Missouri returns to the Big 12... for wrestling competition
Time heals all wounds, as the Missouri Tigers are headed back to the Big 12 Conference.
Well, for wrestling anyways.
The Tigers wrestling program announced their return to the Big 12, effective July 1, 2021 in a press release on Thursday.
Missouri had been competing as a member of the Mid-American Conference since their jump to the SEC almost 10 years ago.
"The Big 12 Conference has a rich and storied wrestling tradition, evidenced by the 50 NCAA team championships and more than 300 individual champions its teams have produced. This was an opportunity that Coach Smith and I did not believe we could pass up when it presented itself earlier this year," Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk said in the release. "Year in and year out, the Big 12 is one of the nation's premier wrestling conferences, and we believe it is the natural home for Mizzou Wrestling from both a competitive excellence and geographic standpoint. This move also strengthens our program and will better prepare it for achieving its goal of winning an NCAA team championship.”
Missouri should fit right back into the Big 12, as they finished the No. 5-ranked team in the final NCWA Coaches Poll, alongside fellow Big 12 wrestling members No. 6 Oklahoma State, No. 13 Iowa State, No. 15 Northern Iowa, No. 19 Oklahoma and No. 25 Wyoming.