HEMPSTEAD, NY - Hofstra senior Charles Griffin has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Co-Wrestler of the Week for all competition ending Sunday, December 3, the Colonial Athletic Association announced.

Griffin, a native of Reading, Pennsylvania, posted a 6-1 record to capture third place in the 141-pound weight class at the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational last weekend. He had a seven-match winning streak snapped in the CKLV semifinals, dropping a 6-2 decision to 13th-seed Kellen Russell from Michigan. Griffin, who was the number two wrestler in the country in his weight class, bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Old Dominion's #17 Ryan Williams, and a 6-4 decision over #14 Joe Caramanica from North Carolina State. Griffin, who defeated then-#2 Nathan Morgan from Oklahoma State on November 24, is now 10-2 on the season and will be going after his 100th career victory when the Pride entertain Harvard at the David S. Mack Sports Complex at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Ryan Hluschak (Slatington, PA/Northern Lehigh), a senior 157-pounder from Drexel University, shares the CAA Wrestler of the Week award with Griffin. He is currently ranked in the top seven in the nation, won the Bearcat Open and placed second in the Cornell Body Bar Invitational to begin the season 9-1.

This week's CAA Rookie of the Week award was also shared. Anwar Goeres (Holley, N.Y./John C. Birdelbough) from Binghamton, began his collegiate career by pinning the 14th-ranked 141-pounder in the nation in a dual meet with Iowa State. A transfer from Lock Haven, Goeres collected two more pins and a major decision at the Northeast Duals to begin the year 8-2. CayleByers (Chugiak, Alaska/Chugiak) from George Mason began his career with a 13-1 record, including a fall and two major decisions, and is 3-0 in duals. Byers won his 197 weight class at the Citadel Open and the Navy Classic and finished runner-up at the Pembroke Classic.

Air Force's Crozier honored by Western Wrestling Conference

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The United States Air Force Academy's 165-pounder Stephen Crozier has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials.

Capturing one of two first-place finishes for the Falcons at the FHSU-Bob Smith Open this weekend was junior Stephen Crozier (Monona, Iowa/MFL Mar Mac HS). Crozier, unseeded in the tournament, captured his first career tournament title, putting together a 5-0 record at 165 pounds. Crozier began the day with a pair of tech falls, defeating Pima's Lance Roe, 18-2, and Hastings' Drew Sorenson, 15-0. He then knocked off the top-seed, pinning Oklahoma State's Kyle Griffin in a time of 3:22. After registering a 21-12 major decision over Colby CC's Delanno Palmore, Crozier met up with second-seed Taylor May of Nebraska-Kearney in the championship contest. Crozier pulled off the upset, picking up an 8-6 decision in overtime, to take the championship.

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:
North Dakota State - Gabriel Mooney
Northern Colorado - Tony Mustari
Utah Valley State - Benjamin Kjar

Big Ten honors Illinois' Poeta, Michigan's Russell

The Big Ten Conference has named Mike Poeta of Illinois and Kellen Russell of Michigan as Co-Wrestlers of the Week. 

Mike Poeta, Illinois
Jr., 157, Highwood, Ill. / Highland Park

Third-ranked Poeta recorded six wins and was crowned champion of the 157-pound bracket at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Nov.30 and Dec. 1.  Poeta took down his first three opponents by way of technical fall.  He then went on to defeat three straight nationally-ranked grapplers to take the crown.  Poeta defeated No. 15 Zac Fryling of West Virginia by a decision of 11-4.  He then took a 6-1 decision over No. 2 Craig Henning of Wisconsin.  In the championship bout, Poeta defeated No. 1 Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro, 4-3.  Poeta is now 10-0 on the year and has already beaten four ranked opponents.  This is Poeta's second weekly laurel of his career.

Last Illinois WOW: Patrick Bond (2/14/07)

Kellen Russell, Michigan
Fr., 141, High Bridge, N.J. / Blair Academy

Russell finished a perfect 5-0 en route to capturing the 141-pound title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.  Russell, an unranked true freshman, knocked off wrestlers ranked ninth, fifth and third nationally over the weekend.  In the semifinals, he beat No. 3 Charles Griffin of Hofstra in a 6-3 decision.  Russell then defeated No. 5 J Jaggers of Ohio State in a 4-3 decision in the championship match.  Russell has yet to lose a match in his young career standing at 11-0 for the season.  This is Russell's first weekly honor.

Last Michigan WOW: Michael Watts (2/22/2006)

UTC's Koz honored by Southern Conference

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestler Matt Koz was named Southern Conference Wrestler of the Month for November, the SoCon office announced Tuesday.

Koz, a senior who competes at 197 pounds for the Mocs, was undefeated in the month in nine matches and led the squad with five pins.

Koz's record includes an 11-2 major decision over John Weakley of No. 8-ranked Ohio State.  He placed first in his division at the Keystone Classic hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, going 4-0 with a pin, a technical fall and a major decision.

The Strongsville, Ohio, native has led the Mocs to their highest national ranking in the school's Division I era at No. 11 and was ranked as high as No. 10 himself.  Last season, Koz was the SoCon Champion at heavyweight and an NCAA Qualifier, although wrestling up in weight.

The Mocs, 5-0, return to action Dec. 16, hosting No. 8 Missouri in Maclellan Gym at 1 p.m.

North Carolina State's Caldwell honored by ACC

GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina State's Darrion Caldwell was announced today as the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week for his impressive performance at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev., over the weekend. In one of the biggest and most competitive wrestling tournaments in the nation, Caldwell, a sophomore 149-pounder, defeated three ranked opponents on his way to the championship in his weight class. 

In the early rounds of the tournament, Caldwell defeated No. 19 Cesar Grajales of Penn with a 4-1 decision for his third win over a ranked opponent this season.  After advancing to the semifinals in his weight class with a 4-2 decision over a wrestler from Nebraska-Kearney, the Rahway, N.J., native dominated second-ranked Josh Churella of Michigan, earning a 12-3 decision to move on to the final. In the title match, he again was outstanding, outscoring the country's No. 3 wrestler, J.P. O'Connor of Harvard, 8-6 to win the championship.  

Caldwell, the ACC's reigning Freshman of the Year, is now 13-1 for the season with seven pins and five wins against ranked opponents. He will next be in action this Sunday, Dec. 9, at the Beauty and the Beast Bash in Raleigh, N.C.

Wartburg's Naig honored by Iowa Conference

Wartburg's Jacob Naig, a junior 149-pounder, continues to hold down the top win mark for No. 2 Wartburg after going 6-0 during the week with three fall and two major decisions en route to the 149-pound championship at the Simpson Invitational. Naig also posted a dual win over Loras' Chris Bishop as the Knights extended their IIAC dual winning streak to 115 on Nov. 29.

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

Wrestling - Buena Vista University junior 157-pounder Joey Verschoor (Kingsley, Iowa/Kingsley-Pierson) improved to 13-2 overall this season with a third-place finish at the Simpson Invitational on Dec. 1. His only loss was a slim 6-4 setback to top-seed and eventual champion Aaron Wernimont in the semifinals. Wernimont is ranked second nationally.

Pitt's Gavin honored by EWL

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 the second consecutive week after his victory at the 26th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational.

"The EWL rarely selects a student-athlete as its Wrestler of the Week two weeks in a row," declared Allen Brown, the managing editor of the league's web site. "Keith Gavin, however, flat out deserves the honor again this week after winning in Las Vegas."

Last year's national runner up at 174, Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) steamrolled through his first four bouts of the prestigious tournament, compiling two major decisions and one fall en route to securing a spot in the finals. 

In the championship bout, Gavin squared off against Michigan's Steve Luke, one of only two wrestlers to hand the Panthers' All-American a loss last season. The two grapplers battled through the first seven minutes with neither emerging as the victor. Only after two overtime periods was Gavin's hand raised in victory as the scoreboard showed a final count of 3-2. 

Gavin, last year's WrestlingReport.com Pennsylvania Wrestler of the Year, garnered his first Wrestler of the Week honor after representing the Panthers on Nov. 19 at the NWCA All-Star Classic. He earned a convincing 8-4 decision against No. 2 ranked Matt Stolpinski of the United States Naval Academy at the NWCA's signature event.

Gavin and the rest of the Pitt wrestling team will return to action on Sunday, Dec. 16, when it travels to Athens, Ohio, for a quad match against Ohio, UNC Greensboro and Findlay at 9 a.m.