Cox Clinches Spot on Team USA with Olympic Team Trials Championship
J’den Cox will wrestle at World Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, April 22-24 in Mongolia
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Junior J'den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) won the 86 kg championship at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Sunday in Iowa City, Iowa, qualifying for Team USA in the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Cox defeated four-time NCAA Champion Kyle Dake twice in a best two-out-of-three finals format to win the championship, winning the first and third match.
The 86 kg weight class is not currently qualified for the Olympics, meaning Cox will represent Team USA at the "Last-chance" World Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, April 22-24 in Ulbaanbaatar, Mongolia. The top-three placers in Mongolia will qualify for the Summer Games. If Cox does not qualify in Mongolia, there is one more "Last-chance" World Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, May 6-8 in Istanbul, Turkey, where the top-two placers will qualify. If he qualifies, Cox will be the second Mizzou wrestler to qualify for the Olympics, following Ben Askren who made the 2008 National team.
Cox snuck by in his opening round match, defeating Clayton Foster by criteria, 7-7, before dominating 2015 World Team member, Jake Hebert in the quarterfinals. Cox defeated Keith Gavin, 3-1, in the semifinals to secure his spot in the finals.
In match one of the finals, Cox outlasted Dake, 8-1. In the first period, Cox was put on the shot clock in the first period and failed to score in the allotted 30 seconds, surrendering a penalty point to give Dake the 1-0 lead. Cox scored a point in the second round due to the same violation from Dake to tie the score, 1-1. With the match tied, and near one-minute remaining in the match, Cox scored multiple takedowns to pull away from Dake late, securing the 8-1 final. In match two, Cox the first takedown, followed by an immediate two-point reversal from Dake and an escape from Cox. Dake scored another takedown in the second and Cox was called for a caution for the 5-3 final. In the final match, Cox led 2-0 when Dake scored a takedown in the second period, but Cox quickly reversed to regain the lead, 3-2. Cox scored a push-out later in the period to extend his lead. Dake had one of Cox's legs as time was running out, but was only able to push Cox out instead of scoring the takedown, giving the win to Cox.
In addition to Cox, Dom Bradley, two-time All-American at Mizzou, finished in the top-three of their respective weight classes to secure a spot on the National team. On Saturday at 125 kg/275 lbs., Dom Bradley finished in third place after a 3-1 showing at the Trials. After a 6-2 win in the quarterfinals over Tyrell Fortune, Bradley fell to Tervel Dlagnev, the eventual champion, 5-1 in the finals. Bradley then defeated Eric Thompson, 12-1 in the consolation semifinals and Nick Gwiazdowski by criteria, 2-2, to place third.
Nick Marable, two-time All-American at Mizzou, defeated Dan Vallimont in the quarterfinals, 3-0, and Chris Perry, 10-6, in the semifinals to earn a trip to the finals, before falling, 2-1 in the finals to Andrew Howe. Marable lost to Alex Dierringer in the true third place match to narrowly miss out on a National Team spot.
At 57 kg/125.5 lbs., Waters finished fourth after a 4-2 performance. The two-time All-American defeated Erkin Tadzhimetov, 10-3, in the first round before falling to Daniel Dennis, 9-3, in the quarterfinals. On the backside, Waters defeated Obenson Blanc, 10-9, Nathan Tomasello, 6-0, and moved into the third place match after a medical forfeit from Coleman Scott. In the third place match, Waters fell to Tyler Graff by, 10-0, falling one match short of making the national team.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).
Match-by-Match Results
Freestyle 125 kg/275 lbs. (Saturday):
Quarterfinals: Dom Bradley def. Tyrell Fortune by 6-2 decision
Semifinals: Tervel Dlagnev def. Dom Bradley by 5-1 decision
Consolation semifinals: Dom Bradley def. Eric Thompson by 12-1 technical fall
Third Place: Dom Bradley def. Nick Gwiazdowski by 2-2 criteria
Freestyle 57 kg/125.5 lbs.:
First Round: Alan Waters def. Erkin Tadzhimetov by 10-3 decision
Quarterfinals: Daniel Dennis def. Alan Waters by 9-3 decision
Consolation second round: Alan Waters def. Obenson Blanc by 10-9 decision
Consolation Quarterfinals: Alan Waters def. Nathan Tomasello by 6-0 decision
Consolation semifinals: Alan Waters def. Coleman Scott by MFF
Third Place: Tyler Graff def. Alan Waters by 10-0 technical fall
Freestyle 74 kg/163 lbs.:
Quarterfinals: Nick Marable def. Dan Vallimont by 3-0 decision
Semifinals: Nick Marable def. Chris Perry by 10-6 decision
Finals: Andrew Howe def. Nick Marable by 2-1 decision
True-Third Place: Alex Dierringer def. Nick Marable by 2-1 decision
Freestyle 86 kg/189 lbs.:
First Round: J'den Cox def. Clayton Foster by 7-7 criteria
Quarterfinals: J'den Cox def. Jake Herbert by 8-1 decision
Semifinals: J'den Cox def. Keith Gavin by 3-1 decision
Finals Match 1: J'den Cox def. Kyle Dake by 8-1 decision
Finals Match 2: Kyle Dake def. J'den Cox by 5-3 decision
Finals Match 3: J'den Cox def. Kyle Dake by 4-3 decision
J’den Cox will wrestle at World Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, April 22-24 in Mongolia
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Junior J'den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) won the 86 kg championship at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Sunday in Iowa City, Iowa, qualifying for Team USA in the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Cox defeated four-time NCAA Champion Kyle Dake twice in a best two-out-of-three finals format to win the championship, winning the first and third match.
The 86 kg weight class is not currently qualified for the Olympics, meaning Cox will represent Team USA at the "Last-chance" World Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, April 22-24 in Ulbaanbaatar, Mongolia. The top-three placers in Mongolia will qualify for the Summer Games. If Cox does not qualify in Mongolia, there is one more "Last-chance" World Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, May 6-8 in Istanbul, Turkey, where the top-two placers will qualify. If he qualifies, Cox will be the second Mizzou wrestler to qualify for the Olympics, following Ben Askren who made the 2008 National team.
Cox snuck by in his opening round match, defeating Clayton Foster by criteria, 7-7, before dominating 2015 World Team member, Jake Hebert in the quarterfinals. Cox defeated Keith Gavin, 3-1, in the semifinals to secure his spot in the finals.
In match one of the finals, Cox outlasted Dake, 8-1. In the first period, Cox was put on the shot clock in the first period and failed to score in the allotted 30 seconds, surrendering a penalty point to give Dake the 1-0 lead. Cox scored a point in the second round due to the same violation from Dake to tie the score, 1-1. With the match tied, and near one-minute remaining in the match, Cox scored multiple takedowns to pull away from Dake late, securing the 8-1 final. In match two, Cox the first takedown, followed by an immediate two-point reversal from Dake and an escape from Cox. Dake scored another takedown in the second and Cox was called for a caution for the 5-3 final. In the final match, Cox led 2-0 when Dake scored a takedown in the second period, but Cox quickly reversed to regain the lead, 3-2. Cox scored a push-out later in the period to extend his lead. Dake had one of Cox's legs as time was running out, but was only able to push Cox out instead of scoring the takedown, giving the win to Cox.
In addition to Cox, Dom Bradley, two-time All-American at Mizzou, finished in the top-three of their respective weight classes to secure a spot on the National team. On Saturday at 125 kg/275 lbs., Dom Bradley finished in third place after a 3-1 showing at the Trials. After a 6-2 win in the quarterfinals over Tyrell Fortune, Bradley fell to Tervel Dlagnev, the eventual champion, 5-1 in the finals. Bradley then defeated Eric Thompson, 12-1 in the consolation semifinals and Nick Gwiazdowski by criteria, 2-2, to place third.
Nick Marable, two-time All-American at Mizzou, defeated Dan Vallimont in the quarterfinals, 3-0, and Chris Perry, 10-6, in the semifinals to earn a trip to the finals, before falling, 2-1 in the finals to Andrew Howe. Marable lost to Alex Dierringer in the true third place match to narrowly miss out on a National Team spot.
At 57 kg/125.5 lbs., Waters finished fourth after a 4-2 performance. The two-time All-American defeated Erkin Tadzhimetov, 10-3, in the first round before falling to Daniel Dennis, 9-3, in the quarterfinals. On the backside, Waters defeated Obenson Blanc, 10-9, Nathan Tomasello, 6-0, and moved into the third place match after a medical forfeit from Coleman Scott. In the third place match, Waters fell to Tyler Graff by, 10-0, falling one match short of making the national team.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).
Match-by-Match Results
Freestyle 125 kg/275 lbs. (Saturday):
Quarterfinals: Dom Bradley def. Tyrell Fortune by 6-2 decision
Semifinals: Tervel Dlagnev def. Dom Bradley by 5-1 decision
Consolation semifinals: Dom Bradley def. Eric Thompson by 12-1 technical fall
Third Place: Dom Bradley def. Nick Gwiazdowski by 2-2 criteria
Freestyle 57 kg/125.5 lbs.:
First Round: Alan Waters def. Erkin Tadzhimetov by 10-3 decision
Quarterfinals: Daniel Dennis def. Alan Waters by 9-3 decision
Consolation second round: Alan Waters def. Obenson Blanc by 10-9 decision
Consolation Quarterfinals: Alan Waters def. Nathan Tomasello by 6-0 decision
Consolation semifinals: Alan Waters def. Coleman Scott by MFF
Third Place: Tyler Graff def. Alan Waters by 10-0 technical fall
Freestyle 74 kg/163 lbs.:
Quarterfinals: Nick Marable def. Dan Vallimont by 3-0 decision
Semifinals: Nick Marable def. Chris Perry by 10-6 decision
Finals: Andrew Howe def. Nick Marable by 2-1 decision
True-Third Place: Alex Dierringer def. Nick Marable by 2-1 decision
Freestyle 86 kg/189 lbs.:
First Round: J'den Cox def. Clayton Foster by 7-7 criteria
Quarterfinals: J'den Cox def. Jake Herbert by 8-1 decision
Semifinals: J'den Cox def. Keith Gavin by 3-1 decision
Finals Match 1: J'den Cox def. Kyle Dake by 8-1 decision
Finals Match 2: Kyle Dake def. J'den Cox by 5-3 decision
Finals Match 3: J'den Cox def. Kyle Dake by 4-3 decision
