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Angel Escobedo named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for May 22-28

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by Craig Sesker

Angel Escobedo (Griffith, Ind./Indiana University) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for May 22-28.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.

Escobedo won the FILA Junior World Team Trials freestyle title at 60 kg/132 lbs. on Saturday, May 26 in Colorado Springs, Colo. He now qualifies for the Junior World Championships on Aug. 21-26 in Beijing, China.

Escobedo won a strong weight class at 60 kilos that included two-time Junior World bronze medalist Pat McCaffrey, NCAA All-American Jayson Ness, NCAA qualifier Brandon Precin and high school phenom Corey Jantzen.

Escobedo, fourth at 125 pounds at the 2007 NCAA Championships for Indiana as a freshman, beat McCaffrey 1-0, 1-0 in the finals of the Challenge Tournament before sweeping Precin in the best-of-3 finals series. Escobedo also downed Jantzen 3-1, 8-0 in the semifinals of the Challenge Tournament.

In the finals of the Junior World Team Trials, Precin won the first period of the first match 1-0 before Escobedo rebounded to win the next two periods 3-0, 2-0. In the second match, Escobedo prevailed 3-0, 1-0.

Escobedo beat Precin, who just completed his freshman season at Northwestern, twice during the 2006-07 collegiate season.

Escobedo finished his freshman season at Indiana with a 39-7 record that included 14 pins. His 39 wins were the most ever by an IU freshman. He placed third at the 2007 Big Ten Championships.

Escobedo was a four-time Indiana state high school champion, compiling a 174-1 record. He holds the state record for pins. He was a 2002 FILA Cadet Nationals champion.

Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Craig Sesker at csesker@usawrestling.org

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