COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The winningest coach in program history is sticking around.
Missouri wrestling coach Brian Smith, the first 300-match winning coach in program history, has signed a contract extension to keep him in Columbia through the 2026-27 season.
Smith has led the Tigers since May 5, 1998. Since then, Smith has controlled a dominant program, producing 29 All-Americans, 60 top-eight individual performances and six wrestlers to nine individual national championships.
“Brian’s values-driven approach and commitment to academics, athletics and leadership development epitomize our department mission,” Missouri athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois said in a press release. “Through an intentional approach, he’s built Tiger Style into a culture of excellence producing eleven consecutive conference championships, national champions, record academic achievements and an engaged and passionate wrestling fan base. With Brian’s commitment to continuous growth in every facet of the program, the future is bright for Mizzou Wrestling.”
Missouri returned to the Big 12 in wrestling last season and won its 11th-consecutive conference championship after dominating the Mid-American Conference for the past 10 seasons. The Tigers won 11 duals in their return to the Big 12, with Smith earned conference coach of the year before finishing the season with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, marking a seventh-consecutive top-10 team finish.
“Denise and I are truly blessed with how Mizzou and the city of Columbia have embraced and supported us,” Smith said. “They have made this a special place to raise a family, to have so many special friends and to have a place to call home. The support and the belief in Tiger Style from Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois and the administration, including President Choi and Tiger Style supports all over, allows our amazing staff to recruit the best and brightest young men to attend Mizzou. I am a believer that a positive culture wins. Tiger Style continues to grow, evolve and get better and I believe we will win an NCAA Championship for Mizzou. This also means I get to climb the Hearnes stairs every day for many more years.”
Smith has been honored as the top wrestling coach in the NCAA twice, first as the Dan Gable coach of the Year by W.I.N Magazine in 2007, then by the National Wrestling Coaches Association coach of the year in 2017.