Mason Parris
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1999-10-01) October 1, 1999
Lawrenceburg, Indiana, U.S.
Sport
Country United States
SportWrestling
Weight class285 lb (129 kg)
Event(s)Freestyle and Folkstyle
ClubCliff Keen Wrestling Club
Coached bySean Bormet
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing the  United States
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2023 Belgrade125 kg
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place2023 Santiago125 kg
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place2019 Tallinn125 kg
Collegiate Wrestling
Representing the Michigan Wolverines
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Gold medal – first place2023 Tulsa285 lb
Silver medal – second place2021 St. Louis285 lb
Big Ten Championships
Gold medal – first place2023 Ann Arbor285 lb
Silver medal – second place2020 Piscataway285 lb
Silver medal – second place2021 State College285 lb

Mason Parris (born October 1, 1999) is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 125 kilograms. In freestyle, he claimed the 2019 World Junior Wrestling Championships gold medal. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was the 2023 NCAA Division I national and Big Ten Conference champion at 285 pounds for the Michigan Wolverines, and the Dan Hodge Trophy winner.

High school career

Parris attended Lawrenceburg High School in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where he was a three-sport athlete, participating in wrestling, football, and track and field. In wrestling, he won three Indiana state titles at 220 pounds in 2016, 2017, and 2018. He set an Indiana state record with 11 career pins at the state tournament. He finished his career with an overall record of 206–1, including a 152–0 recorded over his final three seasons.[1] He also won the Junior Schalles Award for best high school pinner in 2018.[2][3]

In football, he was a three-time First Team All-State as a linebacker, and a three-time TriState Football Indiana Defensive Player of the Year.[3] He finished his career with 612 total tackles (302 solo), 17.0 sacks, 61.5 tackles for losses, 10 forced fumbles, five interceptions, and 16 fumble recoveries.[4]

College career

As a freshman at Michigan, Parris compiled a 32–9 record. He led the Wolverines with 32 wins and 13 falls.[3] As a sophomore, he compiled a 28–1 record. He led the team with 28 wins and 11 falls. At the Big Ten tournament, he finished as runner-up to Gable Steveson, losing 8–6.[5] He was then scheduled to compete at the NCAA championships as the second-seed, however, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] After the season ended, he was named a first team NCAA Division I All-American due to his performance through the season.[8][9]

As a junior he compiled a 12–2 record, after he missed half of the season due to a herniated disc in his neck that he suffered at the U.S. World Team Trials semi-finals in September 2021.[10] At the Big Ten tournament, he finished as runner-up to Steveson. During the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, he faced Steveson in a rematch of the Big Ten championships, and finished as runner-up, losing in the final 8–4.[11][12] Parris only lost three matches over the last two seasons, all to Steveson. After the season ended, he was again named an All-American.[13] In December 2021, he signed a NIL (Next In Line) deal with the WWE.[14]

As a senior he compiled a 19–6 record. He finished in fourth place at the Big Ten Championships and in fifth place at the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.[15][16] After the season ended, he was again named an All-American.[17]

As a fifth-year senior he compiled an undefeated 33–0 record, with 21 bonus wins, 11 pins, three technical falls and seven major decisions. He Earned 17 wins over nationally ranked opponents and posted a combined 10–0 record over the 2023 NCAA heavyweights All-Americans. At the Big Ten tournament, he won the heavyweight championship, defeating Greg Kerkvliet 5–3 in overtime of the final. He became the first Michigan wrestler to win a Big Ten heavyweight championship since Airron Richardson in 1998.[18][19] At the 2023 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships he posted a perfect 5–0 record at the NCAA Championships as the top-seed, and outscored his opponents 49–6. During the final he again defeated Kerkvliet, 5–1, to win the NCAA heavyweight championship.[20] He became the first Michigan heavyweight champion since Kirk Trost in 1986.[21] Following an outstanding season he was named an All-American and awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy, as the best collegiate wrestler.[22][23] He was also named the University of Michigan's Athlete of the Year.[24]

International career

During the 2019 World Junior Wrestling Championships, he posted a perfect 4–0 record and defeated his opponents 36–3. During the gold medal match, he pinned future Olympic medalist Amir Hossein Zare in the first-period.[25][26]

He represented the United States at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships where he won a bronze medal in the men's freestyle 125 kg.[27] He then represented the United States at the 2023 Pan American Games and won a gold medal in the men's 125 kg, defeating two-time Olympian and three-time Pan American Games medalist José Daniel Díaz.[28]

References

  1. ↑ Harrison, Alex (December 10, 2021). "Lawrenceburg, Michigan wrestler Mason Parris gets name, image and likeness deal with WWE". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Junior Schalles Award". win-magazine.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "Mason Parris". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  4. ↑ Shoemaker, Greg (February 20, 2018). "Parris named TSF Indiana DPOY again". tristatefootball.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Iowa wins the 2020 Big Ten wrestling tournament". NCAA.com. March 8, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  6. ↑ Miller, Zach (March 11, 2020). "NCAA wrestling tournament brackets 2020: Top seeds announced for each weight class". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  7. ↑ Goodwin, Cody (March 20, 2020). "NCAA cancels Division I, II, III wrestling championships amid COVID-19 pandemic". Des Moines Register. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  8. ↑ Naasz, Nate (April 17, 2020). "NWCA Division I Coaches Group announces 2020 All-America Teams". teamusa.org. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  9. ↑ "2020 NWCA Division I First Team All-Americans" (PDF). nwcaonline.com. April 17, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ Howard, Leah (March 30, 2023). "Conqu'ring Heroes: Parris Overcomes Injury to Achieve Perfection". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ Blount, Rachel (March 21, 2021). "Gophers' heavyweight Gable Steveson dominates his way to NCAA title". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kulfan, Ted (March 21, 2021). "Mason Parris leads Michigan to fifth-place finish at NCAA Wrestling Championships". The Detroit News. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  13. ↑ Kratch, James (March 20, 2021). "NCAA Wrestling Championships 2021 results: All-Americans, top-8 finishers". NJ.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  14. ↑ Thayer, Traivs (December 8, 2021). "Mason Parris Joins Inaugural WWE "Next In Line" Program". eaglecountryonline.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  15. ↑ "6 seniors poised for their 1st NCAA wrestling titles in their final year of eligibility". NCAA.com. October 18, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  16. ↑ Goodwin, Cody (March 7, 2022). "Lawrenceburg's Mason Parris takes fourth at 285, helps Michigan to Big Ten wrestling title". Des Moines Register. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  17. ↑ Evans, Bill (March 19, 2022). "2022 NCAA Wrestling All-Americans: Meet the national finalists, placewinners, top-8". NJ.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  18. ↑ Thayer, Travis (March 6, 2023). "Mason Parris Wins Big Ten Championship". eaglecountryonline.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  19. ↑ Smith, Megan (March 6, 2023). "Mason Parris takes home heavyweight title, Michigan places fifth at Big Ten Tournament". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  20. ↑ Howard, Leah (March 18, 2023). "Parris Caps Perfect Season, Wins Heavyweight National Title". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  21. ↑ Harrison, Alex (March 18, 2023). "Lawrenceburg's Mason Parris wins NCAA wrestling national championship". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  22. ↑ Harrison, Alex (March 27, 2023). "Lawrenceburg native Mason Parris named nation's best collegiate wrestler". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  23. ↑ Howard, Leah (March 27, 2023). "Parris Wins Prestigious Dan Hodge Trophy". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  24. ↑ VanMetre, Sarah (July 3, 2023). "Brooks, Parris Named U-M Athletes of the Year". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  25. ↑ VanMetre, Sarah (August 14, 2019). "Parris Takes Home Junior World Championships Gold with Finals Pin". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  26. ↑ Kornacki, Steve (January 10, 2020). "Mason Parris, Fresh Off a Gold Medal Summer, Remains Undefeated for Wolverines". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  27. ↑ Howard, Leah (September 6, 2023). "Parris to Represent USA at 2023 Senior World Championships". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  28. ↑ Immel, Richard (November 1, 2023). "Snyder collects third Pan American Games gold; Parris, Richard, Berger also nab titles for U.S. men's freestyle". thamat.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
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