Oklahoma State's Sergio Vega to receive the Amateur Wrestling News Hammer Award

Amateur Wrestling News will present The Hammer, its annual award, to Oklahoma State’s Sergio Vega.

The award is presented to the wrestler who wins the national title at what the writers at AWN determine to be the most competitive weight class during the NCAA Tournament.

Vega won the 141-pound title in Cleveland, Ohio, by defeating two-time NCAA champion Jesse Mendez of Ohio State in the finals, plus returning All-Americans Nasir Bailey of Iowa in the quarterfinals and Nebraska’s Brock Hardy in the semifinals. The Cowboy, a true freshman, is the second Oklahoma State wrestler in a row to win the award (Dean Hamiti won it last year). Vega ended the season with a 24-0 record, which keeps him undefeated in his college career.

Past Hammer recipients include Logan Stieber, Alex Dieringer, Spencer Lee, Zahid Valencia, Bo Nickal, Nick Lee, Keegan O’Toole, Vito Arujau, David Carr, and Dean Hamiti. An award is only as prestigious as the quality of those who have previously won it.