COLUMBIA, Mo. - When Willie Miklus was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA earlier this spring, it was a blessing for the 197-pounder who finished the 2017-18 season as an All-American. He missed significant time because of injuries in 2014 and 2017, and received a rare sixth year to compete.
But in another part of his life, he received worse medical news that resulted in a decision to transfer to Iowa State, as first reported by iawrestle.com.
Miklus told KMIZ his father's ALS has worsened in the past year, and the Altoona, Iowa, native is leaving Columbia to be closer to home and his parents. Head coach Brian Smith accommodated Miklus' decision, he told KMIZ, and before his father's health worsened further, Smith worked to get a dual meet against the Cyclones in Ames for the 2018-19 season so Miklus could get home during the season.
Miklus went 79-25 at Missouri, and was an All-American at 184 pounds in 2015 and '16, wrestling down a weight class because of the dominance of J'den Cox. A knee injury kept him off the mats in 2016-17, and Miklus worked his way back up to 197 pounds and turned in a 25-6 record and an eighth-place finish at NCAAs this spring.