Lewis Named TheMat.com Athlete of the Week
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John Fuller (TheMat.com)
03/17/2004
Ryan Lewis (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) has been named TheMat.com Athlete of the Week for the week of March 9-15. 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. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday. Lewis captured the 60 kg/132 lbs. gold medal at the North Regional Olympic Team Trials Qualifier in St. Joseph, Minn. on March 13. In the finals, Lewis defeated World champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson, 4-1. With the win, Lewis automatically qualifies for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Wrestling to be held in Indianapolis, Ind., May 21-23. Lewis has also won medals this year at the New York AC Christmas International and the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Lewis was a two-time NCAA finalist for the Univ. of Minnesota (2002-03). He transferred to Minnesota in 1999 following a successful freshman campaign at North Dakota State Univ., where he placed third in the 1999 Division II national tournament. THEMAT.COM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK FOR 2004 March 9-15 - Ryan Lewis (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) March 2-8 - Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) Feb. 24-March 1 - Brandon Paulson (Coon Rapids, Minn./Minnesota Storm) Feb. 17-23 - Alex Tsirtsis (Griffith, Ind.) Feb. 10-16 - Tyrone Lewis (El Reno, Okla.) Feb. 3-9 - Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) Jan. 27-Feb. 2 - Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) Jan. 20-26 - Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)