Eastern Michigan Athletics
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Pizzuto Earns Academic All-MAC Honors
4/30/2014 1:27:00 PM | Wrestling
Redshirt-sophomore earned Academic All-MAC honors, while Nick Barber and Michael Shaw were Academic All-MAC Honorable Mention selections
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University redshirt-sophomore wrestler Vincent Pizzuto was selected to the Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team, while redshirt-sophomore Michael Shaw and redshirt-freshman Nicholas Barber were named to honorable mention list the Mid-American Conference office announced Wednesday, April 30. The award marks the first of Pizzuto's career after being named to the honorable mention list in 2013, while Shaw was named to the honorable mention list for the second-consecutive season. Barber earns honorable mention accolades for the first time in his career.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award. Outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments for the current season are only considered.
Ohio University holds the league standard with three members on the Academic All-MAC team, while Kent State University and Old Dominion University each placed two on the list. Eastern Michigan University, the University of Missouri and the University of Northern Iowa rounded out the list with one honoree apiece.
Pizzuto headlined the 133 lb. weight class for the Eagles in the 2013-14 season, boasting a 20-9 overall record with a 6-1 mark in Mid-American Conference competition. The North Jackson, Ohio native was named MAC Wrestler of the Week for the period ending Feb. 9 after posting a perfect 3-0 week on the mats and riding a seven-match win streak. The redshirt-sophomore grabbed a pin over No. 20 Matt Manley of Missouri and earned a major decision in the Eagles' dual against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Pizzuto secured victories over three ranked opponents in the 2013-14 campaign, while tallying 13 decisions, three major decisions, one technical fall and two pins en route to his first automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Pizzuto carries a 3.23 grade point average while studying criminal justice.
Shaw, a two-time Academic All-MAC honorable mention honoree, became a starter in the 10-man rotation midway through the season, moving between 141 and 149 lbs. The redshirt-sophomore picked up two wins at the MAC Championships after moving down to 141 lbs., grabbing a sixth-place finish and just missing out on an NCAA appearance. The Bangor, Mich. native secured three decisions and one pin on the season for the Green and White. Shaw maintains a 3.30 GPA while pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
The final honorable mention member, Barber, went 12-12 overall on the year and 10-8 in duals while posting a 2-5 Mid-American Conference record. The redshirt-freshman started the year at 141 lbs. for the Eagles before being moved up to 149 lbs. to close out the season. Barber tallied five pins, five major decisions and one fall on the season for the Green and White, while taking down one ranked opponent on the season. Barber holds a 3.71 GPA and is currently undecided on a major.
2014 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
^Vincent Pizzuto, Eastern Michigan
Tyler Buckwalter, Kent State
Mack McGuire, Kent State
Johnny Eblen, Missouri
Dylan Peters, Northern Iowa
*Spartak Chino, Ohio
*Jeremy Johnson, Ohio
Cody Walters, Ohio
Matt Tourdot, Old Dominion
Tristan Warner, Old Dominion
2014 Honorable Mention:
Ryan Therrien, Buffalo
*#@ Scott Mattingly, Central Michigan
Nicholas Barber, Eastern Michigan
^Michael Shaw, Eastern Michigan
T.J. Keklak, Kent State
Billy Chauncey, Northern Illinois
Shaun'Qae McMurtry, Northern Illinois
*Jarrett Jensen, Northern Iowa
Kevin Beazley, Old Dominion
Kevin Geoghegan, Old Dominion
*2013 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
^ 2013 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team – Honorable Mention
# 2012 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
@ 2011 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award. Outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments for the current season are only considered.
Ohio University holds the league standard with three members on the Academic All-MAC team, while Kent State University and Old Dominion University each placed two on the list. Eastern Michigan University, the University of Missouri and the University of Northern Iowa rounded out the list with one honoree apiece.
Pizzuto headlined the 133 lb. weight class for the Eagles in the 2013-14 season, boasting a 20-9 overall record with a 6-1 mark in Mid-American Conference competition. The North Jackson, Ohio native was named MAC Wrestler of the Week for the period ending Feb. 9 after posting a perfect 3-0 week on the mats and riding a seven-match win streak. The redshirt-sophomore grabbed a pin over No. 20 Matt Manley of Missouri and earned a major decision in the Eagles' dual against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Pizzuto secured victories over three ranked opponents in the 2013-14 campaign, while tallying 13 decisions, three major decisions, one technical fall and two pins en route to his first automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Pizzuto carries a 3.23 grade point average while studying criminal justice.
Shaw, a two-time Academic All-MAC honorable mention honoree, became a starter in the 10-man rotation midway through the season, moving between 141 and 149 lbs. The redshirt-sophomore picked up two wins at the MAC Championships after moving down to 141 lbs., grabbing a sixth-place finish and just missing out on an NCAA appearance. The Bangor, Mich. native secured three decisions and one pin on the season for the Green and White. Shaw maintains a 3.30 GPA while pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
The final honorable mention member, Barber, went 12-12 overall on the year and 10-8 in duals while posting a 2-5 Mid-American Conference record. The redshirt-freshman started the year at 141 lbs. for the Eagles before being moved up to 149 lbs. to close out the season. Barber tallied five pins, five major decisions and one fall on the season for the Green and White, while taking down one ranked opponent on the season. Barber holds a 3.71 GPA and is currently undecided on a major.
2014 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
^Vincent Pizzuto, Eastern Michigan
Tyler Buckwalter, Kent State
Mack McGuire, Kent State
Johnny Eblen, Missouri
Dylan Peters, Northern Iowa
*Spartak Chino, Ohio
*Jeremy Johnson, Ohio
Cody Walters, Ohio
Matt Tourdot, Old Dominion
Tristan Warner, Old Dominion
2014 Honorable Mention:
Ryan Therrien, Buffalo
*#@ Scott Mattingly, Central Michigan
Nicholas Barber, Eastern Michigan
^Michael Shaw, Eastern Michigan
T.J. Keklak, Kent State
Billy Chauncey, Northern Illinois
Shaun'Qae McMurtry, Northern Illinois
*Jarrett Jensen, Northern Iowa
Kevin Beazley, Old Dominion
Kevin Geoghegan, Old Dominion
*2013 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
^ 2013 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team – Honorable Mention
# 2012 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
@ 2011 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
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