True freshman 157 pound wrestler Bryce Steiert has been named the MAC Wrestler of the week after earning his first career fall last Friday against Luke Fortuna of Missouri inside the West Gym.
This season marked a historic moment for Doug Schwab, with his decision to start Steiert being the first true freshman to ever start under the Panther head coach. So far Steiert is off to a 5-2 start for the Panthers, including winning the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open the previous weekend.
Steiert is a local product of Waverly-Shell Rock high school where he won two state titles for the Go-Hawks. Steiert was joined by fellow in-state prep Max Thomsen in joining the Panthers to give Schwab his first ever top five recruiting class this past offseason. He is the first freshman to start as a Panther since the 2010 season when former All-American Joey Lazor accomplished the same feat. Steiert is the first Panther to earn the conference honor this season.
UNI will head to Las Vegas starting tomorrow for the Cliff Keen Invite starting 11 a.m. (Central). The championships are set to start 5 p.m. (Central) Saturday.
Watch Steiert lay the hurt against Fortuna for his first career fall.
