North Dakota State 157-pounder Adam Aho has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials.

Aho (Frazee, Minn./Frazee HS) captured the 157 pound title at the 38th annual Bison Open. Aho recorded a fall and a technical fall against a pair of Minnesota wrestlers before defeating Joe Grygelko of Minnesota 5-2 in the finals. Aho posted a 4-0 mark with wins over Ben Wheeler (fall, 2:46), Mike Warhol (15-0), Tallen Wald (7-1) and Grygelko (5-2). 

The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State and Wyoming. 

Others nominated:
Air Force - Derek Gillespie, 133, Fr., Chesapeake, Va. (Great Bridge HS) 
Northern Colorado - Tony Mustari, 125, So, Greeley, Colo. (Greeley Central HS) 
South Dakota State - Ryan Meyer, 165, So., Parkston, S.D. (Parkston HS) 
UNI - Alex Dolly, 174, Sr., Mishawaka, Ind. (Mishawaka HS) 
Utah Valley State - Ben Kjar, 125, Fr., Centerville, Utah (Viewmont HS)

Virginia's Caponi honored by ACC

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Virginia's Rocco Caponi, a junior from Uniontown, Ohio, was today named the 2007-08 season's second Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week for his performance this past weekend at the Brute/Bearcat Open in Binghamton, N.Y.  

Caponi, who competes in the 184-pound weight class for the Cavaliers, won four matches over the weekend en route to the title in his division, including three wins over wrestlers from No. 9 Cornell. In the four matches, he took three decisions by a combined score of 13-6 and recorded one major decision, with a score of 9-0.  

This coming Saturday, November 17, Caponi and the 3-0 Cavaliers will again be in action at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Chapel Hill, N.C.  Virginia will first face Purdue at noon on Saturday, and then will take on Michigan State at 2:00 p.m.

Cornell's Heilman honored by Iowa Conference

Cornell College's Chris Heilman (Colorado Springs, Colo.) has been named Iowa Conference Wrestler of the Week.

Heilman, a senior, went 4-0 in claiming the 125-pound Gold title at the Pointer Open in Stevens Point, Wis. He allowed only five points in four matches, opening an 18-0 technical fall over Indianapolis' Josh Allen. Heilman followed that up with major decisions over North Central College's Joe Norton (12-0) and UW-Parkside's Brandon Kircher (11-1), before defeating Upper Iowa's Tyler Mumbulo 11-4 in the final. All except Norton wrestle for Division II schools.

The IIAC also recognized the following outstanding athletic performances from the past week.

Coe College junior Bryon Grothus (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) went undefeated in four duals at 157-lbs. at the Lakeland Duals. Grothus pinned fifth-rankeed Jesse Milks of UW-Platteville in 1:00 to help the seventh-ranked Kohawks to a 4-0 start to the season.

Luther College senior A.J. Gregg (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah) placed first in the 184-lbs. Gold bracket at the UW-Stevens Point Pointer Open posting a record of 3-0. Gregg defeated Eric Bugenhagen of Wisconsin 5-0 in the title bout.