The college wrestling transfer portal opened April 1. The first move involving Mizzou wrestling was Zeke Seltzer (141lbs) entering the portal April 10. That likely signaled that the Tigers had made contact with a proven talent to bring in from the portal.
Enter Zan Fugitt – the first transfer commitment for Brian Smith this offseason – and a Nixa, Mo. native. He spent three seasons at Wisconsin, earning All-American status in 2025 with a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Championships at 133lbs. His
time as a Badger was primarily spent at that weight class.
His fit with Mizzou’s roster will likely be different. Kade Moore and Gage Walker are two national qualifiers competing for the 133lbs spot next season, opening Fugitt’s opportunity to step into the vacancy at 141lbs.
The 141lbs class was the most tumultuous of the Tigers’ starting lineup last season. Seltzer received the majority of time at the position, but fizzled out once Big 12 play came around. The likes of Easton Hilton and Seth Mendoza also saw time at 141lbs. Mendoza is likely to start at 149 lbs, and Hilton will be a key backup next season.
Mizzou makes sense for Fugitt as the destination to further his career. He attended Nixa High School, where he was a three-time state champion. Fugitt was ranked the No. 6 recruit nationally coming out of high school at 132lbs. The Tigers couldn’t secure the initial commitment, but pounced on the opportunity when they needed him most.
After placing at nationals with an underdog road to success in 2025, he couldn’t replicate the performance in his redshirt sophomore season. Fugitt qualified for NCAAs in 2026, but finished the tournament 1-2 with an exit in the second round of consolations.
Simply put, Fugitt fills the most glaring offseason need. Not only does he have a proven track record at national qualification, but he’s also shown the ability to compete with the top wrestlers in the nation.
“How will he handle a jump to 141lbs?” is the main question that will need to be answered. Fugitt seems like the likely candidate for the position, but Moore or Walker could also make the jump. Either way, Fugitt’s commitment adds another postseason threat.
Mizzou’s current number of wrestlers on the roster is at the max of 30. The portal is still open until the end of the month, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility for more wrestlers to enter. It will be a big jump for Fugitt going from a team in the Big 10 that placed 37th as a team at nationals to a team in the Big 12 that finished 14th at nationals.
