Championship Productions Blog

Askren Promoted to Assistant Wrestling Coach at Arizona State

Ben Askren, a 2008 Olympian and two-time NCAA champion, has been added to the Arizona State University wrestling coaching staff.  Askren, who joins former Sun Devil All-American Brian Stith as the program’s two assistants, takes on the position after serving as the Sun Devils’ Director of Operations last year.

Askren was one of the elite collegiate competitors in the nation during his time at Missouri (2003-07) where his exciting style of wrestling led him to the finals of the 174-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships four times. A three-time Big 12 champion, Askren won the national title in each of his last two seasons by winning 87 matches in a row and pinning numerous foes. For his dominance, he was named the Dan Hodge Winner twice while also collecting the Schalles Award (Best Pinner) twice.

Askren, who competed with a very unique style which many called ‘funk’, built a career record of 153-7 in Columbia with 93 wins by fall (fourth-best in NCAA history) while also posting a national record of 18-consecutive wins by fall in the first period. A four-time NWCA All-Academic and four-time Academic All-Big XII honoree, Askren spent the past two years as a volunteer assistant coach with the Tigers while training for and competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the member of Team USA went 1-1 in the 74kg freestyle competition.