Doug Schwab named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for June 5-11

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Craig Sesker (USA Wrestling)
06/13/2007


Doug Schwab (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for June 5-11.

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.

Schwab turned in arguably the best performance of the U.S. World Team Trials by winning the freestyle title at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. on Sunday, June 10 in Las Vegas. Schwab had never placed higher than fifth at the World or Olympic Team Trials.

He now qualifies for September's World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Schwab, 29, an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, came into Sunday's Challenge Tournament as the No. 6 seed after placing seventh at April's U.S. Nationals.

Schwab started with a win over two-time NCAA champion Teyon Ware before he knocked off No. 3 seed Jared Lawrence, No. 2 seed Zack Esposito and No. 1 seed Jared Frayer to win the Challenge Tournament.

Schwab then outlasted U.S. Nationals champion Chris Bono, who had sat out all day after clinching a spot in the finals, in the best-of-3 finals series on Sunday night. Bono beat Schwab 2-1, 3-0 in the first match before Schwab won 2-1, 2-1 in the second match and 0-1, 1-0, 1-1 in the third bout.

Schwab, a past NCAA champion for Iowa, trailed 1-0 late in the match with Bono before he scored the winning takedown with 15 seconds left.

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