Redshirting common for newest Missouri wrestlers

COLUMBIA — At every home meet, the Missouri wrestling team is guaranteed to have at least 18 fans.

They’re more than fans, though. The men sitting in the stands are members of the team. They are the freshmen redshirts, who are sitting out of competition this season in order to improve and gain a year of eligibility.

While redshirting is somewhat common in many collegiate sports, especially football, it is the most prevalent in wrestling. Few freshmen ever start on the Missouri wrestling team, something coach Brian Smith attributes to the greater intensity college wrestling requires compared to the high school level.

Read the entire article by Joan Niesen of www.columbiamissourian.com here…