Pac-12 announces wrestling honors
SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 Conference has announced the 2015 Pac-12 Wrestling awards. ARIZONA STATE’s Blake Stauffer was voted Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year, while BOISE STATE’s Geordan Martinez was named Pac-12 Wrestling Freshman/Newcomer of the Year. OREGON STATE’s Jim Zalesky was selected Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year for the fourth-straight season, becoming just the second head coach all-time to do so.
PAC-12 WRESTLER OF THE YEAR – Blake Stauffer, Arizona State – Stauffer wrapped up a redshirt junior season by placing fourth at the NCAA Championships at 184 pounds, earning All-American honors in the weight class. He went 37-3 on the year and extended his career record to 80-19. The Neosho, Mo., native also earned an individual title at 184 at the Pac-12 Championships, helping the Sun Devils finish second overall for their highest finish since they won the 2006 team title. It’s the 16th Wrestler of the Year accolade all-time for Arizona State and first since 2011.
PAC-12 FRESHMAN/NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – Geordan Martinez, Boise State – Martinez finished his debut season at Boise State with a record of 30-7, earning the Pac-12 title at 141 pounds to become the second Bronco freshman ever to win a Conference title. Martinez, a native of Peyton, Colo., helped the Broncos to a fourth-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships. The freshman also went 3-2 at the NCAA Championships, falling one victory shy of earning All-America status after being seeded eighth in the bracket.
PAC-12 WRESTLING COACH OF THE YEAR – Jim Zalesky, Oregon State – Zalesky earns his fourth-consecutive Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year honor and fifth in the past six seasons as the Beavers claimed their fourth-straight Pac-12 title. It marked the sixth Conference title in Zalesky’s nine seasons at the helm. Oregon State’s Joe Latham was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Meet as the Beavers picked up five individual titles, placing eight wrestlers in championship bouts. Oregon State also had seven wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships, where the Beavers finished 30th overall.