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Varner is Named ISU's Outstanding Wrestler

March 31, 2009

AMES, Iowa – Jake Varner, the 2008 197-pound NCAA champion and a three-time All-American, was named Iowa State’s Outstanding Wrestler Tuesday at the ISU Wrestling Awards Banquet held in Hilton Coliseum. Honored alongside Varner for garnering NCAA All-American accolades were Nick Gallick, Jon Reader and David Zabriskie. ISU also claimed its third straight conference team title for the first time in school history by tying Nebraska for first-place and placed third nationally.

Varner posted a 31-2 record in his junior campaign and beat Nebraska’s Craig Brester 2-1 this month to claim his individual title. A native of Bakersfield, Calif., Varner pinned 12 opponents this season and also received the team’s Most Falls Award and Bonus Points Award. In three years of action, Varner holds a 91-10 mark. The Dr. Wise Burroughs Leadership Award also went to Varner. This is the second time Varner won ISU's Outstanding Wrestling award.

For the third year in a row, Nick Fanthorpe received the Total Commitment Award. Fanthorpe closed out his junior season with a 21-6 record and his third trip to the NCAA Championships. The Cyclone was sidelined by injury through the middle of the season and still won the Most Takedowns Award. He won his second individual Big 12 crown at 133 pounds. Hailing from Naperville, Ill., he owns a career record of 83-23.

Sophomore Jon Reader notched the Most Near Falls Award. Reader earned All-America honors for the second time in his career with a fourth-place showing at 165-pounds. Reader, a native of Davison, Mich., finished at 30-8 on his sophomore campaign and stands at 60-17 for his career.

Max Mayfield, a freshman from Davenport, Iowa, won the Progress Award. As a redshirting freshman, Mayfield participated in five different open tournaments.

Joey DeMarie, a junior from Ames, Iowa, and freshman Matt Brown were given the Outstanding Academic Award. Four Cyclones were honored by the Big 12 Conference for academic achievement. Fanthorpe and Varner were both named to the league’s first team, while Tyler Clark and Cyler Sanderson were named to the second team.

Jeff Murphy was honored with the Great Cyclone Award. Mark and Kenna Spangler received the Outstanding Supporter Award.

---Courtesy of Iowa State University---

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