Askren, McCormick earn academic accolades

Columbia, Mo. -- Missouri senior Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) and sophomore Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) earned National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Academic All-America honors as announced May 6. This marks the sixth time in seven years that at least one Tiger grappler has received NWCA recognition for work in the classroom.

McCormick, Missouri's 133-pound starter for the 2007-08 campaign, made his fourth and final NCAA appearance at the Championships March 20-22 in St. Louis. The two-time All-American finished his collegiate career with a 77-43 record that included wins over some of the best wrestlers in the nation. McCormick took second at the 2008 Big 12 Championships in Oklahoma City, besting No. 1 ranked Coleman Scott of Oklahoma State, 5-3. This marks McCormick's third NWCA Academic All-American honor. A business management major that will graduate in May, McCormick owns a 3.95 cumulative grade-point average and recently was awarded an NCAA postgraduate scholarship.

A first-time recipient of the NWCA Academic All-America award, Askren carries a 3.41 cumulative GPA. Askren earned his first All-America honor at the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships after taking seventh in the 197-pound bracket. A two-time Big 12 Champion, Askren closed out his sophomore campaign with a 26-4 record, earning his final win of the season, 9-7, in overtime over Iowa State's David Bertolinio.