March 11, 2026
Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu
Photos by Mizzou Athletics
Three student‑athletes are proving that the University of Missouri and Mizzou Athletics develop champions on the wrestling mat and in the classroom.
Aeoden Sinclair, Logan Cole and Jarrett Stoner are pursuing rigorous academic paths while competing on one of the nation’s premier wrestling teams. They credit Tiger Style for helping them thrive.
Tiger Style is the wrestling program’s philosophy built around competition, character and doing things the right way — and it extends far beyond the wrestling room. For these student‑athletes, it shapes how they tackle difficult coursework, organize their weeks and build habits that lead to success.
Competing in every arena
Sinclair, a native of Edgerton, Wisconsin, channels his competitive drive into everything he does.
He’s on track to complete a five-year accountancy program in just four years. After graduating from Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business in spring 2027, he plans to take the LSAT and pursue law school.
Inspired by his grandfather, a former Michigan prosecutor, Sinclair hopes to one day run his own business and serve his community as an attorney who advocates for those who lack resources or support.
Ultimately, Sinclair measures himself by how he responds to challenges — leading by example, learning from setbacks and carrying himself with strong moral character. That mindset shows up in the way he studies.
“If I’m struggling with something in class, I treat it the same way I would a weakness in wrestling,” he said. “If I’m not performing well, I go spend more time with a coach. So, if I don’t understand something like cost-volume-profit analysis, I see my professor during office hours until I get it.”
Putting purpose behind the work
Cole’s academic success at Mizzou stems from a personal expectation to aim high — a mindset that supports the ambitious goals he’s set for himself.
He’s on track to graduate from the College of Health Sciences and College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources in 2028 with three majors: health sciences, nutrition and exercise physiology, and fitness programming. The Laurel, Montana, native then plans to attend medical school and specialize in orthopedic surgery.
Cole’s interest in orthopedics goes back to his childhood, when his club wrestling coach, Steve Kleps — an orthopedic surgeon — became a trusted mentor. When Cole tore his meniscus as a high school freshman, two surgeries and a long recovery showed him firsthand how physicians support athletes, solidifying his desire to go into medicine.
Today, Cole interns with team physician Bus Tarbox at the Columbia Orthopaedic Group, where he observes Tarbox’s work as an orthopedic surgeon. The experience allows Cole to connect what he’s learning in anatomy and physiology to real-world patient care.
“I didn’t realize it then,” Cole said, “but those long conversations that started with Coach Kleps planted the idea that helping people heal could be just as rewarding as competing.”
Protecting the energy that matters
During the season, Stoner — a Rockwall, Texas, native — follows what he calls the “48-hour rule,” a mindset that helps him manage his academic workload with the same intensity and focus that he brings to his wrestling competitions.
The approach traces back to a turning point early in his wrestling career, when taking an exam on the same day as a match left him mentally drained — a moment that made him rethink how he planned his week.
“I learned pretty quickly that my focus is finite, and I have to protect it,” Stoner said. “Handling academics early in the week gives me the space I need to be fully prepared by the time we compete.”
The relentless discipline that Stoner applies to both his athletic and intellectual pursuits will allow him to graduate this spring after just three years at Mizzou’s College of Health Sciences. Completing the college’s preprofessional track will give him the prerequisites he needs to enter medical school.
Inspired by his mother, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, and Tarbox, Stoner plans to enter medical school in 2029. But before he gets there, he also plans to earn an MBA from the Trulaske College of Business.
Guided by Tiger Style and driven by academic ambitions, Sinclair, Cole and Stoner show what it means to be a champion at Mizzou — not just in competition, but in the future they’re each building beyond the mat.
