Nick Lee named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Nick Lee works from a front headlock against Sammy Sasso at Who's #1 on Sunday. Photo: Juan Garcia.

Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind./Evansville Mater Dei) has been selected as TheMat.com Athlete of the Week on Oct. 3, 2016.


The top-ranked high school wrestler at 138 pounds, Lee shined at Flowrestling’s premier preseason event, Who’s #1, with a decisive 8-3 win over third-ranked Sammy Sasso of Pennsylvania.


Lee and Sasso delivered an action-packed match at Grace Hall in Bethlehem, Pa., on Sunday that saw offensive firepower juxtaposed against savvy scrambling abilities. It was Lee’s attacks that won the day as he secured three takedowns, plus a third period reversal and ride out, to salt the match and maintain his No. 1 ranking.


With one year of high school eligibility remaining, Lee has amassed a plethora of national accolades, most recently winning the USAW Junior Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, N.D. in July.


Among his other national accomplishments are a USAW Cadet Freestyle Nationals crown from 2014, a third place finish at the UWW Junior World Team Trials this summer, and two runner-up finishes at the UWW Cadet Freestyle Nationals.


Entering his senior campaign for Evansville Mater Dei High School, Lee has placed in the top three at the Indiana State Championships three times, winning top prize in 2015.


Lee has committed to wrestle at the next level for perennial NCAA powerhouse Penn State and head coach Cael Sanderson in 2017.


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.