Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa./Penn State University) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Jan. 2-8.

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.

The third-ranked McKnight knocked off No. 2 Troy Nickerson of Cornell 5-2 at 125 pounds to spark No. 10 Penn State to an 18-12 win over No. 13 Cornell on Sunday, Jan. 7 in Ithaca, N.Y.

McKnight, a junior who is 11-1 this season, scored a first-period takedown against Nickerson and then sealed the win by gaining a takedown with 26 seconds left in the match.

McKnight competed for the University of Buffalo from 2003-05 and twice qualified for the NCAA Championships. He fell one win short of being an All-American as a freshman and sophomore. He then transferred to Penn State and redshirted last season with the Nittany Lions.

McKnight also excels in the international style of freestyle. He placed sixth at the 2006 U.S. Nationals in freestyle at 55 kg/121 lbs. and qualified for the U.S. World Team Trials. McKnight was a Gold Medalist in freestyle and a Bronze Medalist in Greco-Roman at the Junior Pan Am Championships.

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