d3wrestle.com All-Freshman Team
Here is the first annual d3wrestle.com All-Freshman Team for the 2009-2010 season. Continue reading for the d3wrestle.com Freshman of the Year.
125 – Austin Mogg, Buena Vista – 36-10, 5th IIAC, 5th NCAA
133 – Joe Grippi, Springfield – 23-4, 1st NEWA, NCAA Qualifier
141 – Jake Strausbaugh, Wabash – 41-11, 1st Midwest, NCAA Qualifier
149 – Emanual Ajagbe, Delaware Valley – 28-9, 2nd Midwest, NCAA Qualifier
157 – Ryan Warcynski, Dubuque – 15-15, 2nd IIAC, NCAA Qualifier
165 – Jordan Schulte, UW-Stevens Point – 24-11, 2nd WIAC, NCAA Qualifier
174 – Kyle Kwiat, Ohio Northern – 41-6, 1st OAC, 4th NCAA
184 – Lukas Pariso, Brockport – 22-11, 2nd Empire
197 – Brian Broll, Buena Vista – 31-13, 3rd IIAC, NCAA Qualifier
285 – Jamison Sacco, Western New England – 25-3, 1st NEWA, NCAA Qualifier
The d3wrestle.com Freshman of the Year for 2009-2010 is Kyle Kwiat of Ohio Northern University. Kwiat joined the Polar Bears after a stellar career at Tiffin Calvert where he was a three time place winner in the Ohio Division III state tournament, finishing 6th, 5th, and 3rd. He also graduated as the career wins leader at the school. Moving on to college, Kwiat got off to a good start and did not lose a match to a Division III opponent until he took on eventual NCAA champion Michael Schmitz at the Pete Willson Invitational in January.
In compiling a school record 41 wins on the year, Kwiat was 7th at the Midwest Classic, 3rd at the Pete Willson Invitational, and 2nd at the Ohio Northern Invitational. He moved steadily up the national rankings, settling into the #4 slot and holding it for much of the year. He entered the OAC tournament as a heavy favorite and came out on top for his first tournament title on the year. Moving on to the NCAA Tournament, he earned the #4 seed and made the quarterfinals with a 5-0 win over Sam Engelland of UW-Oshkosh. That set up a match with returning All-American Frank Heffernan of Wilkes. Kwiat defeated Heffernan 10-5 earlier in the year, but he needed overtime to win this time and secure All-American honors. After dropping his semifinal match to the eventual runner-up, Kwiat won again to make the consolation semifinals where he fell to #2 seed Zach Molitor of Augsburg to match his #4 seed with a fourth place finish.