ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana wrestling head coach Eric Juergens has announced his 2015-16 team award winners. Senior Jimmy Panozzo (Sandburg HS, Orland Park, Ill.) was named the Vikings' Most Valuable Performer. Fellow senior Alex Bowers (Noblesville HS, Noblesville, Ind.) won the Most Dedicated. Junior Matt Sears (Marist HS, New Lenox, Ill.) won the Sacrifice Award. Sophomore Chris Giatras (Lemont HS, Lemont, Ill.) earned the team's Hardest Worker and sophomore Trace Timmons (Assumption HS, Davenport, Iowa) won the Most Improved honor this year.
 
Panozzo won the individual 2016 CCIW Wrestling Championships, claiming the 125-pound title for the third year in a row. He was also an integral part of the Vikings' fifth place CCIW team finish and fourth place performance at the NCAA Central Regional in Dubuque, Iowa. He finished his season with an overall record of 28-8, pushing his career win total to 109 wins. Panozzo's remarkable career record puts him at 18^th on the Augustana career wins list.
 
Bowers put together an impressive senior campaign, winning the Most Dedicated award. Bowers finished third at 174 pounds at the CCIW Wrestling Championships. He also had second place finishes at the Super 8 Invitational in Platteville, Wisconsin and the North Central Invite. Bowers finished the year with 14 wins.
 
 
Sears had a solid junior season for the Vikings at 149 pounds. The Sacrifice Award winner had 13 wins on the season, and arguably his best performance came in a tough 3-1 loss to second-ranked Wartburg wrestler Mark Pinero at the NWCA National Duals.
 
Giatras, the Hardest Worker award winner, was a tough competitor at 184 pounds. He finished fourth at the NCAA Central Regional and captured a third place finish at the CCIW Championships. Giatras ended the season with a 20-10 record, good for third most wins on the team.
 
Timmons earned the Most Improved award, finishing the season with a record of 19-16. The 165 pound sophomore had one of his most dominant performances in a 16-3 major decision over Wisconsin-Platteville's Michael Belanger.  
 
Written by Sports Information Intern Jake Norcia
 
2015-16 AUGUSTANA WRESTLING LETTER WINNERS
 

NAME	WEIGHT	YR	HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
Davis Baxter**	133	Jr	Pueblo, Co./ Pueblo South
Ethan Benoit**	197	Jr	Oak Lawn, Ill./Marist
Alexander Bowers****	174	Sr	Noblesville, Ind./HS
Dale Charlier*	133	Fr	Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove
Ben Corlett*	HWT	So	Viola, Ill./Sherrard
Eric Estrada*	133	So	Chicago, Ill./Gordon Technical
Jordan Furiosi***	165	Jr	San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian
Chris Giatras**	197	So	Lemont, Ill./HS
Brendan Gould**	133	So	Davenport, IA./Assumption
Frank Hollo***	197	Sr	Litchfield, Ill./HS
Thomas Lunney*	141	Fr	Lisle, Ill./HS
Sean McMahon***	133	Jr	Tinley Park, Ill./Victor J. Andrew
Jimmy Panozzo**** (C)	125	Sr	Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg
Travis Pulse*	133	Fr	Milan, Ill./Assumption
Thomas Reyhons**** (C)	184	Sr	Davenport, Ia./Assumption
Jack Seaman**** (C)	HWT	Sr	Munster, Ind./HS
Matt Sears**	157	Jr	New Lenox, Ill./Marist
Donald Sisneros**	133	So	Denver, Co/JK Mullen
CJ Sojka***	133/141	Jr	Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West
Jake Stewart*	184	Fr	Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia, Ill.
Drake Stirn*	125	Fr	Aledo, Ill./Mercer County
Lukas Stoutenour**	HWT	So	Coatesville, In./Cascade
David Tessiatore**** (C)	157/149	Sr	Downers Grove, Ill./North
Bryce Thomas**	141/149	So	Marysville, Wa./Arlington
Trace Timmons*	157	So	Davenport, Ia./Assumption
Collin Tomkins**	141	So	Grandville, Mi./Grandville
Nick Torres*	165	So	Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central
Alec Welgat*	149/157	So	Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg
Zach Wheeler****	149	Sr	Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa

 
* - Denotes letters won
(C) – Denotes team captains
 
HEAD COACH: Eric Juergens
ASSISTANT COACHES: Todd Thompson & Alberto Quiros