Come one come all! Tuesday November 26 at Arrowhead High School in the North gym we have a Big 12 showdown between the Missouri Tigers and the Northern Iowa Panthers! First whistle will blow at 7 PM and you can watch it all on UFC Fight Pass or preorder your tickets online now!
Ticket link: https://MIZZOUvsUNItickets.eventbrite.com
National Champions and Wisconsin Natives Keegan O’Toole and Parker Keckeisen will return home in their senior season to put on a show one last time for the great state of Wisconsin! In addition all Wisconsin native wrestlers not in the starting line up for both teams will get the opportunity to wrestle an extra match prior to the dual starting at 7pm.
Missouri will play host as the home team on the 26th and for Head Coach Brian Smith it was an easy decision, here is what he had to say:
“Having a home dual in Wisconsin was not a difficult decision for me. Mizzou has had great success with over 15 wrestlers attending during my tenure with Tiger Style. Having the dual at Arrowhead HS will be special since it produced NCAA champions Ben and Max Askren along with current NCAA champion Keegan O’Toole. I look forward to an exciting dual with UNI and bringing the competition to the great fans of Wisconsin.”
Missouri currently has 5 Wisconsin natives on their roster with more coming in future years. For National Champion Keegan O’Toole he will have the opportunity to wrestle one final time in his high school home gym. We spoke with O’Toole about this opportunity and he said,
“It’s so special to be in the school where I formed who I was and made lifelong friendships with people who will be there watching me”
O’Toole is a 2x National Champion and 4x All American at 165 pounds for the Tigers. As he enters his 5th and final season he will be moving up to 174. In the purple and gold standing across the mat from him will be his friend and fellow National Champion, Parker Keckeisen. Keckeisen is also a 4x All American and Wisconsin native from Nicolet High School. He will be entering his 5th and final season as the returning 184 pound National Champ. A chance to wrestle in front of his home state is not the only thing on the mind of Keckeisen when we spoke,
“I’m excited for the chance to come home and scrap, but I’m also looking forward to getting some revenge because in high school Keegan’s team (Arrowhead) beat us in the dual to go to Team State. I’m trying to make Arrowhead Panther territory”
Keckeisen was a Dan Hodge Trophy finalist last year and will return as one of the most dominant wrestlers in the country. He and O’Toole are no strangers to the spotlight and love to put on a show. Like Missouri, Northern Iowa also has a lot of Wisconsin ties with five Wisconsin natives on the roster. Head Coach Doug Schwab had this to say,
“We have grown a great rivalry through the years, it’s always an entertaining dual. With having this dual in Wisconsin it gives both programs the opportunity to honor some of the in-state greats we have on our rosters. We look forward to an incredible atmosphere.”
There is a lot of respect and familiarity between both teams, but Tuesday night November 26th at 7pm at Arrowhead High School we will watch a Big 12 showdown between 2 national ranked teams live on UFC Fight Pass!
Current Wisconsin natives on Missouri and Northern Iowa’s roster
Tigers
- Keegan O’Toole (Hartland / Arrowhead HS)
- Ellis Pfleger (Grafton / Grafton HS)
- Aeoden Sinclair (Edgerton / Milton HS)
- Preston Spray (Wisconsin Rapids / Wisconsin Rapids HS)
- Jake Stoffel (Appleton / Appleton North HS)
Panthers
- John Gunderson (Baraboo / Baraboo HS)
- Parker Keckeisen (Glendale / Nicolet HS)
- Garrett Moll (Lodi / Lodi HS)
- Grant Stromberg (Mukwonago / Mukwonago HS)
- Connor Thorpe (Brookfield / Brookfield East HS)
*Seats are limited and expected to sell fast, buy yours today!
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