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) | American Pie, Coxzilla Coxy | ||
| 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 key forward. He started playing 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.
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Early Life and Sports Beginnings
Mason Cox was born in Highland Village, a suburb of Dallas, Texas. He is the youngest of three sons. His parents are Jeanette and Phil. Mason went to Edward S. Marcus High School. There, he was part of the school's soccer team. They won a state championship.
Cox studied engineering at Oklahoma State University. He finished his degree in 2014. While studying, he started playing basketball for fun. He joined the university's men's basketball team. He played 24 games over three seasons. One of his big moments was playing against future NBA star Joel Embiid.
How Mason Joined the AFL
In April 2014, Mason was invited to a special event. It was the US International Combine. This event helps find potential Australian rules footballers. Mason knew very little about the sport. But he did very well in the skills tests.
He then traveled to Australia for another combine. On May 30, 2014, the Collingwood Football Club signed him. Other AFL teams were also interested in him. Collingwood chose Cox as pick 60 in the 2015 AFL rookie draft. He joined the club as an international rookie player.
Playing in the VFL
Before playing in the AFL, Cox played for Collingwood's reserve team. This team plays in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He played there during the 2015 season. This helped him learn the game and improve his skills.
Cox became known for kicking goals accurately in the VFL. He also showed his skills in the 2016 NAB Challenge pre-season games. He kicked two goals against Geelong. Even with his strong performance, he started the main season in the VFL. After playing well in the first two VFL games of the 2016 VFL season, he was called up to the AFL.
Mason's AFL Career
Mason Cox made his AFL debut on April 25, 2016. This was in the yearly Anzac Day match against Essendon. Within the first 80 seconds, he took his first mark. He then scored the game's first goal with his very first kick in the AFL. Collingwood won that game by 69 points.
In September 2017, Cox signed a new three-year contract. This kept him at Collingwood until the end of 2020. He continued to play well in the 2018 season. He kicked a career-high five goals in the Queen's Birthday match. He was also given the Neale Daniher trophy as the best player on the field.
In the 2018 Preliminary Final against Richmond, he played an amazing game. He kicked three goals in a row. He also took many contested marks. People were very impressed with his performance. In the 2018 Grand Final, he kicked two goals. He also took many contested marks, but Collingwood lost that game. He also played a key role in their one-point win against West Coast in the 2020 AFL finals series.
Mason has had six eye surgeries during his career. He received special permission to wear prescription sunglasses while playing. This was after he suffered eye injuries in games.
In April 2023, Cox was interviewed on the TV show "60 Minutes" in the United States. He talked about how Collingwood fans would chant "USA USA" when he had the ball. In Round 9 of the 2023 season, he played a great game against the GWS Giants. Many people said it was one of his best performances.
Mason Cox became the second American-born AFL premiership player. He won the AFL premiership with Collingwood in 2023.
Honours and Achievements
Team Awards
- AFL Minor Premiership (Collingwood) 2023
- AFL Premiership (Collingwood) - 2023
Individual Awards
- Neale Daniher Trophy: 2018
Mason's Life Outside Football
Mason's older brothers 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 grow the sport in the US. He visits the US to support his brothers.
In 2019, Cox was in a relationship with England netball player Geva Mentor.
Mason wanted to become an Australian citizen. He committed to 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.
