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Ben Askren named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for April 22-28

Craig Sesker USA Wrestling

04/28/2008

Ben Askren (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for April 22-28.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level.

Askren, a two-time NCAA champion and two-time Hodge Trophy winner at Missouri, captured the U.S. Nationals freestyle title at 74 kg/163 lbs. on April 26 in Las Vegas.

The third-seeded Askren downed No. 4 seed Tyrone Lewis 3-0, 3-2 in the finals to win his first U.S. Nationals title. Askren will be the No. 1 seed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on June 13-15 in Las Vegas.

Askren downed past National Team member Ramico Blackmon 8-4, 6-0 in the quarterfinals before downing past NCAA runner-up Ryan Churella 4-0, 5-2 in the semifinals. Churella had knocked off past World bronze medalist Donny Pritzlaff in the quarterfinals.

Askren, who started competing in freestyle full-time right after the 2007 college season, has turned in a strong season. Last fall, he won the Hargobind International in Canada before winning the New York AC Holiday International. He placed third at the Kiev International earlier this year.