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Mizzou WrestlingThursday, November 5

Mizzou wrestling coach Brian Smith will retire after this season, and Kendric Maple will take over

The Daily Columbia teamFrom today’s edition · 1 min read · 3 sources

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If you bleed black and gold, this one's big. Brian Smith, who's entering his 29th year as Mizzou's head wrestling coach, announced Wednesday that he'll retire when this season ends. Associate head coach Kendric Maple will take over beginning in 2027-28, and Tiger Athletics won't run a national search.

  • Press conference: Thursday, Nov. 5
  • Maple: assistant since 2019, associate head coach since 2022
  • Team finishes: top 10 at nine of the last 12 NCAAs

Smith's Tigers have won 351 duals since 1998

351
dual wins since Smith took over in May 1998
203
NCAA qualifiers coached
72
All-Americans coached
10
individual national titles, won by six Tigers

Sources: Columbia Daily Tribune, KOMU 8

Smith's goodbye points to the mat: "Now let's go do something special at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis," he said in a news release. Athletic Director Laird Veatch said the focus right now is the 2026-27 team.

Smith took Mizzou from no conference titles to 12 straight

  1. May 1998Smith takes over Mizzou wrestling
  2. 2007Tigers place third at the NCAA Championships, the program's best finish
  3. 2012Mizzou wins its first conference title
  4. 2015Tigers place fourth at the NCAA Championships
  5. Nov. 4Smith announces he will retire after the 2026-27 season
  6. 2027-28Kendric Maple will begin as head coach

Sources: ABC17NEWS, Columbia Daily Tribune

Sources: ABC17NEWS, Columbia Daily Tribune, KOMU 8

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