Grading the year in Mizzou sports
Normally, the year wouldn't be over yet. But nothing about 2020 is normal. Every season that's going to be played is already complete. We take a look at every sport and assign a letter grade based on the season the Tigers had.
FOOTBALL
It wasn't good. Most expected Missouri to win nine games or more. The outright pessimists said seven. The Tigers won six...after a 5-1 start. It ended up getting the coach fired.
The season started with a thud in Wyoming, rebounded with five straight wins, then found a new bottom in a loss at Vanderbilt which took Mizzou six weeks to get over. Beating a terrible Arkansas team to end the season wasn't enough to save the campaign or Barry Odom's job.
It was not a good year, no question. It wasn't a complete disaster either.
FINAL GRADE: D+
VOLLEYBALL
Despite a coaching change, Missouri kept on rolling. In Josh Taylor's first season, Mizzou went 22-8, finished fourth in the SEC at 13-5, and made the NCAA Tournament.
Once in the postseason, the Tigers swept Northern Iowa before losing to No. 5 Nebraska to end the year. Overall, it was by far the best season of any Mizzou team.
FINAL GRADE: A-
CROSS COUNTRY
Despite not having anyone like Karissa Schweizer, the Mizzou women finished third in the SEC Championships while the men were seventh. Redshirt senior Thomas George was eighth on the men's side before finishing second at the NCAA Midwest Regional and then 120th at the NCAA Championships. To be honest, we don't know enough to assign a meaningful grade here.
FINAL GRADE: B-
SOCCER
Mizzou went 7-10-1 on the season which included a 1-8-1 mark in SEC play. The Tigers did not qualify for the postseason. Tough to see a lot to like there.
FINAL GRADE: D
SWIMMING & DIVING
The Mizzou women finished 8th in the SEC while the men took fifth and did not lose a dual meet all season.
The Tigers had an SEC champion in Danny Kovac (men's 100 butterfly)
The women finished second in the 200 medley relay while Nick Alexander was second in the 200 individual medley and Micah Slaton was second in the 200 fly. Daniel Hein finished third in the 100 backstroke and freshman Leonardo Garcia Verela was fourth in platform diving.
Missouri did not get a chance to compete at the NCAA Championships, which were canceled.
FINAL GRADE: B+
TRACK & FIELD
The men finished seventh at the SEC Championships and the women tenth, but the sport did produce another conference champ for the Tigers. Martin Prodanov came from behind to win the title in the mile with a great finishing kick.
FINAL GRADE: C
WRESTLING
By most standards, the wrestlers had a good season, but by those Brian Smith has established, the Tigers were down this year. Mizzou finished 12-7 on the season, but did win its eighth consecutive MAC title. Brock Mauller won an individual conference championship and the Tigers had three runner-up finishes and three more third place finishes.
Missouri did not get a chance to compete at the NCAA Championships, which were canceled.
FINAL GRADE: B
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
Missouri started the season with NCAA Tournament hopes, but those were dashed relatively early. After a promising 4-1 start with the only loss to Xavier in overtime, Mizzou lost to Butler, Oklahoma and Charleston Southern in succession and it was an uphill climb the rest of the way.
The Braggin' Rights win over Illinois was a highlight, but injury and inconsistency plagued Cuonzo Martin's team as it started 1-4 in SEC play. The Tigers would finish the season 15-16 overall, 7-11 in the SEC and saw the season called off before having a chance to save things with a miraculous run in the SEC Tournament.
FINAL GRADE: D
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
At the start of the season, Robin Pingeton bristled at anyone who called this a rebuilding year, but that's exactly what it became.
The Tigers limped to a 3-10 record in non-conference play and finished 5-11 in the SEC. After a win and a loss in the conference tournament, Missouri ended the year 9-22, tying the mark for the fewest wins in program history.
There were some rays of light though. After losing an historic senior class, Hayley Frank and Aijha Blackwell both made the SEC all-freshman team. That pair will combine with a bevy of incoming transfers in attempting to make Mizzou's hiatus from the postseason a short-term issue.
FINAL GRADE: D
GYMNASTICS
Missouri finished the season ranked 20th in the country...but eighth in the SEC. The Tigers were 6-9 overall, but lost all six of their SEC matches in the country's toughest conference.
Mizzou beat No. 11 Minnesota and No. 19 Nebraska but saw the season cancelled prior to the regular season finale against Georgia and the postseason.
FINAL GRADE: B