Former Mizzou wrestling star retires from competition
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
One of the most legendary wrestlers to come through Mizzou announced that he is stepping away from competition, 19 years after first stepping onto the mat.
On Monday, Keegan O'Toole said that he is retiring from competition, after a memorable run in Columbia and beyond. The Wisconsin native released a statement on social media, adding that he will stay on staff as an assistant coach under head coach Brian Smith.
"Nineteen years ago, I stepped onto the mat for the first time. I had no idea it would shape the entire court of my life. Today, that chapter as a competitor comes to a close," he said. "Wrestling doesn't let you fake it. It's just you, the guy across from you, and whether you're willing to keep going when your mind is telling you to stop. That sport built me - every practice room, every early morning, every match I lost before I learned how to win."
"Mizzou gave me a home for a piece of that journey, and competing in the black and gold is something I'll carry for the rest of my life," O'Toole continued. "To the fans who filled the Hearnes Center and made noise for guys like me - thank you. I'm not going far. I'll be right there in the room, coaching the next class of Tigers chasing it themselves. And to everyone else along the way - coaches who believed in my before I believed in myself, teammates who pushed me past what I thought I had, and every opponent who forced me to become better. You all had a hand in this. Closing this chapter isn't losing something, it's just making room for what's next."
The announcement comes after O'Toole spent his first year post-college as an assistant on Coach Smith's staff, following his legendary Tiger career.
He ended his five seasons as a wrestler in the black and gold as the program's first five-time All-American and just the third two-time NCAA Champion. In addition to his individual titles in both 2022 and 2023, he also captured four conference championships (one in the Mid-American Conference and three in the Big 12).
O'Toole posted 108 wins in Columbia, putting him at No. 19 on the all-time wins list in Mizzou history. He tallied 20 or more wins in four out of his five seasons, as his .955 career winning percentage is second in program history, passing up his longtime mentor and Tiger great Ben Askren.
However, he wasn't just a threat in Columbia, he showed off on the international scene, as well. O'Toole won two age-level world titles for the United States: the 2021 U20 Freestyle in Russia and the 2023 U23 Freestyle in Albania.
O'Toole had competed since graduating college, participating in the 2026 U.S. Open in April and the Real American Freestyle in Wisconsin in July, winning his match in his home state.
