The St. Cloud State University Wrestling team announced its 2011-12 team award winners at the annual SCSU Wrestling Awards Banquet, which was held on April 13 at the St. Cloud Holiday Inn in St. Cloud, Minn.
Seniors Tad Merritt and Derek Skala were recognized as the team’s Dean Weisman Wrestler of the Year award winners for 2011-12, and SCSU Athletic Director Dr. Morris Kurtz was this year’s inductee into SCSU “Jack Gause” Husky Wrestling Hall of Fame.
SCSU ended its 2011-12 season with a perfect 21-0 overall record, which included a first place finish in the always rugged Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, a first place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division II Super Region 3 tournament and a first place finish at the 2012 NWCA Division II National Duals tournament.
At the 2012 NCAA Division II championships, SCSU finished as the runner-up for the second consecutive season. Skala led the Huskies at the NCAA tournament with a first place finish at 184-pounds, while Merritt gained the tournament’s Most Dominant Wrestler Award.
Listed below is a complete rundown of this year’s award winners for Husky Wrestling:
Captain Award
Jacob Kahnke, Tad Merritt, Lucas Munkelwitz, Derek Skala, Jacob Tabbert
Scholar of the Year Award
Ben McPhail (3.88)
NSIC All-Academic Award
Chris Brassell, Trent Herold, Jacob R. Horn, Jacob Kahnke
NCAA DII All-Academic Award
Chris Brassell, Trent Herold, Jacob D. Horn, Jacob R. Horn, Jacob Kahnke, Tyler Mathison, Ben McPhail, Lucas Munkelwitz
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week Award
Jacob Kahnke, Tad Merritt (2). Luke Munkelwitz, Andy Pokorny
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – All Conference Award
Jacob D. Horn, Jacob Kahnke, Tad Merritt, Luke Munkelwitz, Shamus O’Grady, Andy Pokorny, Derek Skala
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Championship Team
2011-12 Team Members
20 Match Winner Award
Jack Barnes (21), Jay Hildreth (23), Josh Howk (22), Matt Nelson (23), Andy Pokorny (22), Zach Stewart (20)
25 Match Winner Award
Lucas Munkelwitz (29), Clint Poster (27)
30 Match Winner Award
Derek Skala (31)
35 Match Winner Award
Jacob Kahnke (36), Tad Merritt (38)
Most Falls Award & NCAA DII Most Falls Award
Tad Merritt (18)
Most Improved Wrestler Award
Jack Barnes, Chris Brassell, Kurt Salmen, Dylan Wright
“Jim & Dave Hazewinkel” Tough Man of the Year Award
Josh Howk, Jacob Kahnke, Lucas Munkelwitz
Iron Man of the Year Award
Tad Merritt, Jay Hildreth, Josh Howk, Shaun Little, Matt Nelson, Clint Poster
“Jim Sundgren” Most Courageous Wrestler Award
Tad Merritt
SCSU Wrestling “Buzz Saw” Award
Andy Pokorny
NCAA DII National Qualifier Award
Jacob D. Horn, Jacob Kahnke, Tad Merritt, Luke Munkelwitz, Shamus O’Grady, Andy Pokorny, Derek Skala
NCAA DII All-American Award
Jacob Kahnke, Tad Merritt, Luke Munkelwitz, Shamus O’Grady, Andy Pokorny, Derek Skala
NCAA DII National Champion Award
Derek Skala
Red-Shirt Wrestler of the Year Award
Matt Nelson, Clint Poster
“Dean Weisman” Wrestler of the Year Award
Tad Merritt, Derek Skala
Husky Appreciation Award
Sonia Caputo, Kayla Mitteness, Stephanie Nelson, Kristine Schiller, Russ Jacobson, Dennis Quinn, Katy Leppa
Coaching Appreciation Award
Mike Farrell, Josh Joriman, Jeremy Lang, John Peterson, Tyson Reiner, Brady Wilson
Alumni Achievement Award
Jim Short, ’70
“Jack Gause” Husky Wrestling Hall of Fame Award
Dr. Morris Kurtz
Wrestler of the Week Awards
Derek Skala – Daktronics Open, Harold Nichols Open, La Crosse Duals, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, Concordia/MSU-Moorhead Duals, Augustana/SMSU Duals, SJU Dual, UI Dual, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3, NCAA’s
Jacob Kahnke – Daktronics Open, Harold Nichols Open, La Crosse Duals, Husky Open, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, Concordia/MSU-Moorhead Duals, Augustana/SMSU Duals, SJU Dual, UI Dual, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3. NCAA’s
Jay Hildreth – Harold Nichols Open, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, Eau Claire/Concordia Duals, Augustana Dual, SJU Dual, UI Dual, MSU-Mankato Dual
Matt Nelson – Harold Nichols Open, Dragon Open, Warrior Open, Worthington Open
Clint Poster – Harold Nichols Open, Dragon Open
Lucas Munkelwitz – Harold Nichols Open, Cobber Open, La Crosse Duals, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, Concordia/MSU-Moorhead Duals, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3, NCAA’s
Brady Johnshoy – Cobber Open, Worthington Open
Tad Merritt – Cobber Open, Husky Open, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, Concordia/MSU-Moorhead Duals, Augustana/SMSU Duals, SJU Dual, UI Dual, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3, NCAA’s
Cody Paulsen – La Crosse Duals
Andy Pokorny – La Crosse Duals, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, SMSU Dual, SJU Dual, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3, NCAA’s
Matt Leibforth – La Crosse Duals, NWCA Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, MSU-Moorhead Dual, SMSU Dual
Cullan Morrissey – La Crosse Duals
Josh Howk – La Crosse Duals, NWCA Duals, SJU Dual
Dan Dick – La Crosse Duals, Husky Open, NWCA Duals
Kurt Salmen – La Crosse Duals, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, Eau Claire Dual
Shamus O’Grady – La Crosse Duals, GCU Duals, North Country Open, UI Dual, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3, NCAA’s
Mic Berg – La Crosse Duals, GCU Duals, NWCA Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, MSU-Moorhead Dual, Augustana Dual
Chris Brassell – La Crosse Duals, Warrior Open, Eau Claire Dual, SMSU Dual
Zach Stewart – Husky Open, NWCA Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, MSU-Moorhead Dual
Dylan Wright – NWCA Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, Augustana Dual, SJU Dual
Eric Forde – NWCA Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, Eau Claire/Concordia Duals, SMSU Dual
Jacob D. Horn – NWCA Duals, UI Dual, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3, NCAA’s
Jack Barnes – Warrior Open, Eau Claire Dual, North Country Open
Trey Griffin – Warrior Open
Ben McPhail – Eau Claire Dual
Jacob R. Horn – Eau Claire/Concordia/MSU-Moorhead Duals
Shaun Little – North Country Open
Tough Man of the Week Awards
Tad Merritt – Daktronics Open, La Crosse Duals
Zach Stewart – Daktronics Open, Harold Nichols Open, Cobber Open, La Crosse Duals, North Country Open
Dylan Wright – Daktronics Open, Harold Nichols Open, La Crosse Duals, GCU Duals, UI Dual
Jacob R. Horn – Daktronics Open, La Crosse Duals, Augustana/SMSU Dual
Clint Poster – Daktronics Open, Warrior Open, Worthington Open, North Country Open
Chris Brassell – Daktronics Open, North Country Open, UI Dual
Josh Howk – Harold Nichols Open, Cobber Open, GCU Duals, NSU/Mary Duals, Eau Claire/Concordia/MSU-Moorhead Duals, Augustana/SMSU Duals, MSU-Mankato Dual, Super Region 3
Cody Tibbetts – Harold Nichols Open, Dragon Open
Kurt Salmen – Harold Nichols Open, Cobber Open, Husky Open
Trey Griffin – Harold Nichols Open, Cobber Open, Worthington Open, North Country Open
Shaun Little – Harold Nichols Open, Warrior Open
Andy Pokorny – Cobber Open, Husky Open, UI Dual
Jay Hildreth – Cobber Open, La Crosse Duals, Super Region 3
Jacob D. Horn – Cobber Open, Husky Open, GCU Duals
Dan Dick – Harold Nichols Open, Cobber Open, NSU/Mary Duals, Eau Claire/Concordia/MSU-Moorhead Duals
Mic Berg – Cobber Open, Husky Open
Jared Kust – Cobber Open, Dragon Open, Warrior Open, North Country Open
Chip Erickson – Cobber Open, Dragon Open, Worthington Open, North Country Open
Ben McPhail – Dragon Open
Jack Barnes – Dragon Open
Brady Johnshoy – Dragon Open, Warrior Open
Matt Leibforth – Husky Open, GCU Duals, North Country Open
Luke Munkelwitz – Husky Open
Eric Forde – GCU Duals, North Country Open, Super Region 3
Cody Paulsen – Worthington Open
Matt Nelson – North Country Open