Brian Smith to Step Down Following 2026-27 Season
COLUMBIA, Mo. — After nearly three decades leading Mizzou Wrestling, head coach Brian Smith announced that the 2026-27 season will be his final at the helm of the Tigers. Smith will retire following his 29th season leading the program, leaving behind a legacy that has helped establish Tiger Style as one of the nation's premier collegiate wrestling programs.
With Smith’s retirement, Mizzou Director of Athletics Laird Veatch has appointed current associate head coach Kendric Maple to take over as the program’s head coach following the 2026-27 season.
Mizzou Athletics will host a press conference Thursday, Nov. 5, at 3 p.m. CT inside the EquipmentShare Club 1926 in Memorial Stadium’s North End Zone, featuring Veatch, Smith and Maple.
“For almost 30 years at Mizzou, Brian Smith has established a championship program and an elite team culture that has shaped generations of student-athletes and elevated our entire wrestling program,” Veatch said. “We’re grateful for everything Brian has given this university — and we’re incredibly excited to support Kendric Maple as he builds on that foundation. Our focus right now is on the 2026-27 team and the opportunities ahead this season, and the best way to honor Coach Smith's legacy is to keep competing and pursuing championships."
“Very few coaches get the opportunity to leave on their own terms. I'm grateful that I can do that, and I'm grateful that I can leave this program in a position of strength,” Smith said. “We have outstanding coaches, an incredible staff, and a talented young team. I believe the future of Mizzou Wrestling is as bright as it's ever been. I am thankful to the University of Missouri, the people of Columbia and the state of Missouri for the incredible support they have shown our program over the years. Thank you for believing in Tiger Style and for being part of this incredible journey. Now let’s go do something special at the NCAA Championship in St. Louis.”
“Brian Smith’s ‘Tiger Style’ not only built champions. His branded method of coaching also molded successful and productive lives for all his followers,” said Bob Blitz, Vice Chair of the University of Missouri Board of Curators and Chair of the Mizzou Intercollegiate Athletics Special Committee. “Brian’s excellent record as a coach hopefully will be duplicated or even exceeded, but as a person Brian can never be replaced.”
Maple enters his eighth season with Mizzou Wrestling and fifth as associate head coach after joining the program as an assistant in 2019. During his time with the Tigers, Maple has helped coach seven wrestlers to 17 All-America honors, 11 conference champions and Keegan O’Toole to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2022 and 2023. He also helped Mizzou earn a fifth-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships, the program’s best result since 2017.
Before arriving at Mizzou, Maple coached at Nebraska, Purdue and his alma mater, Oklahoma. As a wrestler for the Sooners, he was a three-time NCAA All-American and won the 2013 NCAA Championship at 141 pounds, finishing his collegiate career with a 127-25 record. He also found success in freestyle wrestling, winning the UWW Freestyle World Cup in 2018 and the U.S. Freestyle Open in 2017 and 2022.
“Coach Smith has meant so much to me, this program and the University of Missouri,” Maple said. “His impact goes far beyond wins and championships, building a culture, a family and a standard that has shaped generations of young men. I’m incredibly grateful for his mentorship, friendship and trust. I’m humbled and honored to lead this program in the future, and I look forward to building on the foundation he has established, pursuing championships and developing young men who make Mizzou proud. But right now, our focus remains on making this season a special one for Coach Smith and our team.”
Since his hiring on May 5, 1998, Smith has transformed Mizzou Wrestling into perennial contenders for conference and national championships. In 28 seasons, Smith has guided the Tigers to 351 dual victories, accounting for more than half of the program's 681 all-time wins.
Throughout his tenure, Smith has coached 66 conference champions, 203 NCAA qualifiers and 72 All-Americans, while leading six Tigers to a combined 10 individual national championships. He holds a career record of 354-130-3 (.730) at Mizzou and led the program to 12 consecutive conference team titles from 2012-23.
Smith's impact has extended to the national stage, where Missouri has consistently competed among the country's top programs. His teams have earned two NCAA Championship team trophies, finishing third in 2007 and fourth in 2015, and placed in the top 10 at nine of the last 12 national tournaments.
Smith has also helped develop athletes who excelled on the international stage. Former Tigers Ben Askren and J'den Cox represented the United States at the 2008 and 2016 Summer Olympics, respectively, with Cox capturing a bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro. More recently, O'Toole claimed U20 and U23 world titles in 2021 and 2023, respectively; Rocky Elam captured U20 world gold in 2021; and Aeoden Sinclair won gold at the 2026 U20 Championships. During Smith's tenure, Mizzou wrestlers have made 20 appearances at World Championships across multiple age groups.
Beyond competition, Smith has emphasized the development of student-athletes in the classroom and throughout their lives. Under his leadership, Mizzou wrestlers have earned 180 academic honors. His coaching has also been recognized nationally, including the 2007 Dan Gable Coach of the Year award, the 2017 NWCA Coach of the Year honor, three Big 12 Coach of the Year awards and five MAC Coach of the Year honors.
As Smith enters his final season, Mizzou Wrestling will celebrate the coach, mentor and leader whose impact has shaped generations of Tigers and helped define the standard of Tiger Style. His final campaign will provide an opportunity to honor his career, recognize his contributions to the program and reflect on a legacy that will continue well beyond his time on the mat.
