Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska Claim Weekly Wrestling Honors

Co-Wrestlers of the Week
Drake Ayala, Iowa
133 pounds – Jr. – Fort Dodge, Iowa – Fort Dodge

Defeated No. 2 Lucas Byrd, 4-2, to help the Hawkeyes to a top-10 dual win against No. 9 Illinois
Used a third period takedown with 40 seconds left to win the top-five matchup
Improved to 11-1 on the season, his fourth win against a ranked opponent and extended his winning streak to 10
Last Iowa Wrestler of the Week: Kyle Parco (Jan. 9, 2025)

Ridge Lovett, Nebraska
149 pounds – Gr. – Post Falls, Idaho – Post Falls

Put bonus points on the board for Nebraska with a major decision over No. 2 Shayne Van Ness in the Huskers' dual against No. 1 Penn State
Used a takedown, ride time and four nearfall points to take down Van Ness and hand him his first loss since 2023
Lovett won 10-2, his second major decision win, first top-five win, and third top-10 win, of the season
Last Nebraska Wrestler of the Week: Antrell Taylor (Dec. 12, 2024)

Freshman of the Week
Beau Mantanona, Michigan
165 pounds – Bermuda Dunes, Calif. – Palm Desert

Earned a pair of ranked wins on the Wolverines' weekend road trip, defeating Northwestern's No. 18 Max Mayyfield, 4-3, and Minnesota's No. 9 Andrew Sparks, 7-4
Posted two first-period duck-under takedowns to beat Sparks, clinching the highest ranked win of his college career to date
Mantanona, who missed all the first semester with injury, improved to 7-1 since returning this month
Last Michigan Freshman of the Week honoree: Brock Mantanona (Nov. 27, 2024)

2024-25 Big Ten Wrestler of the Week

Nov. 7

W: Joseph Walker, Sr., MICH

F: Ben Davino, OSU

Nov. 14

W: Matt Ramos, Sr., PUR

F: Kannon Webster, ILL

F: Max McEnelly, MINN

Nov. 21

W: Ridge Lovett, Sr., NEB

F: Charlie Millard, MINN

Nov. 27

W: Mitchell Mesenbrink, So., PSU

F: Brock Mantanona, MICH

Dec. 5

W: Max McEnelly, Fr., MINN

F: Max McEnelly, MINN

Dec. 12

W: Antrell Taylor, So., NEB

W: Matt Ramos, Sr., PUR

F: Josh Barr, PSU

Dec. 19

W: Beau Bartlett, Sr., PSU

F: Luke Lilledahl, PSU

Dec. 27

W: Jesse Mendez, Jr., OSU

F: Josh Barr, PSU

Jan. 9

W: Kyle Parco, Sr., IOWA

F: Zack Ryder, PSU

Jan. 16

W: Jaxon Smith, Jr., MD

W: Greg Kerkvliet, Sr., PSU

F: Christopher Minto, NEB

Jan. 23

W: Drake Ayala, Jr., IOWA

W: Ridge Lovett, Gr., NEB

F: Brock Mantanona, MICH