Brian Smith inducted into Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

[Wrestej]

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – University of Missouri Head Wrestling Coach Brian Smith was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Sunday, Nov. 20.

Beginning his career as Missouri's seventh head wrestling coach, Smith sat down with his team and made a list of goals that he hoped would help the 1998 squad and future Tiger teams. Over the past 24 years, he and the many men that have come through the Mizzou wrestling program have slowly but surely checked items off that original list. Individual Big 12 and MAC Conference Champions, improved grade-point averages, record-setting attendances, a No. 1 national ranking and Missouri's first-ever NCAA National Champion in wrestling were all on Smith's "to-do" list. His unique "Tiger Style" training program has molded today's team into a national powerhouse that continues to pursue the program's first team NCAA title.

Since being introduced as Missouri's Head Wrestling Coach on May 5, 1998, Smith owns 21 consecutive seasons with a dual record at or above .500, beginning with the 2001-02 season, and has coached 29 All-Americans to 60 top-eight performances and six Tigers to nine national championships.

The winningest coach in program history, Smith has compiled a 319-114-4 record at Missouri over his 24-plus season tenure. He became Missouri's first 300-win coach in program history, eclipsing the milestone, Jan. 8, 2021, in a 30-6 triumph over No. 21 Central Michigan. 

With a .737 career winning percentage, Smith holds the highest winning percentage in Mizzou wrestling history. He earned six consecutive conference Coach of the Year honors from 2012-17, including five straight awards by the MAC league office. Additionally, he has been honored as the top wrestling coach in the NCAA twice in his career, first being named the Dan Gable Coach of the Year by W.I.N. Magazine in 2007, then Smith was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2017.

Six Tiger wrestlers have reached the pinnacle of collegiate wrestling, collecting nine NCAA Championships under Smith's tenure, beginning with Ben Askren. During Askren's Tiger career, Smith guided the 174-pound grappler to the program's first back-to-back National Championship titles (2006 and 2007). On March 21, 2009, Mark Ellis became the second Missouri wrestler in program history to collect top honors. In 2010, Max Askren became the third national champion in the history of the program, as he dominated the No. 1 seed in the 184-pound weight class by a 10-3 score. After a four-year drought, true freshman J'den Cox claimed the program's fifth national title in 2013-14 after defeating Ohio State's Nick Heflin, 2-1. A year later, redshirt senior Drake Houdashelt concluded his historical Tiger Style career with a 149-pound National Championship at the 2015 NCAA's. In 2016, Cox returned to the top of the podium at Madison Square Garden, becoming the second two-time NCAA Champ in program history. Cox then became the program's first ever three-time national champion when he defended his title in 2017, to finish his incredible Tiger career. In 2022, freshman Keegan O'Toole became the Tigers' first national champion at 165 pounds while completing the fourth undefeated individual season in program history, joining B. Askren (2006-07) and Cox (2017).

Additionally, Smith has helped guide two wrestlers to the Olympics. B. Askren was the first wrestler in program history to compete in the summer games with an appearance in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, followed by Cox, who won bronze at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where his father coached football, Smith was a two-time wrestling state champion in 1984 with Oviedo High School and 1985 while competing at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. The Florida native graduated from Michigan State with a degree in education and married the former Denise Dean in 1993. Brian and Denise, have three children, Quinn, Kylie and Braden. In the spring of 2009, Smith received his Master's Degree in Athletic Administration from William Woods University.

[Mizzou Fan]

Well deserved!   His success has been consistent; across the careers of many wrestlers, assistant coaches and even different conferences.  The teams' recruiting has gotten better over the years as the success of his teams have made Mizzou a more attractive alternative. 

Brian Smith recruits very good wrestlers, but typically they aren't the top tier recruits that go to Penn State and other historically great programs.  But,... once those recruits arrive at Mizzou, Brian Smith and his coaching staff develops them into the best wrestlers and students they can be.  Mizzou fans, as well as all wrestling fans should be proud of what Brian Smith has accomplished.

[ionel]

Yes well deserved!!

[Crotalus]

Well deserved, indeed.

Also, J'den Cox was inducted to the University of Missouri athletics hall of fame over the weekend.

https://mutigers.com/news/2022/9/23/general-mizzou-tabs-six-for-2022-hall-of-fame-class.aspx

[Fadzaev2]

Congratulations Brian Smith.....sat across the mat from you several times during your career at MSU.  Great coaching career!

[Hurricane Wrestling]

Congratulations - as many already said this is a well-deserved award.  I sat with his parents several years ago at the Southern Scuffle - great family!  

[BobDole]

If you haven't go listen to his Wrestling Changed My Life podcast, it is a great listen. I was listening to it on a roadtrip and my wife who was casually hearing what was said perked up and even asked who he was after some of the things he said. 

[de4856]

Congrats to Coach Smith, well deserved in my opinion