Breyer Earns First Big Ten Wrestler of the Week Award
PARK RIDGE, Ill. — Senior/junior Willie Breyer (Oxford, Mich./Oxford HS), a member of the University of Michigan wrestling team, was named Big Ten Conference Wrestler of the Week on Wednesday (Feb. 16) in recognition of his weekend performance against Ohio State and Iowa.
Breyer capped the Wolverines’ dominant home victory over Ohio State last Friday (Feb. 11) by pinning fourth-ranked J.D. Bergman at 197 pounds. Starting the second period in the top position and trailing 2-1, Breyer capitalized on a Buckeye error by locking in a near-side cradle to roll Bergman to his back, ending the bout at the 3:36 mark.
Squaring off against Iowa’ Adam Fellers on Sunday (Feb. 13), the Wolverine again rallied from an early deficit to score a second-period takedown and claim a 4-2 decision. The performance, in the second-to-last bout, sealed the team victory for the Wolverines, keeping them undefeated in Big Ten competition.
Rebounding from an injury that kept him sidelined for six dual meets in late January, Breyer’s weekend performance placed him among the nation’s top 197-pounders for the second time this season, earning the No. 17 ranking by Amateur Wrestling News.
The weekly award is the first of his career for Breyer and gives the Wolverines their second distinction of the 2004-05 season, adding to senior/junior captain Ryan Churella’s (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) award following the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 3-4).
The Wolverines wrap up the regular-season portion of their schedule with a pair of Big Ten Conference dual meets this weekend. On Friday (Feb. 18), the Wolverines will travel north to East Lansing, Mich., to square off against intrastate rival No. 19 Michigan State at 7 p.m. at Jenison Field House. U-M will host its regular-season finale on Sunday (Feb. 20), taking on Purdue at 1 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
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