Earl Hall named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Earl Hall helped lead Iowa State to the Virginia Duals  championship. Photo: Iowa State University Athletics.

Earl Hall (Homestead, Fla./Iowa State University) has been selected as TheMat.com wrestler of the week on Jan. 11, 2016.


The Iowa State senior was instrumental in the Cyclones run to a championship at the 36th annual Virginia Duals over the weekend.


Hall scored a reversal at the buzzer to upend Dennis Gustafson 6-5 at 133 pounds in the championship dual meet. The last second win by Hall proved to be difference for Iowa State as the Cyclones would go on to defeat Virginia Tech 16-14.


No. 18 Iowa State avenged a 32-3 loss to No. 5 Virginia Tech from the season opener on Nov. 7.


Throughout Virginia Duals competition Hall posted a 4-0 overall record. He defeated Vince Rodriguez of George Mason, 8-3, and Mackenzie McGuire Kent State, 4-3, during pool play. In the championship bracket Hall took out Cody Hill of Chattanooga, 16-4, prior to the thriller against Gustafson.


Hall was a NCAA All-American at 125 pounds for the Cyclones in 2014 before moving up to 133 pounds last season where he made the round of 12 at the NCAA Championships. He is currently ranked No. 10 in the NCAA at 133 pounds by Flowrestling.


During the 2012-13 season Hall was a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was a member of the 2012 U.S. Junior World Team and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa.


Each week USA Wrestling 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.


To nominate a wrestler for USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week please send the athlete’s name, wrestling program and weekly and career accomplishments to Richard Immel at rimmel@usawrestling.org.