Nine Missouri wrestlers traveled to New York City to compete in the NCAA wrestling championships. Cox has the highest ranking of the Tigers at No. 2 and is looking to become a two-time national champion after his title two years ago.

Missouri entered the tournament this morning ranked No. 6 in the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 8 in the Intermat rankings. Follow this page for updates throughout the day.

**9:15 p.m:* Senior Blaise Butler dominated the first round of the 174-pound consolation round, winning against Princeton’s Jonathan Schleifer 13-2. The No. 3 seed scored takedown after takedown in his match, taking revenge after his upset loss this morning against Oklahoma’s Matt Reed. Butler will advance to the second round of the consolations, along with his teammate, Barlow McGhee.

**9:10 p.m:** In the 157-pound consolation round, senior Le’Roy Barnes took the mat against Brown’s Justin Staudenmayer, and lost with a riding time disadvantage, 4-3. The match was a battle; going into the third overtime, the score was 3-3 and neither wrestler was ready to give up a point. Since Staudenmayer had over a minute of riding time, he was awarded the extra point and the victory. Barnes had a tremendous season, jumping up two weight classes to 157 pounds and winning the MAC Championship, however he will not be advancing in the tournament.

**8:30 p.m:** Junior Matt Manley gave up a four-point near-fall, a reversal and a few takedowns to Appalachian State’s Mike Longo in his 12-3 loss on his way to elimination from the 141-pound consolation bracket. Manley was the No. 5 seed heading into the tournament, however, he gave up two bonus-point losses during the first day of the tournament. It was clear that Manley’s knee was bothering him throughout the match; the quick and aggressive pace that he usually has wrestling was on display today.

**8:25 p.m:** Junior Zach Synon was eliminated in the 133-pound consolation round after losing 9-4 to Central Michigan’s Corey Keener. Synon took takedown after takedown from Keener, not showing much aggression or control over the match. Synon now has a record of 16-14 for his season with the Tigers.

**7:50 p.m:** Junior J’Den Cox dominated his way through the 197-pound second round, winning 14-4 over Chattanooga’s Scottie Boykin. Cox was the obvious aggressor throughout the match scoring four takedowns and two escapes, as well as over two minutes of riding time. Boykin scored a reversal in the second period, but Cox came back to dominate the rest of the match. The No. 2 seed will head back to the quarterfinals in his quest to become a two-time national champion.

**7:30 p.m:** In the 184 weight class, sophomore Willie Miklus faced longtime opponent Buffalo’s Joe Ariola, who he has beat three times this season. Miklus added one more win to that record, with a dominant and action-filled 9-1 victory. The No. 14 seed scored a near-fall in the first period, and then scored a quick reversal and another near-fall in the second period, controlling the pace of the match, while making the score 8-0. Ariola scored only one escape point, and riding time points went to Miklus, making the final score 9-1. Miklus will advance to the quarterfinal championship round tomorrow.

**7:00 p.m:** Redshirt freshman Daniel Lewis will advance to the championship quarterfinals after a strong 4-1 win over Stanford’s Jim Wilson. With an early takedown that put Lewis up 2-0 in the first period, and with an escape point in the third period, he pretty much sealed the deal. The extra point was awarded for riding time. Lewis only allowed Wilson one escape point late in the third period.

**6:45 p.m:** Junior Lavion Mayes stepped onto the mat against Duke’s Mitch Finesilver and will advance to the 149 pound quarterfinal of the championships, winning 5-3. Multiple stall warnings were issued to both wrestlers during the bout with the coaches in both corners questioning the referees’ calls. Mayes wrestled methodically and tactically, as most Tiger wrestlers do, to get the late takedown in the third period and finalized the score.

**6:25 p.m:** Sophomore Barlow McGhee faced off against Northern Iowa’s Dylan Peters in a rematch of the MAC Championships in the second round of the NCAA Championships, this time losing by decision, 3-2. After early escape points for both wrestlers, the match turned to a stalemate until overtime, where Peters escaped and McGhee needed a takedown. He originally scored the takedown, but after video review, the referees ruled a technical violation in favor of Peters, who was awarded a point, making the final score 3-1. McGhee will wrestle in the second consolation round tomorrow morning.

**2:40 p.m.:** Junior J’Den Cox takes the mat against Hayden Hrymack from Rutgers in the 197 first round bout. Cox got ahold of the cradle early in the first period; he gets the takedown in 30 seconds. After 45 seconds, Cox grabbed the fall to advance on the championship side of the bracket.

Missouri went 5–4 in the first round, with sophomore 125-pounder Barlow McGhee, junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes, redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis, sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus and Cox all advancing to tonight’s second round. Junior 133-pounder Zach Synon, junior 141-pounder Matt Manley, senior 157-pounder Le’Roy Barnes and senior 174-pounder Blaise Butler will all compete in the consolation rounds, beginning tonight.