Mason Cox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mason Cox |
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Cox playing for Collingwood in August 2018
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Mason Cox | ||
| Nickname(s) | Coxy, Coxzilla, American Pie | ||
| Date of birth | March 14, 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Highland Village, Texas, U.S. | ||
| Original team | Oklahoma State University (Big 12) | ||
| Draft | No. 60 pick, 2015 rookie draft | ||
| Position(s) | Ruckman | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Collingwood | ||
| Number | 46 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Mason Cox (born March 14, 1991) is an American-Australian professional Australian rules football player. He plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Mason plays as a ruckman and a key forward. He first tried Australian rules football in April 2014. Two years later, in April 2016, he made his AFL debut. Before this, Cox played basketball for Oklahoma State University. He is 211 cm (6 ft 11 in) tall. This makes him the tallest player ever measured at an AFL Draft Combine.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball
Growing Up in Texas
Mason Cox was born in Highland Village, Texas, in the United States. This town is a suburb of Dallas, Texas. He is the youngest of three sons. Mason went to Edward S. Marcus High School. He was part of the school's soccer team that won a state championship.
From Hobby to College Basketball
Cox studied engineering at Oklahoma State University. He graduated in 2014. While at university, he started playing basketball for fun. He joined the women's basketball team's "scout team" first. He helped them practice by pretending to be a famous player named Brittney Griner.
Later, the men's basketball coach noticed him. Mason was asked to join the university's men's basketball team. He played 24 games over three seasons. He scored seven points in total. A cool moment for him was when he defended future NBA star Joel Embiid.
Joining the AFL
Discovering a New Sport
In April 2014, Mason Cox was invited to a special event. It was the US International Combine in Los Angeles. This event looks for athletes who might be good at Australian rules football. Mason knew very little about the sport at the time.
He did very well in the skills tests. Because of this, he traveled to Australia for another combine. On May 30, 2014, the Collingwood Football Club signed him. Other AFL teams were also interested in him.
Starting with Collingwood
Collingwood chose Mason Cox with pick 60 in the 2015 AFL rookie draft. He joined the club as an international rookie player. This meant he was a new player from another country.
Playing in the VFL
Learning the Game
In 2015, Mason played for Collingwood's reserves team. This team plays in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He spent this time learning the game and improving his skills.
Mason became known for being good at kicking goals in the VFL. He also showed his talent in the 2016 pre-season games. He kicked two goals against Geelong. He also showed he could take strong marks (catching the ball). Even though he played well, he started the main season in the VFL.
Moving to the AFL
Mason played very well in the first two games of the 2016 VFL season. He had a great game against Port Melbourne. Because of his strong performances, he was finally called up to play in the AFL.
Mason Cox's AFL Career
Debut and Early Success
Mason Cox made his AFL debut on April 25, 2016. This was during the special Anzac Day match against Essendon. Within the first 80 seconds of the game, he took his first mark (catch). Then, he scored the game's first goal with his very first kick in the AFL! Collingwood won that game by a lot of points.
On September 11, 2017, Mason signed a new contract. He decided to stay with Collingwood until the end of 2020. He kept playing well in the 2018 season. He kicked a career-high five goals in the Queen's Birthday match. This big game is played at the MCG. For his great effort, he won the Neale Daniher trophy as the best player on the field.
Big Moments in Finals
In the 2018 Preliminary Final against Richmond, Mason had an amazing game. He kicked three goals in a row and took many strong marks. Commentators were very impressed by his performance.
In the 2018 Grand Final, he kicked two goals and took many marks. Collingwood lost that game, but Mason played a strong part. He also played a key role in Collingwood's close win against West Coast in the 2020 AFL finals series.
Overcoming Eye Injuries
Mason Cox has faced challenges with his eyes. He got a torn retina in one eye during a game in 2019. This happened from an accidental poke. He also had a detached retina in his other eye from a game in 2018. A retina is a part of your eye that helps you see.
Because of these injuries, Mason has had six eye surgeries. After the 2019 injury, he had to spend two weeks mostly in bed in a dark room. He said it was a very difficult time for him. The AFL gave him special permission to wear prescription sunglasses during games. This helps protect his eyes.
Recent Achievements
In April 2023, Mason Cox was featured in an interview on the TV show 60 Minutes in the United States. He talked about how Collingwood fans would cheer "USA USA" when he had the ball.
In Round 9 of the 2023 season, Mason had a fantastic game against the GWS Giants. Many people said it was one of his best performances ever. He kicked two goals in that game.
Mason Cox became the second American-born AFL premiership player. He helped Collingwood win the AFL Grand Final in 2023.
Statistics
This table shows Mason Cox's playing statistics up to the end of the 2024 season. It includes how many games he played, goals he kicked, and other important numbers.
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles | H/O | Hit-outs |
| 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 | 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 |
| 2024 | Collingwood | 46 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 69 | 51 | 120 | 46 | 30 | 237 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 7.5 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 14.8 | 0 |
| Career | 129 | 123 | 71 | 683 | 396 | 1079 | 472 | 201 | 1379 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 5.3 | 3.1 | 8.4 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 10.7 | 8 | ||
Honours and Achievements
Team Awards
- AFL Minor Premiership (Collingwood) 2023
- AFL Premiership (Collingwood) - 2023
Individual Awards
- Neale Daniher Trophy: 2018
Personal Life
Mason Cox's older brothers, Nolan and Austin, also play Australian rules football. Nolan plays for the USAFL National Championships team Austin Crows. He has also played for the USA Revolution national team. Austin plays for the Seattle Grizzlies. Mason is very interested in helping Australian rules football grow in the US. He visits the US to support his brothers.
In 2019, Mason was in a relationship with Geva Mentor, an international netball player from England.
Mason wanted to live in Australia permanently. He signed a long contract with Collingwood. In March 2020, he was accepted to become an Australian citizen. He officially became a citizen of Australia on June 22, 2022. This happened at a special ceremony at the MCG.
