J'den Cox named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
J’den Cox (Columbia, Mo./Missouri WF/Missouri) has been selected as TheMat.com Athlete of the Week on March 9, 2017.
The two-time NCAA champion from Missouri became just the seventh wrestler in history to win four Mid-American Conference championships with a dominant performance in Cedar Falls, Iowa last weekend.
Cox started his tournament at 197 pounds with pins over No. 8 seed Derek Hillman of Eastern Michigan and No. 5 seed Stephen Suglio of Kent State. In the championship bout, Cox defeated No. 2 seed Kevin Beazley of Old Dominion by decision, 8-2.
With the win, Cox became the first four-time MAC champion for Missouri and just the second four-time conference champion in program history.
Entering the NCAA Championships as a senior, Cox boasts a perfect 23-0 record with 16 bonus-point wins and a consensus No. 1 ranking at 197 pounds across every major Division I poll.
Cox is looking to become the first three-time NCAA champion for Missouri and the 26th wrestler in NCAA history to accomplish the feat. He owns three All-American honors with placements of first, fifth and first at past NCAA Championships.
Last August, Cox made his mark on the international scene by winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil competing at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Each week USA Wrestling will select an Athlete of the Week based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling from youth programs through the senior level.
To nominate a wrestler for this honor please send the athlete’s name, wrestling program and weekly and career accomplishments to Richard Immel at rimmel@usawrestling.org.
The two-time NCAA champion from Missouri became just the seventh wrestler in history to win four Mid-American Conference championships with a dominant performance in Cedar Falls, Iowa last weekend.
Cox started his tournament at 197 pounds with pins over No. 8 seed Derek Hillman of Eastern Michigan and No. 5 seed Stephen Suglio of Kent State. In the championship bout, Cox defeated No. 2 seed Kevin Beazley of Old Dominion by decision, 8-2.
With the win, Cox became the first four-time MAC champion for Missouri and just the second four-time conference champion in program history.
Entering the NCAA Championships as a senior, Cox boasts a perfect 23-0 record with 16 bonus-point wins and a consensus No. 1 ranking at 197 pounds across every major Division I poll.
Cox is looking to become the first three-time NCAA champion for Missouri and the 26th wrestler in NCAA history to accomplish the feat. He owns three All-American honors with placements of first, fifth and first at past NCAA Championships.
Last August, Cox made his mark on the international scene by winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil competing at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Each week USA Wrestling will select an Athlete of the Week based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling from youth programs through the senior level.
To nominate a wrestler for this honor please send the athlete’s name, wrestling program and weekly and career accomplishments to Richard Immel at rimmel@usawrestling.org.
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