Midlands title leads Hamlin to EIWA weekly honor
Posted: 01/03/2012 | Last updated: January 3, 2012 at 10:59 AM
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh junior Robert Hamlin has been named EIWA Co-Wrestler of the Week, it was announced Tuesday. Hamlin went 5-0 last week at the 49th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships to capture the title at 184 as he became the fourth Lehigh wrestler to win an undergraduate Midlands title. This marks the second time in a month that Hamlin has been recognized by the EIWA.
The nation’s top-ranked wrestler at 184 and the defending NCAA runner-up, Hamlin rolled through the Midlands field to claim the title. Three of Hamlin’s five victories came by major decision, including a quarterfinal win over Iowa’s Vinnie Wagner and a 12-4 semifinal triumph over Braden Atwood of Purdue. In the finals, Hamlin defeated No. 3 seed Ben Bennett of Central Michigan, notching takedowns in the first and third periods. Hamlin’s victory gave Lehigh a Midlands champion in back-to-back years, following Zach Rey’s heavyweight title in 2010. Darryl Burley (1981) and Jon Trenge (2002 and 2004) have also won Midlands titles as Lehigh undergraduates.
With his 5-0 showing, Hamlin moved to 15-0 on the season and is now 47-3 over the last two seasons. The first ever NCAA wrestling All-American from the state of Vermont, Hamlin owns a 65-15 career record for the Brown and White.
At the Midlands, Hamlin led the way for a Lehigh squad that finished in seventh place with three wrestlers placing in the top eight: Hamlin, senior Joe Kennedy (fifth at 197) and junior Shane Welsh (eighth at 149). Hamlin is now a three-time Midlands place winner, finishing eighth at 174 as a freshman and third at 184 as a sophomore.
Hamlin was named EIWA Wrestler of the Week back on December 12 after defeating Quentin Wright of Penn State in their NCAA Finals rematch during the 100th Lehigh-Penn State dual meet December 9. He shares this EIWA Wrestler of the Week honor with Cornell’s Kyle Dake, who won a title at the Southern Scuffle on Monday.
The Mountain Hawks resume their dual meet season on Sunday when they travel to Ithaca, N.Y. to face EIWA rival Cornell. Lehigh upset then No. 1 ranked Cornell 17-15 last year at Stabler Arena. Hamlin is expected to face a familiar foe in fourth-ranked Steve Bosak. Hamlin defeated Bosak three times last year including wins in the EIWA finals and NCAA semifinals. Sunday’s dual gets underway at 1 p.m. from Newman Arena with audio coverage on WLVR-FM (91.3) and Lehighsports.com.