Simpson College's Nick Ackerman (right) -- a double-leg
amputee as an infant -- won the 2001 NCAA Division III
174 lb title -- and Outstanding Wrestler award -- by
upsetting defending champ Nick Slack of Augsburg, who
had a 60-match win streak
In the first year of NCAA Division III wrestling in 1974, an Outstanding Wrestler was named... and the tradition has continued for more than 35 years.
Here are the D3 OW winners:
2009 Michael Wilcox, Delaware Valley
2008 Josh Chelf, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse
2007 Matt Pyle, Luther
2006 Duane Bastress, York
2005 Ryan Allen, Wisconsin-LaCrosse
2004 Joe Moon, Augsburg
2003 Rami Ratel, Montclair State
2002 Jimmy Wallace, Wilmington
2001 Nick Ackerman, Simpson
2000 Josh Cagle, Augsburg
Long before he was an MMA/UFC star, Matt Hamill
was a national champion -- and two-time Outstanding
Wrestler award-winner -- for the Rochester Institute of
Technology
1999 Matt Hamill, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
1998 Matt Hamill, RIT
1997 Aaron Fitt, Lycoming
1996 Ross Vosburg, SUNY-Brockport
1995 Tom Layte, Augsburg
1994 Raphael Wilson, Augustana (Illinois)
1993 Gary Kroells, Augsburg
1992 Peter Wang, Chicago
1991 Bob Llorea, Wisconsin-Whitewater
1990 Bob Llorea, Wisconsin-Whitewater
1989 Peter Gonzalez, Montclair State
1988 Tim Jocoutot, College of New Jersey
1987 John Monaco, Montclair State
1986 Nick Milonas, Montclair State
1985 Tim Jocoutot, College of New Jersey
1984 Bob Glabeman, College of New Jersey
1983 Frank Famiano, SUNY-Brockport
1982 Frank Famiano, SUNY-Brockport
1981 Jeff Bouslog, Luther
1980 Tom Jacoutot, SUNY-Buffalo
1979 Jeff Freedman, Ashland
1978 Ken Mallory, Montclair State
1977 Andy Zook, Millersville
1976 Vince Tundo, Montclair State
1975 Nabil Gukatlov, Montclair State
1974 Jim Fallis, Lake Superior
Multi-time winners of Outstanding Wrestler awards:
Matt Hamill, RIT (2 times -- 1998, 1999)
Bob Llorea, Wisconsin-Whitewater (2 times -- 1990, 1991)
Tim Jacoutot, College of New Jersey (2 times -- 1989, 1985)
Frank Famiaro, SUNY-Brockport (2 times -- 1982, 1983)
Schools with more than one OW award:
Montclair State (7)
Augsburg (4)
College of New Jersey (3)
Luther (2)
RIT (2)
SUNY-Brockport (2)
Wisconsin-LaCrosse (2)
Wisconsin-Whitewater (2)
Two differently-abled Outstanding Wrestlers:
- Nick Ackerman of Simpson College in Iowa won the 174-pound title -- and the OW award -- at the 2001 NCAA Division III championships, despite having lost both of his legs below the knee as an infant because of a blood infection. Later that year, Ackerman won the 2001 Hodge Trophy, awarded to the nation's top college wrestler, along with Iowa State's Cael Sanderson.
- Matt Hamill was a two-time OW award-winner for Rochester Institute of Technology despite being deaf. He now successfully competes in MMA (mixed martial arts) competition, and, in fact, had been scheduled to compete in UFC 102 until forced out because of injury.
Resources
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Comments
Pretty sure 2004 is Joe Moon, not Aloon.
Pretty sure you're right. It is Joe Moon; I have fixed the text. Sorry about the typo... and thanks for bringing it to my attention
Love the articles, and I'm linking to them from my site d3wrestle.com
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