LeBlanc named WWC co-wrestler of the week

Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm

http://www.wyomingathletics.com/sports/ ... 10aaa.html
Feb. 9, 2010

LARAMIE, Wyo. -

Wyoming sophomore 184-pounder Joe LeBlanc (Meeker, Colo./Meeker HS) and Air Force freshman 141-pounder Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn./Jackson County Central HS) have been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Co-Wrestlers of the Week as announced today by the league.

UW's All-American LeBlanc helped his team improve to 5-0 in the WWC with two dominating performances against league opponents on the road this past weekend, while VonOhlen led the Falcons to a second-place finish at the 16th-annual All-Academy Championships, earning an individual title in his first appearance at the event.

On Friday night against South Dakota State, LeBlanc, No. 9 ranked at 184 pounds, was leading 14-4 over David Michaud before getting his ninth fall of the season at 4:15. On Sunday against North Dakota State, he delivered with an 18-2 technical fall win over Kenny Moenkedick. LeBlanc racked up four takedowns and three nearfalls on his way to his 30th win of the season. It was also his 11th technical fall this year.

LeBlanc's overall record is now 30-4 with 24 bonus point margins (11 tech falls, nine pins and four major decisions). He has a 12-1 dual record this year, contributing a gaudy 57 team points and is 5-0 in the WWC.

VonOhlen, ranked 15th in the nation at 141 pounds, recorded falls in all three of his weekend matches, pinning Norwich's Nick Monaco in a time of 1:20 in the opening round, while notching a fall over fourth-seed David Yost of VMI in a time of 1:42. In the championship match versus Navy's Matt Pagan, seeded second, VonOhlen held a 3-2 advantage in the waning moments of the bout, before pinning Pagan with just one second remaining on the clock.

The true freshman from the Air Force Academy now has a team-best 12 falls on the year and improved his record to 26-5 overall.

This is the second time during the 2009-10 season that VonOhlen has won the WWC weekly award, the first this year for LeBlanc and the second of his career.

The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming.