LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Hofstra junior wrestler Alton Lucas, who captured the 174-pound title at the Southern Scuffle and split a pair of matches against ranked opponents this past Sunday, has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week for all competition from December 18 through January 7.
Lucas, a West Babylon, NY native, won his first 11 matches of the season including five at the Southern Scuffle to win the 174-pound weight class. On his way to the title, he posted victories over the sixth, seventh and eighth ranked wrestlers in the country. This past Sunday, Lucas suffered his first loss of the season, dropping a 3-1 decision in sudden victory to third-ranked Brandon Sinnott from Central Michigan. He bounced back with a 5-3 victory over #12 Phil Moricone from Edinboro.
Lucas, who is now 12-1 on the season, is ranked third in the W.I.N. Poll and sixth in the Intermat Poll. He shares the CAA Wrestler of the Week Boston University's Mike Roberts, who captured the 149-pound title and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Southern Scuffle.
Big 10 Wrestler of the Week
David Erwin, Penn State
So., 174, Urbana, Ohio / St. Paris Graham
Erwin scored six points in the final 10 seconds of the second period to earn an upset victory over No. 8 Steve Anceravage of Cornell by decision, 6-4. Erwin's win at 174 helped lead the then No. 4 Nittany Lions to a dual win over the then No. 17 Big Red, 35-10. Erwin is now 17-2 on the season and leads Penn State in individual victories. The Urbana, Ohio native is 2-1 this season against ranked opponents as the Nittany Lions are a perfect 5-0 so far this year. Penn State is now ranked No. 1 nationally in this week's USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll. This is Erwin's first career weekly honor.
Northern Iowa's Fay honored by WWC
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - University of Northern Iowa 165-pounder Moza Fay has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials. This week's honor took into account wrestling action from Dec. 15 through Jan. 6.
Fay compiled a mark of 5-1 from Dec. 15 through Jan. 6, which included three falls and a win over previously undefeated Jon Reader (Iowa State). Fay started his Christmas work with a 9-6 win over Iowa State's Reader in the Panthers' dual with the Cyclones. Fay then added a trio of wins at the Midlands tournament before capping the holiday season with a fall over Chattanooga's Nick Davis in UNI's 21-16 victory over the 10th-ranked team in the country.
Fay picked up falls over Northern Illinois' Scott Wallace (3:23) and Harvard's Matt Button (3:05) at Midlands. Fay is now 13-3 on the season with a team-leading five falls.
The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State and Wyoming.
Others nominated:
Air Force - Jordan Tribble
North Dakota State - Eric Hoffman
Northern Colorado - Reece Hopkin
Utah Valley State - Ben Kjar
Wyoming - Eric Coxbill
Central Michigan's Gritter honored by MAC
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University senior heavyweight Bubba Gritter (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS) has been selected Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week.
Gritter earned the award for his efforts in the Chippewas' wins over then No. 16 Hofstra and then No. 13 Edinboro on Sunday. Gritter capped both of CMU's victories with pins. He pinned Tom Daddino at 6:21 to seal CMU's 22-14 win over Hofstra, then closed the Chippewas' 28-11 victory over Edinboro with a fall against Joe Fendone at 4:00.
Gritter improved to 14-2 overall on the season while helping CMU extend its winning streak to a school-record 17 duals. Five of Gritter's 14 victories this season have come via fall.
Gritter earns the conference's weekly honor for the second time in his career and first time this season. He is the fourth different Chippewa to win the award this season, joining Luke Smith (Nov. 29), Brandon Sinnott (Dec. 27) and Christian Sinnott (Jan. 2).
CMU moved up to fifth in this week's InterMat/NWCA top 25, garnering one of 12 first-place votes. The Chippewas (7-0) face 11th-ranked Ohio State in the first round of National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Saturday.
North Carolina's Mueller honored by ACC
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Keegan Mueller, a 165-pound junior for the North Carolina Tar Heels, has been chosen as the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week, after recording a perfect record at the Lone Star Duals in Grand Prairie, Texas, over the weekend. Mueller, who is ranked 18th in the nation in his weight class, was 3-0 at the event, including a win over the nation's No. 12 wrestler.
In his first match, Mueller recorded an easy 7-1 decision over Chris Musser of Brown, as the Tar Heels prevailed 28-3 in the team match-up. Then against Harvard's Chris Carpenter, the Dallas, Texas, native dominated, pinning his opponent just 1:14 into the match and boosting UNC to a 35-3 team win. To close the day, Mueller defeated 12th-ranked Max Dean of Oklahoma in a 6-4 decision, emerging victorious in one of his biggest matches of the season.
Mueller has now won nine straight bouts and 13 of his last 14 overall to improve to 15-3 for the season. He and the Tar Heels will face their first conference opponent of the season this Sunday, Jan. 13, when they host No. 22 Maryland and Belmont Abbey in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Lucas, a West Babylon, NY native, won his first 11 matches of the season including five at the Southern Scuffle to win the 174-pound weight class. On his way to the title, he posted victories over the sixth, seventh and eighth ranked wrestlers in the country. This past Sunday, Lucas suffered his first loss of the season, dropping a 3-1 decision in sudden victory to third-ranked Brandon Sinnott from Central Michigan. He bounced back with a 5-3 victory over #12 Phil Moricone from Edinboro.
Lucas, who is now 12-1 on the season, is ranked third in the W.I.N. Poll and sixth in the Intermat Poll. He shares the CAA Wrestler of the Week Boston University's Mike Roberts, who captured the 149-pound title and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Southern Scuffle.
Big 10 Wrestler of the Week
David Erwin, Penn State
So., 174, Urbana, Ohio / St. Paris Graham
Erwin scored six points in the final 10 seconds of the second period to earn an upset victory over No. 8 Steve Anceravage of Cornell by decision, 6-4. Erwin's win at 174 helped lead the then No. 4 Nittany Lions to a dual win over the then No. 17 Big Red, 35-10. Erwin is now 17-2 on the season and leads Penn State in individual victories. The Urbana, Ohio native is 2-1 this season against ranked opponents as the Nittany Lions are a perfect 5-0 so far this year. Penn State is now ranked No. 1 nationally in this week's USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll. This is Erwin's first career weekly honor.
Northern Iowa's Fay honored by WWC
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - University of Northern Iowa 165-pounder Moza Fay has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials. This week's honor took into account wrestling action from Dec. 15 through Jan. 6.
Fay compiled a mark of 5-1 from Dec. 15 through Jan. 6, which included three falls and a win over previously undefeated Jon Reader (Iowa State). Fay started his Christmas work with a 9-6 win over Iowa State's Reader in the Panthers' dual with the Cyclones. Fay then added a trio of wins at the Midlands tournament before capping the holiday season with a fall over Chattanooga's Nick Davis in UNI's 21-16 victory over the 10th-ranked team in the country.
Fay picked up falls over Northern Illinois' Scott Wallace (3:23) and Harvard's Matt Button (3:05) at Midlands. Fay is now 13-3 on the season with a team-leading five falls.
The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State and Wyoming.
Others nominated:
Air Force - Jordan Tribble
North Dakota State - Eric Hoffman
Northern Colorado - Reece Hopkin
Utah Valley State - Ben Kjar
Wyoming - Eric Coxbill
Central Michigan's Gritter honored by MAC
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University senior heavyweight Bubba Gritter (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS) has been selected Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week.
Gritter earned the award for his efforts in the Chippewas' wins over then No. 16 Hofstra and then No. 13 Edinboro on Sunday. Gritter capped both of CMU's victories with pins. He pinned Tom Daddino at 6:21 to seal CMU's 22-14 win over Hofstra, then closed the Chippewas' 28-11 victory over Edinboro with a fall against Joe Fendone at 4:00.
Gritter improved to 14-2 overall on the season while helping CMU extend its winning streak to a school-record 17 duals. Five of Gritter's 14 victories this season have come via fall.
Gritter earns the conference's weekly honor for the second time in his career and first time this season. He is the fourth different Chippewa to win the award this season, joining Luke Smith (Nov. 29), Brandon Sinnott (Dec. 27) and Christian Sinnott (Jan. 2).
CMU moved up to fifth in this week's InterMat/NWCA top 25, garnering one of 12 first-place votes. The Chippewas (7-0) face 11th-ranked Ohio State in the first round of National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Saturday.
North Carolina's Mueller honored by ACC
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Keegan Mueller, a 165-pound junior for the North Carolina Tar Heels, has been chosen as the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week, after recording a perfect record at the Lone Star Duals in Grand Prairie, Texas, over the weekend. Mueller, who is ranked 18th in the nation in his weight class, was 3-0 at the event, including a win over the nation's No. 12 wrestler.
In his first match, Mueller recorded an easy 7-1 decision over Chris Musser of Brown, as the Tar Heels prevailed 28-3 in the team match-up. Then against Harvard's Chris Carpenter, the Dallas, Texas, native dominated, pinning his opponent just 1:14 into the match and boosting UNC to a 35-3 team win. To close the day, Mueller defeated 12th-ranked Max Dean of Oklahoma in a 6-4 decision, emerging victorious in one of his biggest matches of the season.
Mueller has now won nine straight bouts and 13 of his last 14 overall to improve to 15-3 for the season. He and the Tar Heels will face their first conference opponent of the season this Sunday, Jan. 13, when they host No. 22 Maryland and Belmont Abbey in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Read More#
Rodriguez, Jelacic, Lekas go back to back, Life wins team title at NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championships
NCAA Session 3 Notes: 5 freshmen reach semifinals, Blair and Wyoming Seminary grads shine, quarterfinal upsets
NCAA Div. I Nationals brackets are released; Download them here
Nebraska-Kearney leads Lander by 26.5 points after day one of NCAA Div. II Nationals in Indianapolis
