Pitt’s Luca Augustine Named ACC Wrestler of the Week
2/7/2023 2:00:00 PM | Wrestling
PITTSBURGH—The Pitt wrestling team's dominance of the ACC Wrestler of the Week award continued as freshman 174-pounder Luca Augustine was honored by the conference office this week.
Augustine became Pitt's sixth winner of the weekly ACC award in the 12th week of the 2022-23 season after his impressive doubleheader display last week for Keith Gavin's ACC-leading Panthers.
In Pitt's dual battle with North Carolina, with first place in the conference standings on the line, Augustine (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) sealed the deal for the Panthers (9-3, 3-0 ACC) with his 2-1 upset victory over No. 8 Clay Lautt at 174 pounds for his first career top-10 win.
Augustine's 10-minute battle with Lautt came down to tiebreakers, with the freshman earning a quick escape in the first 30-second period before holding off the Tar Heel veteran's attacks to secure the upset and earn a standing ovation from the 2,000+ fans in attendance at the Petersen Events Center.
His win gave Pitt an insurmountable 21-8 lead with one bout remaining, ensuring that the Panthers improved to 3-0 in the ACC dual standings – just one win away from a dual conference title.
With an overflow crowd at the Fitzgerald Field House for Pitt's dual against No. 3 Iowa State on Saturday night, Augustine once again brought the fans to their feet, defeating MJ Gaitan by 6-4 decision with a late takedown. That win put the 18th-ranked Panthers ahead of the Cyclones, 12-9, after seven bouts.
Pitt would eventually lose to Iowa State, 16-15, on total-points criteria in one of the duals of the season, but Gavin's squad moved up to a season-best No. 17 in the NWCA Coaches Poll this week.
The Panthers head to NC State on Friday night for a huge ACC conference dual in Raleigh. Pitt can clinch an outright conference dual title with a win, but the Wolfpack (12-1, 2-1 ACC) present a tough test.
Pitt's ACC Wrestler of the Week Honorees, 2022-23
Nino Bonaccorsi, 11/22/22
James Lledo, 11/29/22
Holden Heller, 12/13/22
Reece Heller, 1/3/23, 1/31/23
Luca Augustine, 2/7/23
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Augustine became Pitt's sixth winner of the weekly ACC award in the 12th week of the 2022-23 season after his impressive doubleheader display last week for Keith Gavin's ACC-leading Panthers.
In Pitt's dual battle with North Carolina, with first place in the conference standings on the line, Augustine (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) sealed the deal for the Panthers (9-3, 3-0 ACC) with his 2-1 upset victory over No. 8 Clay Lautt at 174 pounds for his first career top-10 win.
Augustine's 10-minute battle with Lautt came down to tiebreakers, with the freshman earning a quick escape in the first 30-second period before holding off the Tar Heel veteran's attacks to secure the upset and earn a standing ovation from the 2,000+ fans in attendance at the Petersen Events Center.
His win gave Pitt an insurmountable 21-8 lead with one bout remaining, ensuring that the Panthers improved to 3-0 in the ACC dual standings – just one win away from a dual conference title.
With an overflow crowd at the Fitzgerald Field House for Pitt's dual against No. 3 Iowa State on Saturday night, Augustine once again brought the fans to their feet, defeating MJ Gaitan by 6-4 decision with a late takedown. That win put the 18th-ranked Panthers ahead of the Cyclones, 12-9, after seven bouts.
Pitt would eventually lose to Iowa State, 16-15, on total-points criteria in one of the duals of the season, but Gavin's squad moved up to a season-best No. 17 in the NWCA Coaches Poll this week.
The Panthers head to NC State on Friday night for a huge ACC conference dual in Raleigh. Pitt can clinch an outright conference dual title with a win, but the Wolfpack (12-1, 2-1 ACC) present a tough test.
Pitt's ACC Wrestler of the Week Honorees, 2022-23
Nino Bonaccorsi, 11/22/22
James Lledo, 11/29/22
Holden Heller, 12/13/22
Reece Heller, 1/3/23, 1/31/23
Luca Augustine, 2/7/23
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