Everything That Happened in April for Mizzou Wrestling

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April was the first full month of the offseason for college wrestling. Transfer season came and went – Tiger Style making one big splash – among other events to kick off the retooling period.

As multiple Tigers currently on the roster are competing in offseason tournaments, head coach Brian Smith and his staff are working to improve upon their 14th-place finish at nationals this past season. A big portion of April was spent looking out for the future of the program.

2026 Recruiting

Tiger Style saw two wrestlers leave, and two enter through the transfer portal, while also picking up a seventh 2026 high school recruit, leaving the roster at the 30-wrestler max heading into next season. The highlight pickup was bringing Zan Fugitt back home. He was an All-American at Wisconsin and is expected to fill the starting role at 141lbs.

The void at that position was left by former starter Zeke Seltzer entering the portal. He committed to Central Michigan, where he should start at 141lbs or 149lbs. Mizzou’s other outgoing transfer was Jace Roller (141lbs), who saw limited action last season. He is yet to find a new destination.

Another position of need for the Tigers was an experienced wrestler at 197lbs. Evan Bates was a solid rental, but with him exhausting eligibility, that leaves Logan Cole as the likely starter next season. While he should still have a shot to start, Smith grabbed a two-time NCAA qualifier from Ohio State in Luke Geog. He made the bloodround at nationals last season and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

In a late addition to the incoming freshman class, Demetrios Carrera (141lbs) committed April 7. He hails from Illinois and is ranked No. 192 on Mat Scout’s 2026 big board.

2027 Recruiting

It’s not too early to start working on the 2027 class with the 2026 crop now likely set in stone. Mizzou grabbed two early commitments this past month. Getting these recruits now offers a chance for the coaching staff to start their development way before they join the program.

The first commit of the 2027 class was Cason Craft (125lbs). He’s from Coweta, Oklahoma, and was originally committed to California Baptist before its program was cut. Craft is ranked No. 122 on Mat Scout’s 2027 big board.

Everett Joyce (184lbs) became the second commit of the class. He’s from Maize, Kansas, is a two-time state champ and three-time state finalist. Joyce is currently ranked No. 25 at 190lbs by Mat Scout.

Big 12 Shakeup

Realignment struck the Big 12 in early April when four teams relocated to the Pac-12. Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State and South Dakota State are leaving, effective immediately, for the 2026-27 season as affiliate members.

Both the Big 12 and the Pac-12 will have nine members apiece next season. This move was more beneficial for the Pac-12, but it’s not necessarily the hugest loss for the Big 12. South Dakota State was the only competitive program within the conference of the four that are now leaving. The move secured the Pac-12 with the minimum number of teams needed to maintain an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championships.

Big 12 Teams Now

Full-time members:
Arizona State
Iowa State
Oklahoma State
West Virginia

Affiliate members:
Missouri
Northern Iowa
Oklahoma
Utah Valley
Wyoming

For Mizzou’s perspective, this will mean there are fewer cupcake duals in conference play. Of the nine remaining programs in the Big 12, seven finished in the top 25 of the final coaches’ poll last season.

There’s plenty of returning talent after a strong team finish this past season, and the wrestlers that Smith has in the building for next season will only bolster the ranks. It’s going to be an absolute dogfight to see mat time, but even the wrestlers who don’t see much action could blossom into future contributors in Tiger Style’s elite development program.

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