COLLEGE WRESTLERS OF THE WEEK: Metcalf honored by Big Ten
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PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Iowa wrestler Brent Metcalf has been named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the first time in his career.
Metcalf, who is ranked first in the nation at 149 pounds by W.I.N. Magazine and second by Amateur Wrestling News and the NWCA/Intermat/NWMA, went 4-0 last weekend at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls. He helped Iowa win its first National Duals team title since 1996. The Hawkeye sophomore was named Division I Outstanding Wrestler of the event. Metcalf pinned Cornell's Adam Frey in 6:37 and scored a 12-4 major decision over #17 Josh Wagner of Missouri on Saturday. He then defeated #7 Josh Churella of Michigan (4-2) and #6 Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska (6-2) on Sunday.
A native of Davison, MI, Metcalf is 16-1 in collegiate matches and 11-1 in duals. He is on a 13-match winning streak and leads Iowa with the most team points scored in dual competition (52).
Metcalf is the third Hawkeye this season to earn the weekly conference honor. Sophomore Joe Slaton was honored Dec. 12 after upsetting Nick Fanthorpe of Iowa State, 6-5, at 133 pounds. Senior Mark Perry was named the following week (Dec. 19) for pinning #3 Moza Fay of Northern Iowa in 48 seconds and Cornell College's Christan Coffey in 4:17.
Top-ranked Iowa (11-1, 0-0 Big Ten) will open the 2007-08 Big Ten dual season this weekend. The Hawkeyes travel to Ohio State (13-2, 1-0 Big Ten) Friday to face the #6 Buckeyes at 6 p.m. (CT) in St. John Arena. The Big Ten Network will air a taped-delay broadcast of the dual at 8:30 p.m. The Hawkeyes will then return home to host #7 Penn State (8-2, 0-0 Big Ten) Sunday at 2 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Ruggirello honored by Colonial Athletic Association
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Hofstra sophomore wrestler Lou Ruggirello, who posted a 3-0 record at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals last Saturday, has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week for all competition between January 8 and 14.
Ruggirello, a native of Walden, New York, was perfect in three dual matches at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The eighth-ranked wrestler in the country at 133 pounds in the most recent Intermat/NWMA poll, Ruggirello recorded a win by fall in 1:32 over fourth-ranked Nick Fanthorpe from Iowa State that led the Pride to a
19-18 victory over the Cyclones in the first round of the National Duals. He also defeated unranked Chris Diehl from Michigan, 8-0, and downed #14 Reece Humphrey from Ohio State, 7-4.
The Valley Central High School graduate has now won six consecutive matches to boost his record to 22-4 on the season including an 11-0 mark in dual matches. Ruggirello shares the CAA Wrestler of the Week honor with Ryan Hluschak from Drexel, who also posted a 3-0 record last weekend at the Virginia Duals.
Dan Rivera, a freshman 157-pounder from Old Dominion, was named the CAA Rookie of the Week. He went 5-1 last week, with his only loss coming against Mike Poeta from Illinois, the top-ranked wrestler in the country, 14-6. Rivera led ODU to a third place finish at the Virginia Duals.
Northern Colorado's Prater honored by Western Wrestling Conference
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Colorado's Daniel Prater has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials.
Prater, a 149-pounder from Pratt, Kan., posted a perfect 6-0 record last week. He began the trip to the Northwest with a fall in 6:10 over Portland State's Alan Dickey. Against Oregon, he won a 2-0 decision over Jeremy McLaughlin to help the Bears defeat the Ducks 18-16. At the Oregon Classic, he won the 149-pound division, winning his opening bout with a pin in just 2:47 over Mike Sandoe. He then posted decisions in the quarterfinals and semifinals over wrestlers from Simon Fraser before winning by major decision in the finals, 13-2 over Norman Richmond. Prater is now 15-8 on the season and 3-4 in dual action.
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: Anthony Stegeman
North Dakota State - Eric Sanders
UNI - Dustin Bauman
Utah Valley State - Ben Kjar
Maryland's Taylor honored by ACC
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland sophomore Hudson Taylor was again named the ACC Wrestler of the Week after going 2-0 with a pair of crucial pins last week. Taylor improved his winning streak to 14 matches and has not lost since November 17. This is the third time that he has earned the award while no other wrestler in the conference has earned it more than once.
Taylor also earned Wrestler of the Week honors on November 27 and January 2. Maryland has won the award five times while no other school in the ACC has more than one to its name. Sophomore Mike Letts was honored with the first award on November 6 while redshirt junior Josh Haines earned it on November 20.
Taylor, who is ranked No. 8 in the country at 197 pounds, pinned Tyler Moyer of Navy in just 59 seconds. It was the quickest pin for Taylor this season. Those six points proved to be vital in No. 21 Maryland's win against rival No. 22 Navy, 21-18. It was the first time the Terrapins had beaten the Midshipmen in Annapolis in 22 years and their first win overall since 1997.
The Pennington, N.J. product then recorded the clinching victory on Sunday afternoon against North Carolina in the ACC opener. Maryland was down 14-6 with four matches to go, but Letts and Haines closed the gap to 14-13 before Taylor hit the mat. Taylor managed to get the pin with 23 seconds left in the match to give the Terps a 19-14 lead and the win.
Taylor is now 20-2 on the season with a team-high 13 pins. He had 15 pins all of last season in which he went 29-9 and advanced to the round of 12 of the NCAA Championship.
No. 21 Maryland (9-3) gets back into action on Saturday, January 19 when it hosts Virginia Tech at Comcast Pavilion at 2:00 p.m.
Missouri's Maxwell Askren honored by Big 12
Columbia, Mo. - Missouri junior Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week as announced today by the conference office. A 197 pound grappler, this marks Askren's first league honor of the season and second of his career. The weekly award is also Missouri's first of the 2007-08 campaign.
Ranked as high as fifth in the nation entering the National Wrestling Coaches Association(NWCA)/Cliff Keen National Duals, Askren went 3-0 at the tournament and upset third-ranked Mike Tammilow of Northwestern, 5-2, in his final bout of the day. With the three wins, Askren improved to 14-2 on the season and increases his win streak to five straight.
Opening Saturday's competition with a 12-1 win by major decision over Joe Fagiano of Indiana, Askren went on to record his sixth fall of the season, pinning Rick Loera of Iowa in 3:34. The sophomore was one of only two Tigers to finish the tournament with a 3-0 record and was credited with two of Missouri's five bonus point victories.
Askren's last Big 12 honor came last season when the Tiger was tabbed the December Big 12 Wrestler of the Month.
Metcalf, who is ranked first in the nation at 149 pounds by W.I.N. Magazine and second by Amateur Wrestling News and the NWCA/Intermat/NWMA, went 4-0 last weekend at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls. He helped Iowa win its first National Duals team title since 1996. The Hawkeye sophomore was named Division I Outstanding Wrestler of the event. Metcalf pinned Cornell's Adam Frey in 6:37 and scored a 12-4 major decision over #17 Josh Wagner of Missouri on Saturday. He then defeated #7 Josh Churella of Michigan (4-2) and #6 Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska (6-2) on Sunday.
A native of Davison, MI, Metcalf is 16-1 in collegiate matches and 11-1 in duals. He is on a 13-match winning streak and leads Iowa with the most team points scored in dual competition (52).
Metcalf is the third Hawkeye this season to earn the weekly conference honor. Sophomore Joe Slaton was honored Dec. 12 after upsetting Nick Fanthorpe of Iowa State, 6-5, at 133 pounds. Senior Mark Perry was named the following week (Dec. 19) for pinning #3 Moza Fay of Northern Iowa in 48 seconds and Cornell College's Christan Coffey in 4:17.
Top-ranked Iowa (11-1, 0-0 Big Ten) will open the 2007-08 Big Ten dual season this weekend. The Hawkeyes travel to Ohio State (13-2, 1-0 Big Ten) Friday to face the #6 Buckeyes at 6 p.m. (CT) in St. John Arena. The Big Ten Network will air a taped-delay broadcast of the dual at 8:30 p.m. The Hawkeyes will then return home to host #7 Penn State (8-2, 0-0 Big Ten) Sunday at 2 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Ruggirello honored by Colonial Athletic Association
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Hofstra sophomore wrestler Lou Ruggirello, who posted a 3-0 record at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals last Saturday, has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week for all competition between January 8 and 14.
Ruggirello, a native of Walden, New York, was perfect in three dual matches at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The eighth-ranked wrestler in the country at 133 pounds in the most recent Intermat/NWMA poll, Ruggirello recorded a win by fall in 1:32 over fourth-ranked Nick Fanthorpe from Iowa State that led the Pride to a
19-18 victory over the Cyclones in the first round of the National Duals. He also defeated unranked Chris Diehl from Michigan, 8-0, and downed #14 Reece Humphrey from Ohio State, 7-4.
The Valley Central High School graduate has now won six consecutive matches to boost his record to 22-4 on the season including an 11-0 mark in dual matches. Ruggirello shares the CAA Wrestler of the Week honor with Ryan Hluschak from Drexel, who also posted a 3-0 record last weekend at the Virginia Duals.
Dan Rivera, a freshman 157-pounder from Old Dominion, was named the CAA Rookie of the Week. He went 5-1 last week, with his only loss coming against Mike Poeta from Illinois, the top-ranked wrestler in the country, 14-6. Rivera led ODU to a third place finish at the Virginia Duals.
Northern Colorado's Prater honored by Western Wrestling Conference
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Colorado's Daniel Prater has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials.
Prater, a 149-pounder from Pratt, Kan., posted a perfect 6-0 record last week. He began the trip to the Northwest with a fall in 6:10 over Portland State's Alan Dickey. Against Oregon, he won a 2-0 decision over Jeremy McLaughlin to help the Bears defeat the Ducks 18-16. At the Oregon Classic, he won the 149-pound division, winning his opening bout with a pin in just 2:47 over Mike Sandoe. He then posted decisions in the quarterfinals and semifinals over wrestlers from Simon Fraser before winning by major decision in the finals, 13-2 over Norman Richmond. Prater is now 15-8 on the season and 3-4 in dual action.
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: Anthony Stegeman
North Dakota State - Eric Sanders
UNI - Dustin Bauman
Utah Valley State - Ben Kjar
Maryland's Taylor honored by ACC
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland sophomore Hudson Taylor was again named the ACC Wrestler of the Week after going 2-0 with a pair of crucial pins last week. Taylor improved his winning streak to 14 matches and has not lost since November 17. This is the third time that he has earned the award while no other wrestler in the conference has earned it more than once.
Taylor also earned Wrestler of the Week honors on November 27 and January 2. Maryland has won the award five times while no other school in the ACC has more than one to its name. Sophomore Mike Letts was honored with the first award on November 6 while redshirt junior Josh Haines earned it on November 20.
Taylor, who is ranked No. 8 in the country at 197 pounds, pinned Tyler Moyer of Navy in just 59 seconds. It was the quickest pin for Taylor this season. Those six points proved to be vital in No. 21 Maryland's win against rival No. 22 Navy, 21-18. It was the first time the Terrapins had beaten the Midshipmen in Annapolis in 22 years and their first win overall since 1997.
The Pennington, N.J. product then recorded the clinching victory on Sunday afternoon against North Carolina in the ACC opener. Maryland was down 14-6 with four matches to go, but Letts and Haines closed the gap to 14-13 before Taylor hit the mat. Taylor managed to get the pin with 23 seconds left in the match to give the Terps a 19-14 lead and the win.
Taylor is now 20-2 on the season with a team-high 13 pins. He had 15 pins all of last season in which he went 29-9 and advanced to the round of 12 of the NCAA Championship.
No. 21 Maryland (9-3) gets back into action on Saturday, January 19 when it hosts Virginia Tech at Comcast Pavilion at 2:00 p.m.
Missouri's Maxwell Askren honored by Big 12
Columbia, Mo. - Missouri junior Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week as announced today by the conference office. A 197 pound grappler, this marks Askren's first league honor of the season and second of his career. The weekly award is also Missouri's first of the 2007-08 campaign.
Ranked as high as fifth in the nation entering the National Wrestling Coaches Association(NWCA)/Cliff Keen National Duals, Askren went 3-0 at the tournament and upset third-ranked Mike Tammilow of Northwestern, 5-2, in his final bout of the day. With the three wins, Askren improved to 14-2 on the season and increases his win streak to five straight.
Opening Saturday's competition with a 12-1 win by major decision over Joe Fagiano of Indiana, Askren went on to record his sixth fall of the season, pinning Rick Loera of Iowa in 3:34. The sophomore was one of only two Tigers to finish the tournament with a 3-0 record and was credited with two of Missouri's five bonus point victories.
Askren's last Big 12 honor came last season when the Tiger was tabbed the December Big 12 Wrestler of the Month.
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