In the world of wrestling, there's a saying: "finish odd." It’s a mantra for those aiming to end their NCAA Championships with a win, whether it’s for first, third, fifth, or seventh place. This past weekend at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Cam Steed and Aeoden Sinclair did just that for Tiger Style, helping the team secure a 14th-place finish.
Cam Steed, a junior competing at 174 pounds, showcased resilience throughout the tournament. He went 4-2 overall, reaching the semifinals before falling to Nebraska's Christopher Minto.
After a tough loss to Ohio State's Carson Kharchla, Steed bounced back with a decisive 5-3 victory over Navy's Danny Wask to clinch fifth place. This marked an improvement from his seventh-place finish last year, and with another year ahead, Steed is poised for further growth.
Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Aeoden Sinclair made waves at 184 pounds. Despite an overtime loss to Iowa's Angelo Ferrari in the quarterfinals, Sinclair demonstrated his grit by rattling off four consecutive wins. His dominant performance saw him outscore his opponents 38-9, earning him a third-place finish and solidifying his status as one of the most promising young talents in the sport.
Overall, Mizzou wrapped up the tournament with 34 team points, exceeding expectations by ten points based on pre-seed projections. Steed and Sinclair were pivotal, contributing 30.5 points combined. However, the rest of the team struggled, with the other four qualifiers adding only 3.5 points.
The Tigers have seen a dip in performance over the last few years, finishing 14th this year and last, and 11th the year before. The last standout season was in 2023, when they narrowly missed a team trophy with a fifth-place finish.
Looking ahead, the question remains: can Missouri return to its former glory? The potential is there with Sinclair and Steed leading the charge, alongside another All-American-caliber wrestler, Seth Mendoza, who redshirted this year. The Tigers are also bringing in a strong recruiting class, including Top-100 prospect Curtis Borge.
As the transfer portal opens in April, Coach Brian Smith and his team will be on the hunt for talent to bolster their lineup. The development of current wrestlers and strategic additions from the portal could be the key to breaking back into the Top-10. With the right moves, Missouri could once again find itself among the nation's elite in the coming seasons.