|
2007-08: One of two Tiger seniors to advance to the 2008 NCAA Championships, this marks Josh Wagner's second consecutive appearance at the annual three-day tournament. Ranked as high as 13th in the nation, Wagner finished the Big 12 Wrestling Championships in fourth place with a 1-2 record that included a win over Oklahoma State's Ryan Freeman, 6-3. Wagner has wrestled eight wrestlers ranked among the top-20 of the 149 pound weight class with his last win over a ranked wrestler coming Feb. 8 against then-No. 13 Will Rowe of Oklahoma, 10-6. Wagner and Rowe met March 8 in Stillwater, but the Tiger was handed a three-point loss in the high scoring match, 16-13. Wrestling at The Midlands, Dec. 29, Wanger recorded back-to-back wins by fall over ranked wrestlers. Wagner met at center circle with then-No. 12 Brandon Carter of Central Michigan and flattened the Chippewa in 3:29. Following the match, Wagner went on to pin 19th-ranked All-American Don Fisch of Rider in 1:57, his second fastest fall of the season. The win avenged Wagner's season-opening loss to Fisch, Nov. 9, 17-9, and awarded him a third place finish at the prestigious event.
2006-07: Making his first NCAA Championship appearance, March 15 in Auburn Hills, Mich., Wagner went 2-2 on the weekend earning an opening round win by fall over Purdue's Jake Patascil in 6:25. Wagner was one of three Tigers to win his first tournament match by way of fall, helping Missouri to its highest NCAA finish, third, in program history. Wagner suffered a 5-3 decision to Jordan Lee (Cornell) but managed a 13-5 win by major decision over Brandon Doyle of Cal-Bakersfield in his first wrestle-back bout. In the end, Wagner fell to 12th-seeded Dan Vallimont of Penn State, 10-6. Wagner was one of two Tigers to earn a wild card bid to the NCAA tournament after finishing fourth at the Big 12 Championships, March 3, in Columbia, Mo. Wagner went 1-2 at the league tournament, earning his only win of the day in a 3-1 overtime bout with B.J. Jackson of Oklahoma State. Wagner was 3-1 in Big 12 duals, suffering his only loss in Missouri's final Big 12 dual of the season, Feb. 11 against Iowa State. Wrestling Cyler Sanderson, Wagner dropped a 5-2 decision. Among Wagner's list of wins, are 11 by way of fall and 10 by major decision. Wagner upset several higher ranked opponents throughout the course of the season including the No. 2 Matt Storniolo of Oklahoma, 10-4. After assisting Missouri to a sweep of both Oklahoma schools, Wagner was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 5. Wrestling All-American Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota twice, Wagner suffered losses in both matches purely on riding time. Wagner finished third at the Missouri Open and fourth at the Southern Scuffle.
2005-06: As a sophomore, Wagner wrestled at 149 pounds earning a 19-14 record in which 11 of his 19 victories came by fall. Wagner's fastest pin of the season, 41 seconds, was decided Nov. 20 at the fifth annual Missouri Open. Wagner dropped Illinois' Joel Karr and wrestled his way into the title bout before falling to teammate and then-No. 19 Chris McCormick, 4-1. Opening his season at the Central Missouri State University (CMSU) Open Nov. 13, Wagner pinned Colin Wagner of Oklahoma in 1:30 and finished the day with a 5-2 record and fifth-place finish. In December, Wagner and the Tigers traveled to Greensboro, N.C., for the team's second appearance in three years at the Southern Scuffle. Wagner finished sixth with a 6-3 record, suffering two of his losses to top-15 ranked wrestlers Josh Medina of Lock Haven (6-5) and then No. 3 Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro (8-4).
2004-05: At 141 pounds Wagner dominated open competition by pinning 11 opponents and earning one technical fall, the fastest fall coming in 27 seconds against Robbie Grose of McKendree, Jan. 29 at the Missouri Valley Open. Wagner also earned the Most Falls Award at the tournament by racking up five on his way to a third-place finish. Making his first collegiate start in Missouri's dual with Ohio State on Dec. 18, Wagner pinned Ryan Needle in 1:46. A versatile wrestler for the Tigers, Wagner made 12 starts on the season, and picked up a win at 149 pounds over Zach Pierhoples of Edinboro Jan. 15, later subbing at 157 pounds Jan. 14 and Jan. 15 at the Virginia Duals.
2003-04: Wagner recorded an amazing 14 falls and two technical falls in his first run at collegiate wrestling, earning the most of any redshirt for the 2003-04 season and only three less than team leader Ben Askren, then a redshirt freshman. Pinning Chad Coleman (Missouri Baptist) in 44 seconds, it was Wagner's fastest pin of the season and came in only his third match of the year. Wagner competed at the Central Missouri State Open (CMSU) on Nov. 16, scoring five consecutive falls, for a 5-2 tournament record. Three months later, Wagner took second at the Roger Denker Open on Jan. 10, suffering his only loss of the day to teammate Chris McCormick.
HIGH SCHOOL: Competing on the Milton High School wrestling team, Wagner was coached by Bob Johnson and claimed the 2002 Wisconsin State Title at 130 pounds. The Red Hawks won the Wisconsin State Championship Title in 2002, Wagner's junior year. A three-time All-American, Wagner placed eighth in the Freestyle Junior Nationals as a senior, earning four letters before graduating in 2003.
PERSONAL: Wagner was born Sept. 2, 1984, in West Allis, Wis., to parents Jack and Kathy Wagner. The oldest of four children, Jake (21), Tamara (19) and Tosha (14), Wagner is a history major.
|
Weekly Notes
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 Four Tigers Advance in Championship Bracket03/18/2010 - Wrestling Four Missouri wrestlers advanced in the championship bracket at the NCAA National Championships in Omaha, Neb. Missouri is currently tied for tenth in the team standing with Oklahoma and Minnesota. Each school has 11 points, while team leader Iowa has 21.5 points. |
 Stay Updated Through NCAA's03/18/2010 - Wrestling The Missouri wrestling team sent six grapplers to the 80th annual NCAA Wrestling Championships held in the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb., with competition beginning March 18. |
Tiger Wrestling Team Holds Media Day03/15/2010 - Wrestling Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith and six National qualifiers met with media on Monday afternoon. |
 Missouri Sends Six to NCAA Championships03/10/2010 - Wrestling The Missouri wrestling team will send six grapplers to the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Omaha, Neb., from March 18-20. |
Marable Claims Big 12 Title03/06/2010 - Wrestling Wrestling in front of 2,610 fans in the Howard McCasland Field House, the Tigers finished the Big 12 Championships in fourth place with 33 points. |
