Feb. 22, 2011
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PARK RIDGE, Ill. — Sunday’s big victory for University of Iowa senior 197-pounder Luke Lofthouse has earned him this week’s Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honors. Lofthouse, who is ranked seventh in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News and W.I.N. Magazine, and eighth by Intermat, closed out his collegiate dual career with a 7-4 victory over Minnesota’s Sonny Yohn, helping the second-ranked Hawkeyes to their fourth-straight Big Ten regular season title. Iowa also extended its unbeaten dual streak to 77 with Sunday’s 19-12 win over No. 5 Minnesota, ending the regular season with a 15-0-1 record.
Iowa had a narrow 13-12 lead over the Golden Gophers, when Lofthouse, who entered the dual ranked eighth in the nation, took the mat against Yohn, who was ranked between fourth and seventh. Trailing Yohn, 3-2, at the start of the third period, the Hawkeye senior scored a quick escape to tie the score and added two takedowns in the final minute to give Iowa a 16-12 lead going into the final bout.
Lofthouse is 17-4 this season, going 13-2 in duals and 7-0 in Big Ten duals. He ends the regular season on a six-match winning streak. This is his first career Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honor. Hawkeye sophomore Matt McDonough (125) is the only other Iowa wrestler to earn the honor this season, picking it up Feb. 1 after wins over Northwestern and Penn State.
Up next for Iowa is a trip to the 2011 Big Ten Championships. The event will be held March 5-6 at Northwestern University’s Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. Tickets are available from the Northwestern University ticket office at 888-GO-PURPLE. Iowa has won 34 conference team titles, including the last three.