Wolverines Celebrate 2019-20 Season with Virtual Team Banquet

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan wrestling team held its annual postseason banquet virtually Thursday (May 14), during which it celebrated the 2019-20 season and four graduated seniors, and head coach Sean Bormet and the Wolverine coaching staff handed out several team awards.

Sophomore Mason Parris was named the Cliff Keen Most Outstanding Wrestler and swept the statistical category awards with 28 wins, 11 pins and 72 takedowns on the season. An NWCA first team All-American at heavyweight, Parris posted a near-perfect 28-1 record with 18 total bonus wins. He was the No. 2 seed for the NCAA Championships after claiming runner-up at the Big Ten tournament and, before that, capturing the heavyweight crown at the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He earned 11 wins over nationally ranked opposition and was 8-1 against the other seven wrestlers to earn All-America first team honors.

Sophomore/freshman Will Lewan claimed the Mark Churella Outstanding Freshman Award after earning NWCA second team All-America honors at 157 pounds. Lewan compiled a 21-7 mark in his first year in the Wolverine lineup, including two wins over top-10 opposition and a stout 10-3 dual-meet record. He placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships, previously capturing the 157-pound title at the Black Knight Invite and earned a No. 10 seed for the NCAA Championships.

Junior/sophomore Jack Medley was named the recipient of the Steve Fraser Mental Toughness Award after earning NWCA honorable mention All-America recognition this season and posting a 19-12 mark in his first full season in the starting lineup at 125 pounds, including three wins over other NWCA All-Americans. He placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships and was seeded No. 14 for what would have been his NCAA Championships debut. Medley also was named a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-American and an NWCA Academic All-American.

Fifth-year senior Jackson Striggow, one of two captains of the 2019-20 squad, was named the Pete Cornell Leadership Award winner. A three-year starter at 197 pounds, Striggow qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time this season after claiming a seventh-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Striggow posted a 19-10 record this season and went 83-46 over his collegiate career.

Senior Tyler Meisinger also qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time, up a weight at 165 pounds, and was named the Jeff Reese Most Improved Wrestler. He posted a 9-11 record, earning two dual wins in his first season in the lineup, and placed sixth at the Black Knight Invite and eighth at the Big Ten Championships.

Junior/sophomore Nick Lombard earned the Dr. Donahoe Academic Excellence Award as the Michigan wrestler with the highest grade-point average. A business administration major through the Ross School of Business, Lombard also is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten and three-time U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award honoree.

Fifth-year senior Austin Assad was presented the Bill Shaw 11th Man Award after splitting time at 133 pounds over the course of the season. Assad, who overcame multiple significant injuries over his career, claimed second at the Black Knight Invite and posted a 5-8 record on the season, including dual wins against Northwestern at Edinboro.

Junior Drew Mattin earned the Ralph Bahna Community Impact Award after spearheading much of the Wolverines' community service initiatives over the last few seasons, notably serving as chair for the athletic department's Mock Rock event his year.

Michigan, despite the Olympic redshirts of three All-Americans, posted a 7-6 record in 2019-20, including a 5-4 Big Ten dual mark with three wins over nationally-ranked opponents. U-M took seventh at the Big Ten Championships and earned seven NCAA qualifiers, including five first-time qualifiers. Four Wolverines -- Parris, Lewan, Medley and senior/junior Kanen Storr -- earned NWCA All-America recognition after the cancellation of the NCAA Championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.