Jake Herbert (Evanston, Ill./New York AC) has been named the winner of the 2009 John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that Herbert has won this prestigious award.

The award is named in honor of two-time Olympic champion and four-time World champion John Smith.

Competing in his first World Championships, Herbert won a silver medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark in September.

Herbert finished with a 4-1 record in the World Championships. He opened with victories over David Bichinashvili of Georgia, Sharip Sharipov of Azerbaijan and Gokhan Yavaser of Turkey. Herbert had a strong performance in his semifinal win over Abdusalam Gadisov of Russia in three periods, 0-4, 2-2, 1-0. He was edged in the gold-medal finals by Zaurbek Sokhiev of Uzbekistan, 0-1, 0-1.

He was one of two U.S. wrestlers to win a silver medal at the World Championships, along with Greco-Roman star Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

The World Championships performance capped off a long and successful season for Herbert, who also completed his college career at Northwestern Univ. in March 2009. He won his second career NCAA Div. I title, and was named the Hodge Trophy award winner as the nation's top college wrestler. He was also named Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year.

In April 2009, Herbert claimed his first U.S. Nationals title, defeating Eric Luedke (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC) in the gold-medal finals.

In June, 2009, Herbert qualified for his first U.S. Senior-level team, winning the U.S. World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He defeated Bryce Hasseman (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC) in a competitive three-match finals series to secure his spot on the U.S. team.

Herbert was also a silver medalist at the New York Athletic Club International in November 2009.

Herbert attended Northwestern University. He was a prep star at North Allegheny High School in Pennsylvania. This fall, Herbert became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete, splitting his training time between Colorado Springs, Colo. and Illinois.

PAST JOHN SMITH AWARD WINNERS AS FREESTYLE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
2009 – Jake Herbert, Evanston, Ill., New York AC
2008 - Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids
2007 - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla., Gator WC
2006 - Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo., Gator WC
2005 - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2004 - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2003 - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2002 - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2001 - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Brandon Slay, Amarillo, Texas, Dave Schultz WC
1999 - Stephen Neal, Bakerfield, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1998 - Sammie Henson, Norman, Okla., Sunkist Kids
1997 - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore., Sunkist Kids
1996 - Kendall Cross, Raleigh, N.C., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Kevin Jackson, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1994 - Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Terry and Tom Brands, Iowa City, Iowa, Team Foxcatcher
1992 - John Smith, Stillwater, Okla., Sunkist Kids