April 5, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford senior Nick Amuchastegui is the unanimous pick for the Pac-12 Conference Wrestler of the Year, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today.
Amuchastegui finished the season 24-1, dropping his only match of the year in the NCAA finals. He is the second Cardinal to be named Conference Wrestler of the Year, as Matt Gentry earned the honor in 2004. The duo are the only Stanford wrestlers to reach the NCAA finals, with Amuchastegui being the first two reach it twice.
"Nick has set the standard for all future Stanford wrestlers and will be greatly missed," said Stanford head coach Jason Borrelli. "As sad as we are to lose him as a wrestler, we look forward to welcoming him to our list of outstanding alumni!"
The senior concludes his collegiate career with a 118-19 overall record, marking the fourth-best win total in program history. Amuchastegui competed in four NCAA Championships, earning All-America status on three occasions. He joins former Cardinal Tanner Gardner as the only three-time All-Americans in school history.
Amuchastegui is also a two-time conference champion, winning the 165-pound title in 2010 and the 174-pound crown this season. He finished as the conference runner-up as a redshirt freshman and a junior. His 18 career pins ties for the eighth-most by a Cardinal wrestler, while his 24 consecutive victories this season is the second-best streak in school history.
"Nick is truly an outstanding individual and one of the most amazing people I have ever met," stated Borrelli. "He is a man of the highest caliber who possesses the hallmarks of success: intelligence, self-motivation, integrity, leadership, selflessness, and courage."
A two-time NCAA Elite 88 Award winner, Amuchastegui was the Capital One/CoSIDA Men's At-Large Academic All-American of the Year in 2011.
Taking home the Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year award was Cal Poly's Dominic Kastl, while Jim Zalesky of Oregon State was honored as the Coach of the Year.