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Mason Cox

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Mason Cox
Cox playing for Collingwood in August 2018
Personal information
Full name Mason Cox
Nickname(s) American Pie,[1]Coxzilla[2]Coxy
Date of birth (1991-03-14)March 14, 1991(age 33)
Place of birth Highland Village, Texas,U.S.
Original team(s) Oklahoma State University(Big 12)
Draft No. 60 pick,2015 rookie draft
Height 211 cm (6 ft 11 in)[3]
Weight 110 kg (243 lb)
Position(s) Ruckman
Club information
Current club Collingwood
Number 46
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2015– Collingwood 124 (120)
1Playing statistics correct to the end of round 11, 2024.
Career highlights
Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com

Mason Cox(born March 14, 1991) is an American-Australian professionalAustralian rules footballerwho plays for theCollingwood Football Clubin theAustralian Football League(AFL). Playing as aruckmanandkey forward,he first played Australian rules football in April 2014 before making his AFL debut two years later in April 2016. Cox had previously played basketball forOklahoma State Universityin theBig 12 Conferenceand, standing at 211 cm (6 ft 11 in),[4]is the tallest player to ever be measured at anAFL Draft Combine.[5]

Early life

[edit]

Cox was born inHighland Village,a suburb ofDallas,Texas,[6]to parents Jeanette and Phil, the youngest of their three sons.[7]Cox was a student atEdward S. Marcus High SchoolinFlower Mound, Texas,and was part of the school's state championship-winning soccer team.[8]One of his schoolmates and teammates in college was futureBoston CelticsplayerMarcus Smart.[9]

Cox studiedengineeringatOklahoma State University,graduating in 2014.[10]While studying, he started playingbasketballas a hobby.[11]He initially joined theOklahoma State Cowgirls' "scout team" to simulateBrittney Griner,formerBaylor University basketballplayer.[12]After being noticed by former head coachTravis Ford,he was asked to jointhe university's men's basketball teamas awalk-on.[9]He played a total of 57 minutes for the Cowboys, scoring seven points. One of his highlights while playingNCAA Division Ibasketball was shutting down futureNational Basketball AssociationMVPJoel Embiidwhile defending him.[11]

Recruitment and move to Australia

[edit]

Cox was invited to attend the 2014US International Combinefor potential Australian rules footballers, in Los Angeles in April 2014 despite knowing very little at all about the sport.[13]After impressive performances in the skills testing,[14]he travelled to Australia for a second combine and on May 30, 2014, was signed by theCollingwood Football Club.[15][16]AFL teamsPort Adelaide,North Melbourne,[17]Richmond,andFremantlewere also reported as having shown interest in recruiting Cox.[10]

Collingwood selected Cox at pick 60 in the 2015 AFL rookie draft and he joined the club's list as an international rookie.[13]

VFL Career

[edit]

Cox played for the Collingwoodreservesteam in theVictorian Football League(VFL) throughout the2015 seasonwhile learning the game and improving his skills.[18]

Cox became known for his goal-kicking accuracy in the VFL, being ranked equal 10th.[19]Cox shone in the2016 NAB Challengepre-season series showing his ability to compete at that level kicking 2 goals against Geelong, his ability to take contested marks and average a goal a game across both the VFL and AFL drew notice.[19]Despite his strong showing at AFL level in the NAB Challenge, he was not elevated at the start of the season and returned to VFL level for the premiership season.

Cox played well in the opening two games of the2016 VFL season[18]including a dominant performance up forward against Port Melbourne and as such earned a long-awaited call up to the AFL.[19]

AFL career

[edit]

Cox made his AFL debut on April 25, 2016, in the annualAnzac Day matchagainstEssendon.[20]Within the first 80 seconds of the match, he took his firstmarkand scored the game's firstgoalwith hisfirst kick in the AFL.[21]Collingwood went on to win the match by 69 points.[22]

On September 11, 2017, despite interest from other clubs, Cox signed a three-year contract extension, keeping him at Collingwood until the end of 2020.[23]Cox continued his good form in the2018 season,kicking a career-high 5 goals in theQueen's Birthday matchat theMCGand was awarded the Neale Daniher trophy asbest on ground.[24][25]

In the2018 Preliminary FinalagainstRichmond,he played a man-of-the-match performance, kicking three goals consecutively and taking many contested marks; Bruce McAvaney remarked "what has Collingwood unleashed" when talking about Mason's performance.[26]

In the2018 Grand Final,he kicked 2 goals during the 3rd quarter and took many contested marks while playing in Collingwood's loss.[27]He also dominated in Collingwood's 1 point elimination final win against West Coast in the2020 AFL finals series.[28]

Cox received special dispensation from the AFL to wear prescription sunglasses in competition. Cox suffered a tornretinain one eye due to an accidental eye poke in a 2019 game againstGold Coast Sunsand a detached retina in the other eye after an on-field altercation in the 2018 Grand Final. He has had six eye surgeries in his career. After the 2019 injury, Cox said he had to spend two weeks in bed in a darkened room for 45 minutes of each hour, calling it "probably the darkest moment of my life."[29]

Cox appeared in a60 Minutesinterview in the United States in April 2023.[30]In the interview, Cox explained how sections of the Collingwood crowd would chant "USA USA" whenever he had possession of the ball.[30]

Against the GWS Giants in Round 9, 2023, his performance won praise declared by some as a career-best kicking 2 goals including a set shot from outside the 50.[31]

Cox became thesecond American-born AFLpremiership player, afterDon Pykein 1992 and 1994.

Statistics

[edit]

Updated to the end of the 2023 season.[32]

Legend
G
 Goals
K
 Kicks
D
 Disposals
T
 Tackles
B
 Behinds
H
 Handballs
M
 Marks
H/O
 Hit-outs
#
 Played in that season's
premiership team
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T H/O G B K H D M T H/O
2015 Collingwood 46 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2016 Collingwood 46 11 17 7 50 32 82 30 24 79 1.6 0.6 4.6 2.9 7.5 2.7 2.2 7.2 1
2017 Collingwood 46 9 10 5 38 32 70 29 23 145 1.1 0.6 4.2 3.6 7.8 3.2 2.6 16.1 0
2018 Collingwood 46 24 25 12 148 89 237 119 38 164 1.0 0.5 6.2 3.7 9.9 5.0 1.6 6.8 3
2019 Collingwood 46 14 19 10 78 49 127 60 11 56 1.4 0.7 5.6 3.5 9.1 4.3 0.8 4.0 0
2020[a] Collingwood 46 11 14 2 38 31 69 35 6 34 1.3 0.2 3.5 2.8 6.3 3.2 0.5 3.0 0
2021 Collingwood 46 7 8 8 41 25 66 26 7 23 1.1 1.1 5.9 3.6 9.4 3.7 1.0 3.3 0
2022 Collingwood 46 18 7 8 112 40 152 58 36 317 0.4 0.4 6.2 2.2 8.4 3.2 2.0 17.6 1
2023# Collingwood 46 19 17 13 109 47 155 69 26 324 0.9 0.7 5.7 2.5 8.2 3.6 1.4 17.1 3
Career 113 117 65 614 345 959 426 171 1142 1.0 0.6 5.4 3.1 8.5 3.8 1.5 10.1 8

Notes

  1. ^The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to theimpact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and achievements

[edit]

Team

Individual

Personal life

[edit]

Cox's older brothers also now play Australian rules. Nolan played for theUSAFL National ChampionshipsteamAustin Crowsand has also represented theUSA Revolutionnational team.[33]Austin plays for USAFL club theSeattle Grizzlies.Mason has expressed a keen interest in promoting the game at the grassroots level in the US, visiting the US to support his brothers at the USAFL National Championships.[34]

In 2019, Cox was in a relationship withEnglandnetball internationalGeva Mentor.[35][36]

Cox was seekingpermanent residentstatus on a path towards Australian citizenship to fulfill his desire to live the rest of his life in Australia, committing to a multi-year contract at Collingwood.[37]At the end of March 2020, he was accepted to become an Australian citizen.[38]Cox became a citizen ofAustraliaon June 22, 2022, at a special citizenship ceremony at the MCG along with over one hundred conferees.[39]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Walsh, Courtney (April 26, 2016)."Collingwood lean on their American Pie Mason Cox in Anzac Day thrashing".The Australian.Archivedfrom the original on December 15, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2016.
  2. ^McGowan, Marc (April 13, 2020)."'I was so s**thouse': An American story with seven 'Coxzilla' twists ".Australian Football League.Telstra Media.Archivedfrom the original on April 13, 2020.RetrievedJune 11,2020.
  3. ^"official Bio".Archivedfrom the original on March 21, 2021.RetrievedMarch 12,2021.
  4. ^"Mason Cox | AFL".collingwoodfc.com.au.Archivedfrom the original on March 21, 2021.RetrievedMarch 30,2021.
  5. ^"afl.com.au".Archivedfrom the original on October 11, 2018.RetrievedApril 25,2016.
  6. ^"Mason Cox bio, stats".espn.go.com.ESPN Inc.Archivedfrom the original on April 29, 2016.RetrievedApril 30,2016.
  7. ^"American Mason Cox kicks goal with first touch in AFL".Seven Sport.April 25, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2016.RetrievedApril 30,2016.
  8. ^Magelssen, Tommy (April 26, 2016)."Former Flower Mound Marcus soccer standout, Oklahoma State basketball player Mason Cox makes debut for 'Dallas Cowboys' of Australian rules football".The Dallas Morning News.Archivedfrom the original on April 28, 2016.RetrievedMay 1,2016.
  9. ^abHines, Kelly (April 27, 2016)."Former OSU basketball player Mason Cox scores opening goal in Australian Football League debut".Tulsa World.Archivedfrom the original on February 2, 2019.RetrievedMay 1,2016.
  10. ^abQuayle, Emma (May 21, 2014)."Could Mason Cox be the next really big thing?".The Age.Fairfax Media.Archivedfrom the original on May 30, 2016.RetrievedApril 25,2016.
  11. ^abHines, Kelly (April 28, 2014)."Does OSU's Mason Cox have a future in Australian Rules Football?".Tulsa World.Archivedfrom the original on December 8, 2018.RetrievedMay 1,2016.
  12. ^Hines, Kelly (February 15, 2014)."OSU walk-on Mason Cox in spotlight after big game against Texas".Tulsa World.Archivedfrom the original on April 21, 2022.RetrievedMay 4,2016.
  13. ^abDon't ignore US talent, says American PieBy Ben Guthrie. 6 May 2018
  14. ^Twomey, Callum (April 28, 2014)."Taller than Sandi: Basketballer shines at US combine".Archivedfrom the original on October 11, 2018.RetrievedApril 25,2016.
  15. ^Higgins, Ben (May 30, 2014)."Collingwood snares 211cm US prodigy Mason Cox as an international rookie".Herald Sun.Archivedfrom the original on June 19, 2014.RetrievedApril 25,2016.
  16. ^Chiarelli, Simon (May 30, 2014)."Magpies sign 211cm US athlete".collingwoodfc.com.au.BigPond.Archivedfrom the original on October 9, 2014.RetrievedApril 25,2016.
  17. ^Mason Cox’s tall orderBy Heath O'Loughlin for North Melbourne Football Club 22 May 2014
  18. ^ab"Mason Cox".Inside Football. Archived fromthe originalon April 25, 2016.
  19. ^abcWhy Collingwood should unleash Mason Cox, Sydney’s big testby Ben Waterworth from Fox Sports 14 April 2016
  20. ^Magpie Mason Cox's debut an American dreamBy Ashley Browne for afl.com.au 25 April 2016
  21. ^Baldwin, Adam (April 25, 2016)."Collingwood's American import Mason Cox boots first goal with first kick on ANZAC Day".Fox Sports.
  22. ^King, Travis (April 25, 2016)."Ruthless Pies smash Bombers in Anzac Day fizzer".AFL.com.au.BigPond.Archived fromthe originalon April 5, 2016.
  23. ^Laughton, Max (September 11, 2017)."American ruck/forward Mason Cox signs new three-year deal at Collingwood, rebuffing interest from other clubs".Fox Sports.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 11,2017.
  24. ^"'It is a remarkable story': American recruit Mason Cox shows why Collingwood has invested so much ".Fox Sports Australia.June 12, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on June 12, 2018.RetrievedJune 12,2018.
  25. ^After missing out on a trophy on Monday Collingwood‘s Mason Cox did get recognition for his best game of 2022by NCA NEWSWIRE June 14, 2022
  26. ^Mason Cox’s incredible three-goal quarter puts Collingwood in the box seat against Richmondby Tom Morris from Fox Sports September 21, 2018
  27. ^A Former Oklahoma State Basketball Backup Has Emerged As Australian Rules Football’s Randy Moss, Mason Cox is an Aussie national treasure—and an American sporting iconBy Rodger Sherman for The Ringer September 28, 2018
  28. ^Mihocek, Cox star as Magpies stun Eaglesfrom ESPN October 3, 2020
  29. ^Sullivan, Matthew (June 9, 2022)."Collingwood's Mason Cox slams 'disgusting' commentary, opens up on 'lowest moment of my life'".Fox Sports.
  30. ^abTexas man becomes unlikely Australian rules football star, mastering world's "roughest sport"by JON WERTHEIM 30 APRIL 2023
  31. ^Collingwood beat GWS by 65 points as Mason Cox starsfrom ABC News May 14, 2023
  32. ^"Mason Cox".AFL Tables.RetrievedOctober 1,2023.
  33. ^"Revolution narrow IC17 squad and look to Europe".Archivedfrom the original on November 17, 2021.RetrievedNovember 17,2021.
  34. ^Mason Cox and brother Nolan help Austin Crows win back-to-back flags at USAFL nationalsArchivedNovember 14, 2021, at theWayback Machinethewest.com.au 26 October 2019
  35. ^"Where Mentor goes, success follows".www.theage.com.au. May 16, 2019.RetrievedAugust 6,2023.
  36. ^"Geva's no longer a mentor for Mason".The Advertiser.October 22, 2019.RetrievedAugust 6,2023– viaPressReader.
  37. ^Ralph, Jon (November 7, 2017)."Mason Cox wants to become Australian citizen - and cement place in Collingwood line-up".Herald Sun.Archivedfrom the original on November 9, 2017.RetrievedNovember 8,2017.
  38. ^Cox, Mason [@masonsixtencox](March 30, 2020)."Well I have been accepted to become a citizen. Only need to be sworn in. Is it possible to do that from the comfort of my living room? Also what is the best fact about Australia I should know before becoming one of y'all"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  39. ^"Collingwood celebrates new Australian Citizens".collingwoodfc.com.au.RetrievedJuly 27,2022.
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