(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) – For the first time in program history, the Thomas More University wrestling team earned an NAIA Wrestler of the Week honor in the form of junior heavyweight
Daulton Mayer (Mentor, Ky./Walton-Verona). Mayer is coming off a strong weekend at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in which he went 3-2 overall and was the lone Saint to advance to day two of competition in a field littered with NCAA Division I wrestlers.
He began day one with a 4-0 shutout of Brown University's Thomas Mukai, but then ran into University of Wisconsin's Trent Hillger. Hillger was the fourth ranked heavyweight in the bracket, the 13th ranked Division I heavyweight on wrestlestat.com, and the 11th ranked heavyweight on intermatwrestle.com. He fell to Hillger by major decision (14-1) to move into the consolation bracket.
Mayer would shutout Franklin & Marshall College's Vincenzo Pelusi 4-0, before making a huge statement against University of Missouri's Ryan Boersma. Needing a win to move into day two, Mayer made quick work of the Tiger, by way of a fall in 53 seconds.
Day two saw Mayer matchup with the number seven ranked wrestler in the bracket, University of Pennsylvania's Ben Goldin. Goldin is also the 32nd ranked heavyweight on wrestlestat.com and 27th on intermatwrestle.com. Mayer competed hard, but ultimately fell by a 7-1 decision in his final match of the tournament.
Mayer leads the Saints with 15 wins this season and is 15-3 overall. He also leads the team with 10 falls and is tied for the team-lead with one technical fall and three decision victories.
Thomas More is back in action inside the Connor Convocation Center on Sunday afternoon at Noon against their crosstown rival, the Mount St. Joseph University Lions.
