Skip to main content
Mizzou Central

Three Missouri Tigers Earn At-Large Bids to the NCAA Wrestling Championship

Six Missouri wrestling qualifiers will travel to Philadelphia from March 20 to 22. They will compete to win national titles in their respective weight classes.
Izabelle Cool|
Oklahoma State’s Caleb Fish takes down Missouri’s James Conway 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 Caleb Fish takes down Missouri’s James Conway 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. 25 Missouri wrestling finished eighth at the 2025 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, scoring 65.5 points. On March 12, the NCAA updated the individual wrestling rankings after the conclusion of the conference championships on Sunday, March 9.

Josh Edmond (149), James Conway (157), and Colton Hawks (184) received at-large bids from the NCAA, which qualified them for the tournament in Philadelphia. These selections were based on their conference finishes, season records, and other criteria. Kade Moore (133), Cameron Steed (165) and Keegan O'Toole (174) received their bids at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship.

The Tigers will now send these six wrestlers to the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championship scheduled for March 20 to 22 in Philaedlphia at the Wells Fargo Center.

133 pounds

No. 312 Kade Moore (12-17)
Redshirt sophomore Moore entered the Big 12 Wrestling Championships without a national ranking from the NCAA. However, his impressive performance, which included four consecutive wins in the tournament, put him into the national spotlight. Notably, he faced off against the top-ranked Jacob Frost from Iowa State, winning every scramble leading to his 19-6 win, which advanced him to the semifinals. Although Moore ultimately lost in the semifinals, he demonstrated his strength against some of the nation's best wrestlers.

Moore will face a tough first-round match against No. 2 Drake Ayala (Iowa). Ayala went 16-2 this season and was ranked first for a couple of weeks.

141 pounds

No. 19 Josh Edmond (13-10)
Redshirt junior Edmond is now ranked nineteenth, dropping from theirteenth at 141 pounds. Edmond was eliminated from the Big 12 Wrestling Championship but received an at-large bid from the NCAA committee.

While Edmond has struggled to find his footing this season, he continues outperforming opponents in his speed and attacks when it matters most. He has also scored crucial points for the Tigers, including the only win of the night against Oklahoma State on February 2, 2025. He defeated Kolter Burton (OSU) in an 11-4 decision.

Edmond will wrestle No. 10 CJ Composto (PENN) in the first round. Composto has gone 23-3 this season.

157 pounds

No. 28 James Conway (17-15)
Redshirt sophomore Conway received an at-large bid from the NCAA and now ranks 28th, down from 25th prior to the updated rankings. He finished the Big 12 Wrestling Championship in seventh place after defeating Caleb Dowling (WVU) by decision, 6-3.

He will wrestle No. 3 Antrell Taylor from Nebraska in the first round. Taylor has a 22-4 record this season.

165 pounds

No. 6 Cameron Steed (14-4)
Redshirt sophomore Steed rose to sixth in the national rankings after being ranked ninth prior to the release of the updated standings. He faced Peyton Hall from West Virginia in the finals of the Big 12 Championship. Hall won the match 2-0, but Steed put up a strong fight in his effort to secure his first Big 12 title.

Steed will wrestle No. 24 Cesar Alvan from Colorado, who went 24-9 this season.

174 pounds

No. 1 Keegan O'Toole
Senior O'Toole is ranked top in the nation at 174 pounds. O'Toole is a two-time national champion at 165 pounds and will compete for the title for the first time at 174 pounds. O'Toole secured his ticket to the championship after defeating MJ Gaitan (ISU) in the quarterfinals. O'Toole made quick work of the match, winning by technical fall, 15-0, in the first period.

O'Toole will face either No. 33 Jack McGill (Colorado) or No. 32 Branson John (Maryland). The two will be the morning's first match on Thursday, March 20.

184 pounds

No. 19 Colton Hawks (10-7)
Redshirt junior Hawks received an at-large bid after he placed eighth at the Big 12 Championships. Hawks started the Big 12 Wrestling Championship off with a 5-14 loss to Aidan Brenot (NDSU). Hawks then won his next two matches but dropped the last two to Eddie Neitenbach (WYO) and Aidan Brenot (NDSU).

Hawks will wrestle No. 2 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) in the first round. Keckeisen is 24-0 this season and is coming off his fifth Big 12 Championship. Hawks will have his work cut out for him against the undefeated wrestler.

*Rankings from the NCAA Coaches poll

Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and PHL Sports will host this year's championship, which will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia from March 20 to 22, 2025.

The tournament will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

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