Photo by: Tyson Murray/All-Pro Photography
Mountaineers Awarded at Annual Banquet
April 15, 2019 04:21 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University wrestling team celebrated the 2018-19 season with family, friends and fans last Saturday at Touchdown Terrace inside Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown.
At the event, first-year coach Tim Flynn and staff honored this year's seniors and handed out a number of yearly awards.
"It was a great night honoring our guys and all the hard work they put in this year," Flynn said. "We wish Joe [Wheeling] and Christian [Monserrat] the best of luck as they graduate; we know they will make us proud. I am already excited for next year. Let's Go Mountaineers!"
Redshirt senior Christian Monserrat, a native of Methuen, Massachusetts, was presented with the team's Most Valuable Wrestler award. The 149-pound grappler led the team with 24 victories, amassing a total of 70 wins in his five-year career at West Virginia. His senior campaign was highlighted by a 3-1 decision over then-No. 4 Justin Oliver of NC State on Jan. 13, marking his first-ever win over a top-five opponent. Monserrat, who was nationally ranked in the top 20 throughout the season, placed fourth at the 2019 Big 12 Wrestling Championship and qualified for his first NCAA Tournament in his final season in a Mountaineer singlet.
Redshirt sophomore Matthew Schmitt and Monserrat received this year's Outstanding Wrestler award. Schmitt, a native of Platte City, Missouri, ended the year with 18 victories, including seven major decisions and four technical falls. Schmitt, who topped a pair of ranked opponents throughout the season, advanced to the 133-pound Big 12 semifinals for the second consecutive year, eventually placing fourth overall to become a two-time NCAA qualifier. He also posted a 5-0 mark in the 133-pound open division at the Hokie Open to claim his first tournament title on Nov. 4.
Redshirt freshman Noah Adams earned this year's Rookie of the Year award. Adams, a native of Coal City, West Virginia, tied for second on the team with 19 wins, notching six major decisions and two wins by fall on the year. The 197-pound wrestler earned a podium finish at this year's Big 12 Championship, placing fifth overall to make his debut at the NCAA Tournament.
Junior Brandon Ngati received this year's Most Improved Wrestler award. The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native more than tripled his career-win total this season, placing sixth in the heavyweight division at the Big 12 Championship to capture an automatic bid to Nationals for the first time in his career.
Freshman Tucker Nadeau won the team's Mountain Man award, which honors a wrestler that best exemplifies what it means to be a Mountaineer. It also is awarded to a student-athlete who strives to become a better person, teammate and student-athlete, as well as someone who is a good representative of the program, University and state. The Bigfork, Montana, native wrestled at several open tournaments throughout the season, claiming 10 wins at 165 pounds. Nadeau moved up two weight classes to cap his freshman campaign, competing at this year's Big 12 Championship in the 184-pound division. Off the mat, Nadeau, who is a world language, literature and linguistics major, earned a 4.0 grade point average in his first semester at WVU.
Additionally, redshirt freshman Sean Mullican earned this year's Iron Mountaineer award for his efforts in the weight room. The award was presented by strength and conditioning coach Tanner Kolb.
As a team, WVU maneuvered its way through a 12-team field to place ninth at this year's Big 12 Wrestling Championship. Five Mountaineers also punched their tickets to the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, with four of the five grapplers advancing to the second day of competition.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
At the event, first-year coach Tim Flynn and staff honored this year's seniors and handed out a number of yearly awards.
"It was a great night honoring our guys and all the hard work they put in this year," Flynn said. "We wish Joe [Wheeling] and Christian [Monserrat] the best of luck as they graduate; we know they will make us proud. I am already excited for next year. Let's Go Mountaineers!"
Redshirt senior Christian Monserrat, a native of Methuen, Massachusetts, was presented with the team's Most Valuable Wrestler award. The 149-pound grappler led the team with 24 victories, amassing a total of 70 wins in his five-year career at West Virginia. His senior campaign was highlighted by a 3-1 decision over then-No. 4 Justin Oliver of NC State on Jan. 13, marking his first-ever win over a top-five opponent. Monserrat, who was nationally ranked in the top 20 throughout the season, placed fourth at the 2019 Big 12 Wrestling Championship and qualified for his first NCAA Tournament in his final season in a Mountaineer singlet.
Redshirt sophomore Matthew Schmitt and Monserrat received this year's Outstanding Wrestler award. Schmitt, a native of Platte City, Missouri, ended the year with 18 victories, including seven major decisions and four technical falls. Schmitt, who topped a pair of ranked opponents throughout the season, advanced to the 133-pound Big 12 semifinals for the second consecutive year, eventually placing fourth overall to become a two-time NCAA qualifier. He also posted a 5-0 mark in the 133-pound open division at the Hokie Open to claim his first tournament title on Nov. 4.
Redshirt freshman Noah Adams earned this year's Rookie of the Year award. Adams, a native of Coal City, West Virginia, tied for second on the team with 19 wins, notching six major decisions and two wins by fall on the year. The 197-pound wrestler earned a podium finish at this year's Big 12 Championship, placing fifth overall to make his debut at the NCAA Tournament.
Junior Brandon Ngati received this year's Most Improved Wrestler award. The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native more than tripled his career-win total this season, placing sixth in the heavyweight division at the Big 12 Championship to capture an automatic bid to Nationals for the first time in his career.
Freshman Tucker Nadeau won the team's Mountain Man award, which honors a wrestler that best exemplifies what it means to be a Mountaineer. It also is awarded to a student-athlete who strives to become a better person, teammate and student-athlete, as well as someone who is a good representative of the program, University and state. The Bigfork, Montana, native wrestled at several open tournaments throughout the season, claiming 10 wins at 165 pounds. Nadeau moved up two weight classes to cap his freshman campaign, competing at this year's Big 12 Championship in the 184-pound division. Off the mat, Nadeau, who is a world language, literature and linguistics major, earned a 4.0 grade point average in his first semester at WVU.
Additionally, redshirt freshman Sean Mullican earned this year's Iron Mountaineer award for his efforts in the weight room. The award was presented by strength and conditioning coach Tanner Kolb.
As a team, WVU maneuvered its way through a 12-team field to place ninth at this year's Big 12 Wrestling Championship. Five Mountaineers also punched their tickets to the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, with four of the five grapplers advancing to the second day of competition.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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