On Episode 115 of the Athletor Podcast, we’re joined by Missouri assistant coach Kendrick Maple to talk about the state of college wrestling in the NIL and portal era. Maple opens up about the realities of re-recruiting your own athletes each year, why seeing Keegan O’Toole stay at Mizzou meant a lot to the team, and how the transfer landscape has become the wild west—with big money chasing unproven talent.
We also dive into how Mizzou develops athletes mentally and physically, the structure behind their success, and how character matters just as much as wins when it comes to recruiting. From NIL updates to roster cap challenges, weight management, and the future of coaching, Kendrick brings a grounded, thoughtful look at what it really takes to build a winning program today.
