MAC Names Wrestler of the Week
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
MAC Wrestler of the Week
J’Den Cox, Missouri—Sophomore, Columbia, Mo.
Missouri sophomore J’Den Cox improved to a perfect 19-0 this season after claiming the 197-pound championship at the 2015 Southern Scuffle. Went 5-0 in the Scuffle last week, which included three wins over ranked opponents. Highlight wins came against No. 4 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) and No. 5 Connor Hartmann (Duke). Cox dominated throughout the two-day event, earning bonus points in three of his matches (MD, TF and Fall). The Scuffle championship marked his second event win of the year, as he also took home top honors at the Cyclone Open in November. Dating back to last season, the defending 197 pound National Champion has won 39 consecutive dual matches.
Additional Nominees:
Michael Shaw, Eastern Michigan—Junior, Bangor, Mich. (Allegan High School)
Eastern Michigan junior Michael Shaw had a three-win week with two victories at the Midlands Championships, Dec. 29-30, and notched a pin in the Eagles first MAC dual of the 2014-15 season. Shaw grabbed two-straight decisions at 141 lbs. before falling in an 11-3 major decision to Mitchell Port of Edinboro. On day two of the tournament, the redshirt-junior was unable to secure a win but bounced back five days later to notch his first MAC win of the season with a pin over Jesse Etherington of Northern Iowa in 3:58. The win gave the Eagles their only lead of the day as they went up 12-6 on the Panthers with two-straight pins after a forfeit in the 125 lb. bout. Shaw posts a 7-6 overall record, a 6-4 dual record and a 1-0 record in conference competition.
Mimmo Lytle, Kent State—Sophomore, Swanton, Ohio
Kent State sophomore Mimmo Lytle placed seventh at the Southern Scuffle Jan. 1-2 at Chattanooga’s Mackenzie Arena. Despite not earning one of the top 12 seeds, Lytle went 5-2 for the tournament, including a win over Chattanooga’s Jared Johnson, who was ranked No. 25 by Wrestling Report. Lytle did not allow more than two points in each of his five wins. He improved to 19-9 on the season.
Jarrett Jensen, Northern Iowa—Junior, Rapid City, S.D.
Northern Iowa junior Jarrett Jensen knocked off Eastern Michigan's Brandon Zeerip, who is ranked fourth in the MAC at 157 pounds. Jensen held Zeerip to just one escape in the dual at Northern Iowa last Saturday, winning 3-1. Jensen avenged a loss to Zeerip from last year at the MAC championships where he fell, 5-4. Jensen improved to 14-7 overall and 3-4 in duals. It was Jensen's first MAC dual, so he starts the season 1-0 in the MAC. Jensen also has four major decision wins and three falls so far this season. His fastest pin came in 26 seconds this year.
Shawn Scott, Northern Illinois—Sophomore, Holly, Mich. (Holly High School)
Northern Illinois sophomore Shawn Scott kept his great season going last week at the Midlands Championships, where he placed eighth at 197 pounds. The Holly, Michigan, native picked up three wins in Evanston, including overtime victories over Penn’s Frank Mattiace and Old Dominion’s Kevin Beazley along with a 16-2 major decision against Charles Kerkesner of Franklin & Marshall. Overall, Scott has a 17-7 record this year with five major decisions and a pin.
Jack Dechow, Old Dominion—Sophomore, Richmond, Ill. (Richmond Burton High School)
Old Dominion sophomore Jack Dechow was the second Monarch to make it to the semifinal round at the 52nd Midlands Championships. In round one of the 184-pound bracket, Dechow defeated Tanner Lynde from Purdue by a 12-2 major decision. He continued to shine, as he won by fall over NCAA West Regional third-place finisher Konner Witt of Air Force in 4:57. Dechow pulled out an overtime win in the third round over NCAA qualifier Austin Gabel of Virginia Tech, winning by a 3-1 decision in tie breaker one to advance to the semifinal round. In his first bout on day two, No. 4 Dechow recorded a win over No. 8 Sam Brooks from top-ranked Iowa by a 6-5 decision to advance to the championship bout in the 184 lbs. bracket. Dechow faced returning All American No. 2 in the nation Lorenzo Thomas from Penn in the first-place match, where he defeated the NCAA qualifier by a 13-5 major decision. Dechow became the first ever Midlands champion for Old Dominion.
