COLUMBIA, Mo. — It’s crunch time on the mats.
Missouri wrestling is competing at the NCAA Championships in Kansas City this weekend, looking to close out a challenging campaign in a style representative of the powerhouse program: with a whole bunch of qualifiers.
Ten MU wrestlers qualified for the event, making Mizzou one of eight schools in the country to have all of its starters make it to the national championships.
There are 33 wrestlers in each weight class, and the double-elimination tournament structure mean competitors can battle back to third place even after a defeat.
The Tigers’ highest-seeded wrestler is Keegan O’Toole, who’s the No. 1 seed in the 165-pound weight class. He’s fresh off a Big 12 title in a match that saw him beat Iowa State’s David Carr in a high-stakes showdown between two established rivals.
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O’Toole, in his fourth year, is a two-time national champion already. He’s undefeated at 18-0 this season and holds the top seed for the first time in his career. In his first match of the tournament, he won in straightforward fashion with a pin.
At 125 pounds, No. 13 seed Noah Surtin dropped his first match Thursday, sending him quickly to the consolation bracket.
Kade Moore, who secured an at-large bid and the No. 26 spot in the 133-pound class, also dropped his first match of the tournament.
At 141 pounds, Josh Edmond picked up an upset win, carrying momentum from a third-place Big 12 finish past an opponent who’d lost just two matches all season.
Logan Gioffre entered near the bottom of the 149-pound bracket and lost his first match, making his first appearance at the NCAA championships.
Brock Mauller was involved in one of Thursday’s more intriguing matchups as the No. 17 seed at 157 pounds. He lost to No. 16 Oklahoma State’s Teague Travis, a fellow product of Father Tolton in Columbia.
Peyton Mocco, seeded 22nd, lost his first match at 174 pounds. Colton Hawks picked up some revenge from a loss last year, beating the same opponent this time around in the 184-pound bracket.
In the two heaviest classes, brothers Rocky Elam and Zach Elam each advanced past the first round. Zach Elam began the tournament as the No. 6 seed, the highest of his career.
The Tigers finished fourth in the Big 12 tournament last weekend. Injuries and limited availability limited Mizzou down the stretch of the regular season, including two lopsided defeats to Northern Iowa and Iowa State.
The NCAA Championships run through Saturday.