Dylan Ness of Minnesota named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Dylan Ness (Bloomington, Minn./University of Minnesota) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week.

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 eighth-ranked Ness delivered a pivotal pin over No. 4 Dylan Alton to lift No. 2 Minnesota to an 18-17 win over No. 1 Penn State on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. 

The win gave the Gophers a share of the Big Ten dual meet championship.

Ness led 3-0 when he launched Alton to his back for a dramatic third-period fall before a crowd of 5,603 fans at the Sports Pavilion. 

Ness, a junior, moved up to 157 pounds this season after placing second and fourth at 149 in the NCAA tournament the previous two seasons for the Gophers. Ness also owns a win over returning NCAA champion Derek St. John of Iowa this season.

Ness excelled coming up through the ranks in USA Wrestling events. He was a Junior Nationals champion in addition to winning USAW Triple Crowns in the Cadet and Schoolboy divisions.

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