Mavs Nab Academic Honors
Eight University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestlers were named Academic All-Americans as selected by the National Wrestling Coaches Association this past week.
Two Mavericks, Ross Taplin and Cody Garcia were named to the first team. Six wrestlers, Jacob Marrs, Ryan Pankoke, Josh Heckendorn, Marcus Hilario, Steve Clayberg, and Tait Weatherbee, were second team selections.
Taplin, a junior from Abilene, Kan., is a speech communication major and is ranked No. 2 in the country at 174 pounds. It is the second consecutive year Taplin has earned first team honors.
Garcia is also a two-time NWCA Academic All-American, being named to the team the first time in 2006. Garcia is the No.1-raked 125-pounder in division II this season.
Marrs, a health/physical education major, is making his first appearance on the team. Marrs had been rated among the top wrestlers at 197 pounds the entire season.
Heckendorn, a redshirt freshman from Papillion, is majoring in secondary education and Spanish. He compiled a record of 12-9 on the year with his best finish, a fourth-place showing, coming at the Dana Open in January.
Hilario, a senior co-captain, is an education major at UNO. He finished his senior season as a Mav with a record of 13-13 and a 53-50 career mark.
Clayberg, a political science major, was 14-7 on the season with a second-place finish at the Hastings Open.
Pankoke has yet to settle on a major at UNO, but has excelled in both the class room and on the mat, compiling a record of 11-7 on the season.
Weatherbee, a sophomore majoring in business, has a record of 10-11 this year
and a 24-23 career make as a Mav.
UNO wrapped up their 2007-08 campaign last week with a third-place finish in the NCAA Division II National Championships. Garcia won his second national title at 125, while Taplin was the runner-up at 174 pounds. Marrs also placed at nationals, finishing third at 197.
Two Mavericks, Ross Taplin and Cody Garcia were named to the first team. Six wrestlers, Jacob Marrs, Ryan Pankoke, Josh Heckendorn, Marcus Hilario, Steve Clayberg, and Tait Weatherbee, were second team selections.
Taplin, a junior from Abilene, Kan., is a speech communication major and is ranked No. 2 in the country at 174 pounds. It is the second consecutive year Taplin has earned first team honors.
Garcia is also a two-time NWCA Academic All-American, being named to the team the first time in 2006. Garcia is the No.1-raked 125-pounder in division II this season.
Marrs, a health/physical education major, is making his first appearance on the team. Marrs had been rated among the top wrestlers at 197 pounds the entire season.
Heckendorn, a redshirt freshman from Papillion, is majoring in secondary education and Spanish. He compiled a record of 12-9 on the year with his best finish, a fourth-place showing, coming at the Dana Open in January.
Hilario, a senior co-captain, is an education major at UNO. He finished his senior season as a Mav with a record of 13-13 and a 53-50 career mark.
Clayberg, a political science major, was 14-7 on the season with a second-place finish at the Hastings Open.
Pankoke has yet to settle on a major at UNO, but has excelled in both the class room and on the mat, compiling a record of 11-7 on the season.
Weatherbee, a sophomore majoring in business, has a record of 10-11 this year
and a 24-23 career make as a Mav.
UNO wrapped up their 2007-08 campaign last week with a third-place finish in the NCAA Division II National Championships. Garcia won his second national title at 125, while Taplin was the runner-up at 174 pounds. Marrs also placed at nationals, finishing third at 197.
