEXICO
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – No. 15 Mizzou Softball (19-4) earned a doubleheader sweep on Saturday over New Mexico State, posting 23 runs on 24 hits against Aggies pitching. The Tigers held off a late New Mexico State comeback in game one with a 9-6 victory and cruised to a 14-3 game two win.
Redshirt senior Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) and senior Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) were incredible at the plate over the two games. Fagan went a combined 5-for-7 (.714 AVG) with four runs scored, two home runs, seven RBI and two stolen bases. Additionally, her five hits moved her into third place in all-time Mizzou Softball career hits. Crane recorded a team-high six hits (.750 AVG) with three runs scored, one home run and four RBI.
Fagan put Mizzou on top in game one with a towering first inning solo home run. The Tigers added on five runs, all with two outs, in the second inning. Freshman Regan Nash (Camden Point, Mo.) tallied her eighth RBI of the year on a base hit and Fagan followed that with a three-run home run off the scoreboard.
Fagan’s second blast of the game marked the third multi-home run outing of her career. The home run also secured Fagan’s ninth multi-hit and seventh multi-RBI game of the season.
Mizzou held a 7-0 advantage in the fourth inning before the Aggies broke through with five runs. New Mexico State made it a one-run ballgame with another run in the fifth inning. The Tigers produced two big insurance runs in the sixth following RBI singles by junior Chloe Rathburn (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Crane.
Sophomore Paige Lowary (Dallas Center, Iowa) closed the door in game one with three shutout innings. Lowary was virtually unhittable, producing a season high eight strikeouts in relief. Fagan, Rathburn and Crane each recorded multi-hit games in Mizzou’s game one triumph.
Game two saw Mizzou strike first again with Fagan ripping a first inning RBI single to left. In the top half of the third inning, junior Natalie Fleming (Silex, Mo.) recorded her first home run of the year with a blast over the center field fence.
The Tigers put a crooked number on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, pushing four runners across the plate. Crane secured her second three-hit game of the day with a two-RBI single. Mizzou added two more in the sixth, highlighted by Fleming’s second home run of the game.
Mizzou’s offense finished off its impressive game two performance with a six-run seventh inning. SophomoreMorgan Walters (Gainesville, Ga.), sophomore Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Calif.), Fagan and Rathburn each recorded run-producing hits to key the explosive inning.
Lowary kept the momentum rolling from her game one appearance, allowing one earned run over 6.0 strong innings in game two. The Tiger lefty earned the win in both matchups on Saturday, extending her team-best winning streak to six games.
KEY MOMENT (GAME 1)
Mizzou built a 7-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. New Mexico State responded with six runs in two frames to suddenly make it a slim one-run lead for the Tigers.
In the sixth inning, Mizzou received much needed insurance runs with RBI singles by Rathburn and Crane. Lowary took care of the rest in the circle for Mizzou, recording five of her eight strikeouts over the last two innings.
TOP TIGERS (GAME 1)
·Fagan: 2-for-3, 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI, SB
·Lowary: (W, 10-2) 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 8 K (season high)
·Crane: 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
KEY MOMENT (GAME 2)
The Tigers led 2-0 as they went to bat in the fourth inning. Mizzou scored four runs in the fourth to extend its lead to 6-0. New Mexico State managed single runs in three separate innings but the Tigers’ two runs in the sixth inning and six runs in the seventh inning put the Aggies in too big of a hole.
TOP TIGERS (GAME 2)
·Lowary: (W, 11-2) 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 K
·Fleming: 2-for-3, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI
·Fagan: 3-for-4, R, 3 RBI, SB
UP NEXT
Mizzou closes its three-game set at New Mexico State on Sunday, March 20. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT) and the game will broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also follow the action on Twitter (@MizzouSoftball) and StatBroadcast.com.
Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Softball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (University of Missouri Softball Team) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouSoftball).
