MAC Wrestler of the Week
Anthony Noto, Lock Haven, Redshirt Freshman
Lima, NY (Honeoye Falls-Lima) – 125 lbs.
In a matchup with the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners, No. 27 Anthony Noto (Lima, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima (NC State)) got the Bald Eagles off to a strong start at 125 with an 8-3 decision over the Sooners 23rd-ranked Joey Prata. A decisive second period saw Noto take a 7-2 lead, which he would ride out in the third period for the impressive win. Later that day he earned a major decision victory over Virginia's Patrick McCormick with a dominating effort. On Saturday, Noto ran out to a 10-2 lead before a late-period tilt sealed the bout. Noto's turn in the waning seconds earned him the fall at the 2:55 mark over California Baptist's Dylan Ajtun. Noto wrapped up a 4-0 weekend with a 20-7 major decision over Bloomsburg's Bronson Garber victory to pick up his team-leading 21st win of the year. Noto has now won 18 consecutive bouts.
Other Nominees
Derek Spann, Buffalo, Graduate
Boonville, NY (Adirondak) – 133 lbs.
Derek Spann went 2-0 on the week, winning by technical fall over both of his opponents. Against LIU, he was able to earn the tech fall in the first period, winning 16-0 over LIU's Bryce Cockrell. He had a takedown, a 2-point near fall and three 4-point near falls to finish off Cockrell. Against Hofstra, Spann shutout Tyler Cymmerman, 15-0, for his second tech fall of the weekend. He had three more 4-point near falls in the match to bring his career total to 51 - breaking the program record for career 4-point near falls.
Aaron Bolo, Central Michigan, RS Senior
Iron Mountain, Mich. (Iron Mountain HS) -- 197 pounds lbs.
Central Michigan redshirt senior Aaron Bolo went 3-0 with a pin in helping the Central Michigan wrestling team to a perfect day as it captured the inaugural Chippewa Challenge on its home mat in McGuirk Arena. Bolo, wrestling at 197 pounds, posted a pin in 1:57 of Connor Bourne of American; took a 7-2 victory from Josh Loomer of Cal State Bakersfield; and finished the day with a 7-4 win over Chris Kober of Campbell. Bolo's win over Kober, who was ranked earlier this season, proved pivotal as it came in the penultimate match of the dual and put the Chippewas in front to stay, 16-15. The pin was Bolo's second of the season as he upped his season record to 7-4. The Chippewas defeated CSU Bakersfield, 31-6; American, 36-3; and 25th-ranked Campbell, 19-15.
Jake Ferri, Kent State, 5th
Billerica, Mass – 125 lbs.
Ferri led the charge for the Golden Flashes at the prestigious Virginia Duals. He picked up a major decision win against power-5 Maryland and followed it up with a win over UT-Chattanooga's Fabian Gutierrez, who came into the weekend ranked in the top-25 in several rankings and top-20 in others. Ferri improved to 16-6 overall this season after the wins.
Mason Kauffman, NIU, Redshirt-Senior
Stratford, Wis. (Stratford/Eastern Michigan) -- 174 lbs.
Kauffman earned a 3-2 win over Ohio’s Sal Perrine in Saturday night’s dual at Victor E. Court. The redshirt-senior scored all three of his points in the second period and was able to hang on to defeat the #19 wrestler in the country in the 174-pound weight class by Intermat. It was Kauffman’s ninth win in his last 11 matches.
Alec Hagan, Ohio, Redshirt Senior
Eureka, Mo. – 149 lbs.
Hagan's match against NIU's Cheloni on January 15 was close until the bitter end. After his opponent took a 1-0 lead in the second, Hagan won the match in the last 10 seconds with a takedown.
