OUTLOOK: The only member of the team from Michigan, senior J.P. Reese is hopeful he can improve on last season's Big 12 finish, as well as wrestle his way to an All-American honor. Weighing in at 141-pounds, Reese leads the lineup and ranks seventh in the nation in the Wrestling Mall preseason polls.
"J.P. and our coaching staff have one goal, and that's to get him on the podium for nationals," head coach Brian Smith said. "He's put in a lot of time over the summer and his focus is a trip to St. Louis. He's got what it takes to go far at nationals."
2002-03: Traveling to Kansas City, Mo., for his second NCAA Wrestling Championship, Reese survived three duals before falling (4-0), to Doug McGraw (Pennsylvania), in the 141-pound weight class. Reese finished third at the Big 12 Championships, defeating Dusty Spaulding (Nebraska), with a 12-2 major decision. Over the course of the season, Reese increased his career pins to 33, moving to third on the all-time Missouri history list and second on the 2002 team and among the Big 12. Facing nine top-10 wrestlers, Reese was fourth in the country in falls at the 141-pound weight class. Competing at home in the Missouri Open, Reese upset second-ranked Nate Parker (Oklahoma), in the third place match and 2002 NCAA Champion Aaron Holker (Iowa State), at the Big 12 Championships. Reese finished third at the Missouri Open, second at the Central Missouri State Open and fourth at the Las Vegas Invitational.
2001-02: Finishing the season with an overall record of 25-11, Reese was 16-5 in duals and made his first appearance at the NCAA Tournament. Reese finished the season fourth on the team in victories and tied for first in pins with 13 (eight came in the first period of his duals, while five came in less than 1:00). Recording five straight pins between Dec. 20 and Jan. 11, Reese managed three of the quickest times of the year, (0:22, 0:29 and 0:31). Finishing the regular-season with wins over his last 10 opponents, Reese was 3-1 in the conference and earned the No. 1 seed at the Big 12 Championships, finishing second at 141-pounds. Opening the season against Illinois on Nov. 9, Reese defeated Eric Novak in the second overtime, 6-5. In the second year of the Missouri Open, Reese pinned Oklahoma's Nate Parker, before traveling to the Reno Tournament of Champions, where he took third place with a 5-1 record. Reese pinned Scott Moore (Penn State), for his third pin of the day in the final round of the Reno Tournament of Champions. In one of his quickest pins of the season, Reese defeated Mark Clark (Old Dominion) in only 0:29. Reese was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 11, after recording a fall against Aaron Holker (1:24) of Iowa State, the eventual NCAA Champion. In his final regular-season meet, Reese went 3-0 at the Cornell Duals, wracking up two more pins to his name. Named the Tigers' Most Improved Wrestler, Reese traveled to Evanston, Ill., for the University National Championships on May 2. Reese took fourth place after suffering a 5-0 decision to Jason Mester of Central Michigan.
2000-01: As the Mizzou starter in the 141-pound weight class, Reese was 16-11 (8-7 in duals), on the season. Reese took third in the Mat Town Invitational in Lock Haven, Penn., on Nov. 25, helping lead his team to a win over four nationally ranked schools. During the Feb. 18, dual with Northern Illinois, Reese pinned his opponent, who was ranked 20th by Amateur Wrestling News, in :56, the fastest pin of the year for the Tigers.
1999-2000: Reese was 27-11 in open meets as a freshman, finishing third at the Roger Denker Open and second at the Missouri Valley Open. Competing in the freshman/sophomore division at the St. Louis Open on Nov. 19-20, Reese was named the champion of the 149-pound weight class.
HIGH SCHOOL: Reese helped lead the Highlander's of Rochester Adams High School to a state championship in 1998, a second place team finish in 1999 and a third place showing in 1997. Individually, Reese finished 25th and 23rd in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Led by Pat Milkovich, Reese holds four records at Rochester Adams including; most consecutive wins, 53, most wins on a season, 57, most technical falls in career/season, 27/14 and near fall points in a season, 262. Aside from wrestling, Reese was a two-time letterwinner in football.
PERSONAL: The son of Jim and Patty Reese, J.P. was born Dec. 21, 1980, in Detroit, Mich., and has one brother, Chris (21). Reese is a Business Management major who plans on pursuing a career as a contract attorney after graduation.
