WRESTLERS OF THE WEEK: Ottinger by MAC; Haas by SoCon; Lofstedt by NAIA; Rauser and Hyder by WWC; Schiller by Big Ten; Jimenez by RMAC; John and Taffur by CAA; O'Grady by NSIC

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01/23/2013


Ottinger Named MAC Wrestler of the Week

MOUNT PLEASANT — Central Michigan sophomore Mike Ottinger has been named the Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week, the league office announced Wednesday afternoon.

Ottinger earned a pair of key victories to help Central Michigan earn a weekend sweep of Mid-American Conference foes Northern Illinois and No. 7 Missouri. With the Chippewas trailing the Huskies, Ottinger swung the match with a key 13-5 major decision over Dan Burk to keep his record in MAC duals unblemished.

On Sunday, he was able to provide a critical win over No. 10 Zach Toal of Missouri by earning a takedown 39 seconds into sudden victory for a 6-4 decision. The win over Toal helped propelled Central Michigan to a 17-16 win over the Tigers, handing Mizzou its first loss of the season.

Haas named SoCon Wrestler of the Week

Spartanburg, S.C. – Bulldog 197-pounder Marshall Haas earned his first career wrestler of the week award from the Southern Conference office for his performance in The Citadel's win over Appalachian State last Friday.

With the Dogs down 10-7 halfway through the match, Haas swung the momentum back to his team with a huge first period pin at the 2:23 mark over Appalachian State's Paul Weiss. The six point fall sparked a string of four consecutive wins to put the match out of reach.

The loss snapped the Mountaineers' 11-match SoCon winning streak and moved the Bulldogs to the top of the league standings.

The weekly award is the fifth for a Bulldog wrestler this season. Heavyweight Odie Delaney took the award on Nov. 21 and 141-pounder Ugi Khishignyam won it three straight times from Dec. 12 to Jan. 3.

Lofstedt named NAIA Wrestler of the Week

Southern Oregon's Lofstedt records five pins in six matches to win weekly honor 

KANSAS CITY, Mo - Mitchell Lofstedt of Southern Oregon has been named the NAIA National Wrestler of the Week, announced Wednesday by the national office. Lofstedt was selected based on his performances from Jan. 14 - 20. 

Lofstedt, a native of Roseburg, Ore., went 6-0 on the weekend, helping Southern Oregon to wins against Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) and New Mexico Highlands at the Mile High Duals on Jan. 18, while also claiming the individual crown at 125 pounds at the Mile High Open on Jan. 19. Both events were held in Prescott, Ariz. During the dual event, Lofstedt went 3-0, including pin of seventh-ranked Sean Silva of Embry-Riddle and a 14-4 major decision over NCAA Division II second-ranked Kyle McCrite of Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

Lofstedt continued his dominant performance in the open competition by pinning all three of his opponents in a combined time of 5:42. He finished the weekend with five pins in six matches.

On the season, Lofstedt boasts a 39-2 overall record, including a 21-0 mark against NAIA opponents. Additionally, 26 of his 39 victories have come by pin. 

Nominees: Lonnie Brown, Midland (Neb.); Brandon Starkey, Concordia (Neb.); Vince Pezzuto, Cumberlands (Ky.); Jonathan Tiernan, Great Falls (Mont.); Brandon Gebhardt, Baker (Kan.); Joao Vicente, William Penn (Iowa); Daniel Mueller, Missouri Valley; Kidd Gomez, Oklahoma City; Kyle Gerlach, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.); Dillon Kifer, Jamestown (N.D.); Darryl Grayson, Indiana Tech; Zeke Hunt, Cumberland (Tenn.).

2012-13 NAIA Wrestlers of the Week
Week 1 (Jan. 9): Tyler Kacmarynski, Morningside (Iowa)
Week 2 (Jan. 16): Jarid Price, Baker (Kan.)
Week 3 (Jan. 23): Mitchell Lofstedt, Southern Oregon

UVU's Jade Rauser and Air Force's Dylan Hyder Named WWC Wrestler of the Week

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University 125-pound redshirt freshman Jade Rauser (Townsend, Mont./Broadwater HS) and Air Force Academy 133-pound sophomore Dylan Hyder (Yelm, Wash./Yelm HS) have been named Co-Western Wrestling Conference Wrestlers of the Week after both had outstanding performances on the mat last weekend. 

Rauser helped Utah Valley defeat Arizona State for the first time in school history by pinning his opponent last Friday.

With UVU trailing ASU 15-6 last Friday, Rauser helped the Wolverines turn things around by pinning the Sun Devils' Dalton Miller in 1:17. Rauser brought the standing-room-only crowd of 2,134 people to their feet with a quick takedown and pin of ASU's Miller to pull UVU to within 15-12 at the time. The redshirt freshman's pin started a rally in which the Wolverines went on to win the final four bouts of the dual, including three by bonus points, in UVU's 26-15 victory over ASU.

Rauser leads UVU with a 17-5 overall record and a perfect 4-0 mark in dual action. He also has seven wins by fall on the year.

Hyder helped lead the Falcons to a 3-0 record over the weekend, going undefeated in his three duals.

In AFA's 24-12 victory over Stanford, Hyder earned a 6-0 decision over Alex Manley. Against Menlo College, Hyder was Air Force's top scorer in a 37-3 win, pinning Zachary Johnson in a time of 1:28. Meanwhile, in the Falcons' 39-3 rout of Cal Poly on Sunday, Hyder earned his first win over a nationally ranked opponent this season, capturing a 4-3 victory over No. 20 Devon Lotito. Hyder is now 12-10 on the season and 6-2 in duals.

The conference honor is both Rauser and Hyder's first of the season and first of their careers.

Other Nominees:
North Dakota State: Steven Monk, 165 pounds, Jr., (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West HS)
South Dakota State: Joe Brewster, 165 pounds, So., (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South HS)
Wyoming: Tyler Cox, 125 pounds, So., (Gillette, Wyo./Campbell County HS)

Minnesota’s Schiller Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
Gophers’ sophomore scores decision over sixth-ranked opponent in team victory

Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
Scott Schiller, Minnesota
197 – So. – West Fargo, N.D. – West Fargo

· Posted a 4-2 decision over Illinois’ sixth-ranked Mario Gonzalez in Minnesota’s 18-14 win against the Fighting Illini
· The sophomore’s win put Minnesota ahead 15-14 in the dual, helping the Gophers secure a comeback victory and remain undefeated in conference play
· Holds a 16-3 record on the season, including a 5-0 mark in Big Ten action
· Earns the first weekly award of his career
· Last Minnesota Wrestler of the Week: Cody Yohn (Feb. 21, 2012)

2012-13 Big Ten Wrestlers of the Week
Nov. 6                   Tony Dallago, Jr., ILL
Nov. 13                 Michael McClure, Jr., MSU
Nov. 20                 Matt McDonough, Sr., IOWA
Nov. 27                 Daryl Thomas, Sr., ILL
Dec. 4                    Logan Stieber, So., OSU
Dec. 11                 Derek St. John, Jr., IOWA
Dec. 18                 Michael McClure, Jr., MSU
Jan. 2    Robert Kokesh, So., NEB and Jason Welch, Sr., NU
Jan. 8                     Ed Ruth, Jr., PSU
Jan. 15                  Jon Gingrich, So., PSU
Jan. 22                  Scott Schiller, So., MINN

Jimenez named RMAC Wrestler of the Week

Isaiah Jimenez
San Francisco State
Senior, 165
Chualar, Calif./Palma HS

Isaiah Jimenez, who ranks seventh in the nation at 165, led the way for the Gators at the University of Nebraska-Kearney Duals by posting a 4-0 record on the day, including two pins and two wins by decision. He was the only SF State grappler to remain undefeated on the day, taking down Trevor Grant (CSU-Pueblo) by fall at 2:05 in his first match. In his second bout, Jimenez scored a 4-2 decision
over Justin Samora of Adams State. He got his second pin against Newman’s 165 wrestler with 4:20 on the clock, and capped his day off by defeating eighth-ranked Dylan Granard of Colorado Mesa in a 4-3 struggle.

Hofstra’s John, Boston’s Taffur CAA Wrestlers of the Week

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—Jermaine John of Hofstra University and Nestor Taffur of Boston University are the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestlers of the Week for all competition January 15-21.  Connor Moran of Drexel University and Dane Harlowe of BU are the CAA Rookies of the Week.

John, a sophomore 174 from Brooklyn, NY (Bethpage), went 4-0 at the CAA Duals with a fall and a major decision. John is now 14-9 overall and 5-0 in the CAA.

Taffur, a junior 157 from Bound Brook, NJ (Bound Brook), went 3-0 at the CAA Duals last week with wins over the top two wrestlers in the CAA. Taffur is now 7-0 in duals, 4-0 in the CAA.

At the CAA Duals Old Dominion went 3-0 and is now the top ranked team in the CAA. Rider went 2-0, Hofstra 2-1, Binghamton 2-1, Boston U. was 1-2, Drexel was 0-2 and host George Mason was 0-4.

O'Grady Named NSIC Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 21

St. Cloud State University redshirt senior Shamus O'Grady (Coon Rapids) has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 21.  O'Grady earned a perfect 4-0 record last week at 184-pounds for the number one ranked Huskies and this marks the third team in 2012-13 that O'Grady has gained NSIC weekly honors.

O'Grady, the nation's number two ranked wrestler at 184-pounds, charted a 4-0 record for the Huskies over the past week to push his season totals to 26-1 in 2012-13. 

O'Grady opened the week with a 16-4 major decision over MSU Moorhead's Matt Lewellen on Jan. 17.  The Huskies went on to defeat the Dragons 34-4 in a match at Halenbeck Hall. 

On Jan. 19, O'Grady helped the Huskies earn three more dual wins at the Wisconsin-Parkside Ranger Duals in Kenosha, Wis.  O'Grady opened the tournament with a 13-0 major decision over Indianapolis' George Lopez.  SCSU went on to gain a 27-16 victory over Indianapolis. 

He continued his run in match two of the day with a 4:55 pin against the nation's number one ranked wrestler at 184-pounds, Adam Walters of Findlay.  O'Grady's six points helped the Huskies earn a big 31-7 win over #8 ranked Findlay.  To end the trip to Wisconsin, O'Grady posted a 2:40 pin against Andrew Krawulski of McKendree University. 

No. 1 SCSU went on to gain a 29-12 victory over McKendree, which moves its season record to 15-0, 2-0 NSIC.  This marks the third time this season O'Grady has been named NSIC Wrestler of the Week (11/12/12 & 12/10/12).