Wrestling: Villers Earns EWL Wrestler of the Week
February 25, 2008 03:22 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
February 25, 2008
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| Jared Villers' torrid stretch has contributed to his second career EWL wrestler of the week award.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University wrestler Jared Villers has earned Eastern Wrestling League wrestler of the week honors after recording two victories this weekend over Edinboro and Cleveland State.
The 197-pound senior also received the annual EWL award for Most Points in intra-league dual meets, garnering 29 total dual points against EWL competition this season. His accomplishment tops 14 other nationally-ranked grapplers in the league.
“This is a very significant accomplishment for Jared,” says WVU Head Coach Craig Turnbull. “Of all the great EWL wrestlers, it shows his dominance throughout the season in his weight class and puts him in an elite category.”
The Akron, Ohio, native went 13-0 in dual matches this season and outscored his EWL opponents, 72-5. In his final seven matches he registered four consecutive technical falls, a pin fall and two major decisions.
Ranked No. 14 in the country by the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll, Villers ended the regular season with a pin fall over Edinboro’s Pat Bradshaw in 6:23, followed by a 10-0 major decision over Cleveland State’s Benny Balogh.
Villers finished with a team-leading 17-2 overall record, and earned fourth place against some of the top NCAA wrestlers at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev. Carrying an 11-match winning streak, his last loss occurred on Dec. 1, 2007, in the third place match of the invitational.
“It’s a nice recognition for his outstanding work this year, and hopefully he can take it into the EWL tournament,” says Turnbull.
Villers earns the second EWL weekly honor of his career, and joins senior Zac Fryling and junior Kurt Brenner in winning the award this season.
The Mountaineers (8-5, 4-2 EWL) have finished their regular season and will prepare for the annual EWL tournament on Saturday, March 8, at the Fitzgerald Field House in Pittsburgh, Pa. WVU looks to qualify several wrestlers for the NCAA tournament in St. Louis, Mo., on March 20-22.
