MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
MAC Wrestler of the Week
Dom Bradley, Missouri—Senior, Blue Springs, Mo. (Blue Springs High School)
Missouri senior Dom Bradley is a perfect 8-0 on the year, and was 6-0 in the past week. At the Joe Parisi Open in Saint Charles, Mo. last weekend, Bradley won first place in the heavyweight bracket by winning five matches, three of which came via the fall. Those three pins came in a total of 6:59. In Mizzou's dual meet versus Baker, Bradley won in a decision 3-2 to solidify a 37-0 team win against Brandon Gebhardt, who is ranked No. 2 in the NAIA heavyweight rankings. Bradley is a senior and took an Olympic redshirt last season. He's ranked No. 2 in the nation in most polls.
Additional Nominees:
Mark Lewandowski, Buffalo—Senior, Depew, N.Y. (Lancaster High School)
Buffalo senior Mark Lewandowski won the 165 pound title at the New York State Collegiate Championship Saturday, winning five straight matches by a combined score of 74-7. Lewandowski was unstoppable all day long, recording four straight technical falls to earn a spot in the final at 165. The state title was the first in the senior's career, and his second straight title in his tournament season. He beat Binghamton's Adam Lepkowsky 16-1, John Fitzsimmons of NYU 15-0, Evan Connors of Ithaca College 15-0 and beat Jonathan Conroy 16-0 in just the first period of the semifinal round. He wasn't able to cap the day with a fifth tech fall, but still controlled from start to finish in a 12-6 win over Army's Paul Hancock.
Jared Germaine, Eastern Michigan—Junior, Saginaw, Mich. (Saginaw High School)
Eastern Michigan junior Jared Germaine was one of two Eagles wrestlers to open the season with a pair of victories over the weekend against Michigan State and Clarion. He was the only wrestler on the team to win both matches by major decision, topping Michigan State's Brennan Lyon, 11-3, and Clarion's Tyler Fraley, 12-3. Both of his matches resulted in the Eagles gaining the lead with Eastern Michigan jumping ahead of Michigan State, 7-6, and Clarion, 4-0. Germaine is now 4-2 on the season.
Casey Newburg, Kent State—Senior, Union, Ohio
Kent State senior Casey Newburg won a tournament title for the third consecutive week Saturday at the Navy Classic. Newburg went 4-0 with a pin and two major decisions, moving to 12-0 on the season. His only non-bonus-point victory of the tournament came in the finals with a 5-3 decision over Navy’s Paul Rands.
Joey Lazor, Northern Iowa—Junior, McDonough, Ga. (Union Grove High School)
Northern Iowa junior Joey Lazor had a strong start to his season after rehabbing an injury last year. Lazor opened his season by winning the 141-pound weight class at the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open in Moorhead, Minn. He won with a tech fall in his opening match and went on to record a second tech fall and a major decision. Lazor redshirted last year with his injury. His four wins for the day improved his career record to 34-22.
Cody Walters, Ohio—Freshman, Macedonia, Ohio
Ohio redshirt freshman Cody Walters won the 174 pound weight class to pace the Ohio University wrestling team to a fourth-place finish (64.5 points) at the 2012 Navy Classic this past Saturday afternoon inside Wesley Brown Fieldhouse. Walters won his weight class for the second-consecutive week after he went a perfect 4-0. He earned a spot in the championship match after he defeated Navy's William Miller. In the championship match, Walters defeated Kent State's Sam Wheeler 7-4.