Mizzou Central

No. 14 Missouri Wrestling Falls Short Against No. 4 Iowa State: The Buzz

Your daily briefing on what’s going on with Mizzou athletics, including full TV listings.
Izabelle Cool|
Oklahoma State’s Dustin Plott takes down Missouri’s Aeoden Sinclair during an NCAA wrestling meet between Oklahoma State and Missouri at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Oklahoma State’s Dustin Plott takes down Missouri’s Aeoden Sinclair during an NCAA wrestling meet between Oklahoma State and Missouri at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 14 Missouri wrestling closed out the 2025-26 regular season with a 20-14 loss to No. 4 Iowa State at the Hilton Coliseum on Sunday, February 22.

The defeat moves Missouri to 12-8 on the year as it shifts its focus to the postseason, where the Tigers could see Iowa State's top wrestlers again during championship competition.

The Tigers showed their strength on the mat against the Cyclones. earning several notable individual victories despite the team loss.

The dual opened at 197 pounds with former Missouri standout No. 2 Rocky Elam, who transferred to Iowa State last offseason, facing No. 13 Evan Bates. Bates scored an early takedown, but it wasn't enough, as Elam responded to earn a 7-3 win. The Tigers were down 17-0 by the end of the first half.

To open the second half, Seth Mendoza took the mat at 149 pounds against No. 10 Jacob Frost (ISU). Mendoza scored quick takedowns in both the first and second periods to build an early lead, thencontrolled the match the rest of the way to secure an 8-2 decision in a major upset.

Max Mayfield made his first appearance at 165 pounds for the Tigers since suffering an injury in January. He was down 3-1 heading into the second period, but he quickly made his comeback count with an 8-6 upset over No. 13 Connor Euton (ISU). Mayfield was quick on his feet and showed potential to become a regular in Missouri's lineup.

No. 10 Cam Steed defeated No. 12 MJ Gaitan (ISU) in a tight 4-3 decision at 174 pounds to maintain his ranking. Following Steed's win, No. 3 Aeoden Sinclair closed out the dual with a 21-5 technical fall over Iowa State's Jacob Helgeson.

Up next, the Tigers will begin preparing for the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The championship is set for March 6-7, with session times and television schedules to be announced.

The Buzz: February 16

  • Missouri basketball moved down in ESPN'S Bracketology with Joe Lunardi after its 94-86 loss to No. 20 Arkansas. The Tigers continue to stay in the Last Four In column.
  • Missouri tennis closed out its weekend slate with a 5-0 win over Tennessee State. The Tigers are now 7-3 this season.

Sunday's Mizzou Results

  • Tennis: Vanderbilt 6, Missouri 1
  • Softball: Louisiana 9, Missouri 1
  • Baseball: Missouri 16, New Haven 2
  • Wrestling: No. 4 Iowa State 20, No. 14 Missouri 14
  • Women's Basketball: LSU 108, Missouri 55

Women's Golf: Westbrook Invitational Day 1, Peoria, Arizona

  • Missouri Women's golf sits in second place after day one of the Westbrook Invitational. The Tigers are ahead of rivals No. 26 Kansas State and No. 37 Kansas, while No. 23 Arizona leads the competition heading into day two.

Monday's Mizzou Schedule

Women's Golf: Westbrook Invitational Day 2, Round 3, 9:30 a.m. CT

  • On Day 2 of the Westbrook Invitational, the Tigers will wrap up play with 18 holes. No. 22 Arizona, No. 27 Kansas State, No. 37 Kansas, Chattanooga, Colorado State, Georgia, Gonzaga, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, Washington State and Wisconsin join the Tigers on the course.
  • The Tigers enter the spring season ranked No. 34, a 27-spot improvement from last year's ranking.

Mizzou Quote of the Day:

I appreciate the friendships I've developed, both on the field and off the field. People, they're proud of you and proud for you. You have to be proud of the things you've done when you've affected so many people's lives. It's a pretty wonderful feeling.
Johnny Roland

Check out our social media:

BlueSky: @mizzouonsi.bsky.social
X (formerly known as Twitter): @MizzouSI
Instagram: MizzouOnSI
Facebook: Missouri Tigers On SI 
YouTube

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Published
Izabelle Cool
IZABELLE COOL

Izabelle is a master’s candidate at the University of Tennessee studying Sports Management. She received her Bachelor of Journalism with an emphasis in Sports Broadcast from the University of Missouri in 2024. She has been covering wrestling for Missouri On SI since 2023 and has covered wrestling for the Ohio State Buckeyes On SI and Iowa Hawkeyes On SI since 2024. Additionally, Izabelle has covered various Olympic sports, including track and field, soccer, and tennis, since 2021 with other outlets.

Share on XFollow CoolIzabelle
Home/All Things Mizzou