SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- John Azevedo, who guided Cal Poly to a third-place Pacific-10 Conference finish and produced a pair of NCAA All-Americans, has been named Pac-10 Coach of the Year by D1CollegeWrestling.net.
The Mustangs rebounded from a tough 2008-09 campaign by finishing just seven points shy of Pac-10 champion Oregon State. Chase Pami finished second at 157 pounds in both the Pac-10 and NCAA finals while Boris Novachkov won a Pac-10 title at 133 and placed seventh nationally.
Their finish marked the first time in six seasons that multiple wrestlers finished as All-Americans at Cal Poly. Azevedo, in his seventh season, led the Mustangs to an 8-4 dual meet record, including a 5-2 mark in Pac-10 matches.
D1CW also named Kirk Smith of Boise State as Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year and Michael Mangrum of Oregon State as Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. Smith posted a 29-1 mark, losing in the NCAA finals at 184 pounds. Mangrum won 33 matches, placing third at the Pac-10s at 141 pounds and finishing one victory shy of All-American honors.
In addition, the Pac-10 Conference announced its postseason wrestling honors as well as the 2009-10 All-Academic Wrestling Teams.
Smith was named Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year, Jim Zalesky of Oregon State earned Coach of the Year honors and Mangrum was selected Freshman of the Year.
Cal Poly senior 149-pounder Eric Maldonado was named to the Pac-10 All-Academic Wrestling Second Team. Maldonado, a business administration major, compiled a 12-8 record and finished fourth in the California Collegiate Open at San Francisco State.
The Mustangs rebounded from a tough 2008-09 campaign by finishing just seven points shy of Pac-10 champion Oregon State. Chase Pami finished second at 157 pounds in both the Pac-10 and NCAA finals while Boris Novachkov won a Pac-10 title at 133 and placed seventh nationally.
Their finish marked the first time in six seasons that multiple wrestlers finished as All-Americans at Cal Poly. Azevedo, in his seventh season, led the Mustangs to an 8-4 dual meet record, including a 5-2 mark in Pac-10 matches.
D1CW also named Kirk Smith of Boise State as Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year and Michael Mangrum of Oregon State as Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. Smith posted a 29-1 mark, losing in the NCAA finals at 184 pounds. Mangrum won 33 matches, placing third at the Pac-10s at 141 pounds and finishing one victory shy of All-American honors.
In addition, the Pac-10 Conference announced its postseason wrestling honors as well as the 2009-10 All-Academic Wrestling Teams.
Smith was named Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year, Jim Zalesky of Oregon State earned Coach of the Year honors and Mangrum was selected Freshman of the Year.
Cal Poly senior 149-pounder Eric Maldonado was named to the Pac-10 All-Academic Wrestling Second Team. Maldonado, a business administration major, compiled a 12-8 record and finished fourth in the California Collegiate Open at San Francisco State.