MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University senior Luke Smith (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls HS) has been named the Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week.

Smith posted a 4-0 record as CMU won all four of its matches at the Northeast Duals last weekend. Among Smith's four victories were a pair of major decisions and fall in just 11 seconds, the third-fastest fall in school history.

Smith earns the conference's weekly honor for the third time in his career. He is currently ranked 13th nationally at 125 pounds in the National Wrestling Coaches Association/InterMat poll.

CMU (4-0), ranked seventh in the nation, hosts Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night.

Clarion's Harrison honored by PSAC

Clarion University sophomore wrestler Hadley Harrison (So. McKean, General McLane) was named the PSAC "Wrestler of the Week" today for his performance last weekend at the N.E. Duals in Troy, N.Y.

Harrison posted a 3-1 match record for the weekend. Following a forfeit win against AIC, he distinguished himself with a 6-5 win over Quinten Fuentes of #3 ranked Oklahoma State, and  then posted a 4-3 win over Virginia's Shawn Harris 4-3. He lost his final mtach against Lehigh's Trevor Chinn 8-3.

Combined with his 1-1 record in the opening duals of the year, Harrison has a season dual met record of 4-2.

Clarion was 1-3 at the N.E. Duals opening with a 56-0 win over American International, then dropping a 38-6 match to #3 ranked Oklahoma State, a 30-10 decision to Virginia and went to the wire before losing to Lehigh 21-15.

"Congratulations to Hadley on his award," said Clarion second year head coach Teague Moore. "He is a very dedicated and hard working athlete who is a leader on this team."

Clarion has a 2-4 dual meet record thus far in 2007-08 with two of the losses coming against #2 Iowa State and #3 Oklahoma State. The Golden Eagles return to action on Saturday, December 8th when the team plays host to the PSAC Wrestling Championships at Tippin Gym.

Northern Colorado's Hopkin honored by Western Wrestling Conference

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - University of Northern Colorado heavyweight Reece Hopkin (Kersey, Colo./Platte Valley HS) has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials. 

UNC's Hopkin, currently ranked 17th nationally, posted a perfect 3-0 record at the Northern Quadrangular, two by pins and one by a major decision to improve his season record to 11-1. Against North Dakota State, he posted a fall in 2:53 against Justin LaGosh, then had his second pin of the afternoon over top-ranked Minnesota's Joe Nord in 6:50. In the afternoon dual against Northern Illinois, Hopkin recorded a major decision, 10-0, against David Benner.

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

Duke's Barone, Maryland's Taylor honored by ACC

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Duke's John Barone and Maryland's Hudson Taylor have been selected Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Wrestler of the Week for their respective performances at dual meets over the weekend.  For each, this week's honor is the first of the 2007 wrestling season.

At the Hoosier Duals in Bloomington, Ind., over the weekend, Barone was a perfect 5-0 in the 184-pound weight class.  In his first two matches against wrestlers from Oregon and Ohio, the redshirt sophomore from Shirley, N.Y. registered two easy wins, one coming by major decision and the other by fall.  In his third match, Barone recorded his biggest win of the week, defeating Indiana's Marc Bennett, ranked No. 8 in the nation, by a 12-6 decision.  Barone would go on to win his last two matches, against wrestlers from the University of the Cumberlands and from Liberty, with two early pins.  He is now 15-1 this season and 50-16 for his career.

Taylor, a redshirt sophomore from Pennington, N.J., was victorious in three matches over the weekend at the Journeyman/BRUTE Northeast Duals in Troy, N.Y.  In his first and perhaps biggest win of the season, the 197-pounder pinned Anthony Biondo of No. 5 Michigan as the Terrapins completed a come-from-behind 18-16 upset of the Wolverines.  He then pinned an opponent from Appalachian State in his second match, as the Terps were again victorious, and recorded his third pin of the week against a wrester from No. 9 Central Michigan in his final contest of the meet.  Seven of Taylor's nine wins this year have come by way of fall.

Barone and the Blue Devils will next be in action this Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Davidson open in Davidson, N.C.  Taylor and the Terps will host Lehigh in College Park, Md., this Sunday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m.

Pitt's Gavin honored by Eastern Wrestling League

PITTSBURGH - Pitt's Keith Gavin, the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the 174-pound division, has been named as the Eastern Wrestling League's Wrestler of the Week for his performance at the 42nd Annual NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps.

An All-American, Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) is undefeated in three bouts this year and was one of only 24 wrestlers selected to compete in the NWCA's showcase event. During the 2006-07 season, Gavin captured the EWL crown, finished second at the NCAA Tournament and completed his redshirt junior campaign with a record of 28-4.

Gavin represented the Panthers at McArthur Court on the campus of the University of Oregon and earned a convincing 8-4 decision against No. 2 ranked Matt Stolpinski of the United States Naval Academy. 

Gavin controlled the bout early with a two-on-one grip and took down the Midshipman for a 2-0 lead. Stolpinski answered with an escape in the first, but not before Gavin had run up 1:22 of riding time. 

Stolpinski chose down to start the second and registered another escape, tying the bout at two. The Navy grappler then tried for a half-shot, but Gavin countered and gained control, taking down Stolpinski and stretching his lead back to two. Before Gavin could close out the period, however, the Midshipman broke free once more and sliced the deficit to just one. 

Gavin started down in the third and immediately regained his two-point lead with an escape. He then added to his cushion with a small flurry and another takedown, making the count 7-3. He cut Stolpinski loose with 0:15 left in the bout and added a point for riding time to set the final at 8-4. 

Pitt's wrestling team will return to action this weekend when they travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the 26th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational on Friday and Saturday.