Wrestler of the Week: Byron Tate

The d3wrestle.com/WWsport.com Wrestler of the Week for this week is Byron Tate of Wartburg.  The junior from Clinton, Iowa, was the 197 lb. champion at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open this past weekend in Ames, Iowa.  Tate recorded three falls and a major decision on his way to the finals where he met Jerome Ward of Iowa State, the #10 ranked wrestler in Division I at the time of the match.  Tate scored an 8-5 decision over the Cyclone to become the only Division III champion at the event and run his record to a perfect 5-0 on the year.

Tate was the 197 lb. NCAA Champion a year ago for the Knights after entering the tournament as the #5 seed.  He defeated both of the previous year’s finalists on his way to the title and a 39-6 season record.  After a 15-6 record as a freshman, Tate now has a career record of 59-12.  In high school, Tate was a three time state placewinner and 2008 Iowa state champion, even though he only began wrestling during his freshman year of high school.  Wartburg splits their squad this week at a pair of opens with some wrestlers going to the Augie-Brute-Adidas Open and others headed to the Concordia Open.