KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the second time this season Marty Verhaeghe has been named MIAA Wrestler of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office. It is the third week in a row that a Tiger has earned the weekly conference honor, while no other school in the conference has more than one such award this season.
The senior fought his way to a first-place finish at the prestigious 42nd Midwest Classic over the weekend in Indianapolis (Dec. 18-19). Verhaeghe added five wins to his season total, including two victories over ranked opponents.
Currently ranked No. 11 at 184 pounds in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll, Verhaeghe defeated the 12th-ranked wrestler in Division II with an 8-0 major decision in the quarterfinals. He later added a 7-4 decision against the seventh-ranked wrestler in the country in the title bout. The Bucyrus, Kan. native also had two other decisions and one victory via injury default en route to his title.
Verhaeghe is just the third Tiger to win a championship at the long-running Midwest Classic, and the first to do so since 2004. In addition to the two ranked wrestlers he defeated, Verhaeghe also placed above the fourth- and 10th-ranked wrestlers at 184 pounds.
Verhaeghe is now 27-3 on the season, including wins in his last 11 matches. He placed in all six tournaments this fall, including three championships, two third-place finishes and one fourth-place finish.
Verhaeghe and his Tiger teammates will return to the mat Jan. 7-8 when FHSU opens its dual season at the NWCA National Duals in Louisville, Ky.
FHSU Athletics