Angel Escobedo (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Aug. 2-8.

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.

Escobedo won a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. in men’s freestyle at the Ziolkowski International on Aug. 7 in Spala, Poland.

Escobedo defeated Mikhail Zakharov of Kyrgyzstan in the gold-medal finals, 3-0, 1-0. Zakharov was a 2008 University World silver medalist.

Escobedo won three bouts on the way to the title. He opened with a 0-3, 1-1, 5-2 win over three-time African champion Diatta Abama of Senegal in the quarterfinals, then stopped Yerkebala Turginbayev of Kazakhstan, 1-0, 1-0 in the semifinals.

Escobedo is currently ranked No. 2 in the USA at his division. He was second at both the 2010 U.S. Open and the 2010 World Team Trials. He is a past NCAA champion at Indiana University.

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