Matt Fields named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue senior Matt Fields was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Tuesday after an outstanding 4-0 performance at the Journeymen/Asics Northeast Duals on Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. Fields scored 22 of a possible 24 team points on the day, notching a major decision and three pins, including a fall in the Boilermakers’ 24-22 upset of No. 14 American University. 
 
With eighth-ranked sophomore Cashé Quiroga recovering from an injury suffered at the Eastern Michigan Open, Fields has held down the 133-pound starting spot for the Boilermakers and posted an 8-4 record so far this season. He has a team-best four falls and is tied for the team lead with a pair of major decisions. 
 
“Matt has been an outstanding member of our team for the last four seasons and it’s great to see him have this kind of success as a senior,” said Purdue head coach Scott Hinkel. “The goal is to win every match, and this weekend Matt achieved that goal in dominant fashion. We’re fired up for him, but want to make sure he continues wrestling like this.”
 
Fields opened up Saturday with an 11-0 major decision over Binghamton’s Patrick Hunter, coming out on top of scrambles for three takedowns and cradling Hunter for a three-point nearfall in the third period. He trailed Rutgers’ Daniel White, 2-1, heading to the third period, but took a 4-2 lead on a three-point nearfall and then stuck White at 6:32 for the six team points. Fields’ final two opponents weren’t able to make it out of the first period as he stuck Lehigh’s Chris Dinnien in 2:52 and needed just 43 seconds to pin American’s Chris Brienza.
 
With his impressive weekend, Fields has moved on to the Purdue Career Record lists in a trio of categories: ranking ninth all-time with 151 back points, tied for 17th at Purdue with 27 reversals and standing 19th with 16 career falls. He is the first Boilermaker to earn Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honors since Colton Salazar earned the award on Nov. 10, 2009, after winning the Eastern Michigan Open. 
 
Fields and the Boilermakers continue their season Thursday at Northern Illinois.

Ryan Loder named WWC Wrestler of the Week
OREM, Utah -- Northern Iowa 184 pound sophomore Ryan Loder (Granite Bay, Calif./Granite Bay HS) has been named the Western Wrestling Conference Wrestler of the Week after going 3-0 on the mat last week. The conference honor was announced Tuesday by the league.

Loder was the lone Panther to go undefeated this past weekend as UNI competed at the Northeast Duals in New York. Loder's most notable victory of the weekend came via a 3-1 decision over ninth-ranked Ben Bennett from Central Michigan.

While facing 12th-ranked Maryland, Loder provided all of UNI's six points for the dual by pinning Ty Snook in 6:18. He then ended the day with a 13-2 major decision over Bucknell's Jamie Westwood as the Panthers defeated the Bison 27-12. 

With the three wins the seventh-ranked Loder improved his overall season record to 11-0. 

The conference weekly award is Loder's first of the season and fourth of his career. 

CAA announces Wrestlers, Rookies of the Month
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—Justin Lister of Binghamton University, John Hall of Boston University, Te Edwards of Old Dominion University and Jim Resnick of Rider University have been named the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestlers of the Month for all competition the first month of the 2011-12 season.

Pete Baldwin of Old Dominion and Nick Gwiazdowski of Binghamton were named the CAA Rookies of the Month.

Lister, a senior from Rodman, NY (South Jefferson High), began the season 10-1 and ranked fifth by WIN, sixth by InterMat and seventh by Amateur Wrestling News at 157. He defeated an All-American from Harvard and picked up five pins, his only loss (6-2) coming to the two-time National Champion from Cornell.

Hall, a senior from Palo Alto, CA, began the season 8-0, winning his 197 weight class at the Keystone Classic and leading his Terriers to a dual meet win over Iowa State.  Hall begins the season ranked 13th by AWN, 14th by InterMat and 16th by WIN.

Edwards, a senior from Virginia Beach, VA (Cox High), begins the season 8-1, winning his 174 weight class at the Hokie Open. Edwards won two of three matches against top-10 opponents this season from Iowa State and The Citadel, and also pinned the 24th ranked wrestler from North Carolina. Edwards is ranked seventh by AWN, ninth by InterMat and 10th by WIN.

Resnick, a junior from Media, PA (Penncrest), won his 174 weight class at both the Keystone Classic and the Binghamton Open to begin the season 11-1 and ranked seventh by WIN, 12th by AWN and 13th by InterMat.

Baldwin, a freshman from Kissimmee, FL (Osceola High), began his collegiate career 9-2 with two falls and a major decision. He placed third at 149 in the NC State Open and made it to the finals of the UNC Pembroke Classic.

Gwiazdowski, a freshman from Delanson, NY (Duanesburg High), began his rookie season 10-2, with victories over wrestlers from Purdue, E. Michigan and Virginia and picked up three pins.

As a conference the CAA began the season 18-5 with victories over Iowa State, North Carolina, Lock Haven, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Eastern Michigan and Army.

Kyle John named ACC Wrestler of the Week
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Maryland 157-pound senior Kyle John has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week after three convincing wins that helped the Terrapins go unbeaten in the Northeast Duals for first time in five trips to the Troy, N.Y., event.

John opened with a 12-2 major decision over Bucknell’s John Regan, helping the 12th-ranked Terps to a 40-0 team win. The Coopersburg, Pa., native then scored an 11-1 major decision over Northern Iowa’s 19th-ranked David Bonin, keying a 37-6 Maryland victory.

John, who holds the No. 16 spot in the latest InterMat weight class individual rankings, closed the day with a 16-0 technical fall over Central Michigan’s Malcolm Martin for points that proved crucial in Maryland’s 23-15 team victory over the 21st-ranked Chippewas.

Ernest James named PSAC Wrestler of the Week
EDINBORO, Pa. (Nov. 28, 2011) – Edinboro University’s Ernest James (Ridge, NY/ Longwood) has been named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week.  The sophomore won his lone match last week, upsetting ninth-ranked Brendan Barlow of Kent State.  James prevailed 5-3 in overtime thanks to a takedown.  He went into the match ranked 20th by InterMat.    

After going 17-16 a year ago, James is off to an 8-2 start this year.  More impressively, he has won four straight matches against nationally-ranked wrestlers while faced nationally-ranked wrestlers in five of his last six matches.

Edinboro is back in action on Friday, December 2 competing in the prestigious Las Vegas Invitational.

Chris Honeycutt named EWL Wrestler of the Week
EDINBORO, Pa. (Nov. 28, 2011) – Edinboro University’s Chris Honeycutt (North Ridgeville, OH/ St. Edward) has been named the Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Week.  The senior is off to a 10-0 start and took part last week in the 46th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic at Arizona State. 

Honeycutt posted the lone fall of the night, pinning two-time Division III national champion Byron Tate of Wartburg in 32 seconds in the 197 lb. bout.  He then caught a redeye flight back from Phoenix, AZ and competed the next afternoon at Kent State.

Edinboro would go on to lose the dual with the Golden Flashes 22-15, but Honeycutt would claim his 100th career victory.  Recording a takedown in every period, he prevailed 7-0 over former national qualifier Keith Witt.  The decision gave Honeycutt a 100-20 career record.

Honeycutt earned All-American honors for the first time a year ago while competing at 184 lbs., coming in fifth at Nationals.  He moved up to 197 lbs. this year and has taken first place at the UB Open and the Michigan State Open.