Annoucements made week beginning Jan. 30

 Josh Churella named Big 10 Wrestler of the Week

Josh Churella of Michigan was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week

Josh Churella, Michigan, SO, 141, Northville, Mich./Novi 

Churella earned back-to-back wins over opponents ranked in the top-six last week, beating No. 6 mRyan Lang of Northwestern, 8-4, and Michigan State's fourth-ranked Andy Simmons, 4-2.  Churella trailed early in both matches, but rallied well to assert strong control on each night. He owns a near-perfect 17-1 record this season and has won seven straight matches. 

Last MICH WOW:  Steve Luke (12/6/05)

 Moyer named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week

DALLAS - Dominick Moyer (Nebraska) has been named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for his performance during meets from Jan. 24-30.  Moyer receives recognition for the first time in his career.

Dominick Moyer (Nebraska), Jr., 141 pounds, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Last week, the junior from Oskaloosa, Iowa, pinned Missouri's Chris McCormick in 6:38.  The fall clinched the Huskers' 21-18 win over the No. 11 Tigers.  Moyer, ranked 19th nationally, has an overall record of 15-7 and is 8-5 in duals with three wins by fall.
 
 Albright named ACC Wrestler of the Week

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Virginia's Eric Albright was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week after helping the Cavaliers to wins over conference foes North Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Albright posted a pair victories at 133 pounds in leading the Cavaliers to a 27-10 win over the Tar Heels and a 25-15 decision over the Hokies.  The red-shirt freshman from York, Pa., earned a 9-1 major decision over North Carolina's Jared Royer and a 14-4 major decision against Sheridan Moran of Virginia Tech.

Albright has posted a 22-7 overall record and a 9-2 dual record this season.

 Castillo named MAC Wrestler of the Week

Pat Castillo of Northern Illinois has been named MAC Wrestler of the Week

Pat Castillo - So. - 125 pounds - Northern Illinois, Western Springs, Ill. - Lyons Twp.*
Castillo defeated Kent State's 16th-ranked Chad Sportelli, 7-2, in last  Friday's dual meet, a 16-16 tie between the Huskies and Golden Flashes. Castillo defeated Sportelli 3-0 in the second period of the match with the only two points he surrendered coming off Sportelli escapes. The decision prevented Kent State from opening a significant lead in the match, keeping the Huskies within one-point (7-6). Castillo improved his MAC record to 3-0 and reached the 20-win plateau with the decision. Sportelli was last week's MAC Wrestler Of The Week.

*Other nominees
Harold Sherrell - Sr. - Heavyweight - Buffalo, Liverpool, N.Y. - Liverpool*
Sherrell went 3-0 in quad-meet action last Saturday, as he downed Ohio's Marcus Adelmen, 3-0, to start the meet, a 25-9 Buffalo win. He followed that performance with two technical falls over Delaware State and Ithaca, featuring 10 three-point near falls, pacing him to the single-season Buffalo record with 25 total.

*Christian Sinnott - Jr./So. - 184 pounds - Central Michigan, Allen Park, Mich. - Allen Park*
Christian tallied a 12-3 major decision over Eastern Michigan's John McClure last Sunday. It was his first individual conference win of the season, and the first league victory for the sixth-ranked Chippewas. No. 20 Christian is 17-10 overall this season, and has won two consecutive matches via major decision.

*Nick Conklin - Jr. - 149 pounds - Eastern Michigan, Milton, Wisc. - Milton*
Conklin recorded a 3-2 win over CMU's Eric Kruger in EMU's 30-5 loss to the sixth-ranked Chippewas on Sunday.

*Aaron Miller - Jr. - 174 pounds - Kent State, Uniopolis, Ohio - Wapakoneta*
Miller handed Northern Illinois' Danny Burke his first conference setback of the season with a 6-5 decision in the final match of the dual meet with the Huskies, forcing a 16-16 tie in the conference dual. Miller also earned a 9-1 major decision over Pittsburgh's Nick Padezan to go 2-0 on the week, while the Golden Flashes went 1-0-1 in duals.

 Pyle named Iowa Conference Wrestler of the Week

Matt Pyle, Luther College, Merrill, Kan./Sabetha
Pyle, a junior, went 4-0 at the Iowa Conference Duals with three falls and a technical fall.  The top-ranked wrestler at 149-pounds, Pyle pinned Simpson's Cole Christensen (4:15), Loras' Drew Sloan (1:50) and Coe's Jared Creason (4:47).  He also won by technical fall over Buena Vista's Kyle Kriz (16-0, 3:43).
 
The IIAC also recognized the following outstanding wrestling performances from the past week.
 
_     Loras College senior Terry Morgan (Fort Pierce, Fla./Fort Pierce) went 4-0 at 125-pounds at the Iowa Conference duals with two falls, a technical fall and a decision over the #5-ranked wrestler in the nation (Luther's Nate Hansen).
 
_     Wartburg College senior Akeem Carter (Waterloo, Iowa/West) went 4-0 at 184-pounds at the Iowa Conference duals with three falls in under four minutes.
 

  Johns named NSIC Wrestlers of the Week

MOORHEAD, MN (January 30, 2006)- - - Tim Johns of Southwest Minnesota State University has been named the latest Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week.

A 174-pound senior from Harrisburg, SD, Johns finished 4-0 at last weekend's CMSU Duals at Warrensburg, MO. Johns' four victories included a fall and a major decision, and hiked his overall record to 21-5. Johns is ranked third on the latest NCAA Division II Coaches' poll.

NSIC NOTEBOOK:
* MSU Moorhead 149-pound sophomore Peter Hayes was 4-0 last week, including a 3-0 record at the CMSU duals. . . 

* MSUM junior Nate Baker moved into the number one ranking at 165 pounds on the latest NCAA II Coaches' poll. . .

* Matt Englund of Northern State was 1-1 last week, including a 3-0 victory over Trent Leichleiter of Dana College, ranked third in the NAIA at 165 pounds. . .

College conferences that wish to have their Wrestlers of the week published on TheMat.com should send their selections to Gary Abbott at gabbott@usawrestling.org. These athletes will be honored weekly in a combined story.