Morrison named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week By Taylor Wilson Big 12 Conference Jon Morrison, Oklahoma State, Fr., 125 pounds, Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg The Orland Park, Ill.-native staked his claim to the top spot among 125-pounders in the Big 12 with an impressive 4-1 win over No. 7 Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma). The victory not only avenged an early-season loss to Patterson, but it also served as the biggest momentum swing in the dual. After a scoreless first period, Patterson escaped to start the second, but Morrison then took control of Patterson's legs for a takedown and rideout with 1:12 left in the period. Morrison got off bottom quickly to start the third period and added a riding time point to clinch his 4-1 win. The victory was Morrison's seventh over a ranked opponent this season and improved him to 5-1 against Big 12 foes. The redshirt freshman helped the Cowboys' wrestling team claim a 24-9 win over Bedlam Series rival and eighth-ranked Oklahoma. The Cowboys won seven of the 10 bouts and scored 22 takedowns in the dual.
Pitt wrestling team named EWL Wrestlers of the Week By Jonathan Brennan Pittsburg Sports Information After successfully notching its second consecutive EWL dual title on Saturday, the entire Pitt wrestling team garnered EWL Wrestler of the Week honors, the league announced Monday. The Panthers finished the dual meet season with a 13-6 overall record and an unblemished 6-0 mark in the conference. “It’s a great accomplishment for our entire team to earn the award,†Pitt Head Coach Rande Stottlemyer said Monday. “When you think about winning a dual title, it’s all about competing as a team and carrying each other when someone might not have their best day. That’s what our team was about all season long.†Pitt defeated Edinboro, 19-16, in the team’s final dual match of the season on Saturday. Redshirt senior Ryan Tomei earned 3-0 decision in the final bout to clinch the match and the dual title for the Panthers. “I like being the heavyweight guy and going out last because a lot of times, it comes down to my performance,†Tomei said. “It’s a pressure situation but great athletes prove what they’re made of in the clutch.†Not only was Tomei clutch, he was dominant. In his six dual matches against EWL opponents, the Irwin, Pa. native was a perfect 6-0 and accumulated 30 team points including four wins by fall. For his efforts, Tomei will receive the “Most Points Team Award†trophy at the conference championship in Bloomsburg on March 6.
Maryland’s Letts named ACC Wrestler of the Week By Steve Phillips Atlantic Coast Conference GREENSBORO, N.C. – Maryland 174-pound senior Mike Letts has been named the final Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week of the 2011 season following an unbeaten weekend that included two convincing wins against ACC opposition. The honor is the third of the season for Letts, who was named ACC Co-Wrestler of the Week along with Virginia’s Chris Henrich on Nov. 30 and was named again on Dec. 7. Letts, a senior captain, pinned Duke’s Brett Klopp in less than three minutes in Saturday’s 48-0 dual match win before traveling down Tobacco Road to score a technical fall vs. Colin Genthert of No. 24 NC State by a score of 21-8. Letts’ win in the second match helped Maryland to a 35-5 team victory. After being honored on Sunday’s Senior Day festivities in College Park, Letts improved to 15-2 in dual meets this season by pinning George Mason’s Aaron Keeton in 1:59. With three wins, Maryland improved to 16-4 on the season. Letts and the Terps won 11 of their final 12 dual matches as the regular season concluded. Maryland and the ACC’s other five teams will now turn their attention to the 2011 ACC Wrestling Championships, set for Saturday, March 5, at the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena.
Morrison, Loew honored by CAA By Bud Focht Rider Sports Information LAWRENCEVILLE—Rider University’s Robbie Morrison was named the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week and Hofstra University’s Matt Loew was named the CAA Rookie of the Week for all competition February 15-21. Morrison, a senior 174 from Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Cedar Cliff), defeated the top and third ranked wrestlers in the CAA last week, including a 6-4 decision over the tenth ranked wrestler in the nation from Hofstra. Morrison also gave the third ranked wrestler from Boston U. his first dual meet loss of the season. With the two victories Morrison improves to 6-0 in the CAA, 25-6 overall. Loew, a freshman 197 from Wantagh, NY (Wantagh), won both of his dual meets last week, including a CAA dual against Rider. The victories were the third and fourth in a row for Loew, the fifth ranked 197 in the CAA. In the CAA win Loew pulled out a reversal with three seconds remaining in the third period to notch the 6-5 victory.
Luke Lofthouse named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week By Traci Wagner Iowa Sports Information Sunday’s big victory for University of Iowa senior 197-pounder Luke Lofthouse has earned him this week’s Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honors. Lofthouse, who is ranked seventh in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News and W.I.N. Magazine, and eighth by Intermat, closed out his collegiate dual career with a 7-4 victory over Minnesota’s Sonny Yohn, helping the second-ranked Hawkeyes to their fourth-straight Big Ten regular season title. Iowa also extended its unbeaten dual streak to 77 with Sunday’s 19-12 win over No. 5 Minnesota, ending the regular season with a 15-0-1 record. Iowa had a narrow 13-12 lead over the Golden Gophers, when Lofthouse, who entered the dual ranked eighth in the nation, took the mat against Yohn, who was ranked between fourth and seventh. Trailing Yohn, 3-2, at the start of the third period, the Hawkeye senior scored a quick escape to tie the score and added two takedowns in the final minute to give Iowa a 16-12 lead going into the final bout. Lofthouse is 17-4 this season, going 13-2 in duals and 7-0 in Big Ten duals. He ends the regular season on a six-match winning streak. This is his first career Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honor. Hawkeye sophomore Matt McDonough (125) is the only other Iowa wrestler to earn the honor this season, picking it up Feb. 1 after wins over Northwestern and Penn State. Up next for Iowa is a trip to the 2011 Big Ten Championships. The event will be held March 5-6 at Northwestern University’s Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. Tickets are available from the Northwestern University ticket office at 888-GO-PURPLE. Iowa has won 34 conference team titles, including the last three.