Michigan’s Parris wins Hodge Trophy as top college wrestler

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Michigan’s Mason Parris, who went unbeaten while winning the NCAA heavyweight championship, has been named winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top college wrestler.

WIN magazine on Monday announced Parris received 38 of 64 first-place votes from a panel of retired coaches, a representative from each of the national wrestling organizations, media members, past winners and fans.

Three-time national champion Carter Starocci of Penn State finished second in the voting and four-time champion Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell was third.

Parris went 33-0 this season and earned bonus points in 64% of his wins with 11 falls, three technical falls and seven major decisions. He averaged three takedowns and 9.7 points per match this season, and 17 of his wins were against nationally ranked opponents.

He outscored his opponents 49-6 in the NCAA championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this month, beating Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet 5-1 in the title bout.

Parris is the third straight heavyweight to win the Hodge Trophy, which has been presented since 1995 and is named for the undefeated, three-time NCAA champion for Oklahoma from 1955-57.

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