Much has changed since 1998, when coach Brian Smith took over the Missouri wrestling program.

Smith inherited a Missouri team that had not had a winning season since the 1991-92 campaign. In his first four seasons with the team, the Tigers slowly climbed the national polls but still couldn’t escape the basement of the Big 12 Conference standings.

But Smith stuck with his process, and Missouri has finished third or better in the Big 12 five times in the last 11 seasons, capping off the run with the program’s first Big 12 championship on Saturday.

“I’ve been working here for 14 years trying to get something like this,” Smith said after his team’s victory Saturday. “I was told it would probably never happen, and it happened.”

Under Smith, the Tigers have now had 11 straight seasons with a dual record of .500 or above, a far cry from the program he inherited. Smith has coached three Missouri wrestlers to four individual national championships, racked up a Missouri record 173 career wins and had 36 All-Americans during his tenure. After Saturday’s historic victory, Smith thought of all the individuals that have gotten the program to where it is.

“This is an accomplishment of so many people,” Smith said. “So many people put so much effort in. I think of all the kids that have wrestled for me and all the people that have donated to the program, all of the trainers and doctors. I’m just really, really proud of everybody.”

Missouri wrestling has taken pride in its work away from the mat under Smith, as well. In 2010, eight Missouri wrestlers receive a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Five Tigers were named to the 2012 Academic All-Big 12 Wrestling team.

“It’s a process,” Smith said. “This program continues to grow, get better and just believe in what we’re doing. There are a lot of things to be proud of with this group.”

A three-time all-league wrestler himself at Michigan State, Smith stresses hard work and dedication to his team year-round in what has become known as “Tiger style” wrestling.

“There really is no offseason,” sophomore Alan Waters said. “We’re in here all summer.”

Waters said he has his sights set on the national championship.

The increased success of the program has caused a plethora of changes for Missouri wrestling. The Tiger wrestlers now have their own space dedicated to them in the Hearnes Center, the university has invested close to $400,000 in the team since Smith took over the program and the team could be wrestling in a new conference next season.

The most imminent change, though, will be Smith’s hairstyle. Last month, Smith made a bet with junior Mike Larson. The terms were simple: if the Tigers won the Big 12, Smith would let Larson shave him a mohawk, the hairstyle Larson, a 184-pound Big 12 champion, traditionally sports.

“He didn’t say when or for how long, but he shook my hand on it,” Larson said. “I’m going to bust out the trimmers here pretty soon.”