Kent State sophomore Ian Miller was named the Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week on Wednesday, after winning the 157-pound championship at the 36th annual Navy Classic on Nov. 23. Miller went 5-0 on the day with three first-period pins and a major-decision victory inside Wesley Brown Field House.

At the one-day tournament in Annapolis, Md., Miller did not allow his first three opponents to see past the two-minute mark of the first period. In his semifinal match, Miller defeated Navy’s Bobby Burg 14-5.

In Miller’s final bout of the day, when the Navy Classic title was on the line, Miller topped No. 10 Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin 10-7. Miller’s win boosted him to the No. 9 rank, according to InterMat.

Jordan, the top-seeded 157-pounder in the tournament, scored four points on Miller after a crucial takedown at the end of the first period. Despite Miller’s early mistake, he escaped from the bottom, bounced back, grinded out the match and capped his day by winning the Navy Classic Championship for the 157-lb level.

Kent State Coach Jim Andrassy said although Miller made a mistake at the end of the first period of his match against Jordan, he controlled most of the match, gained top position and rode his man out for the remainder of the match.

“His final match was the best I’ve ever seen him wrestle,” Andrassy said last weekend of Miller’s comeback victory. “In that match he gave up a four-point takedown and he made a mistake, and he still came back and ended up winning.

“That’s what I’m happiest about, that something bad happened to him in the match and he went on and won anyways.”

Miller is 10-1 with six pins so far this season, and his 26 pins already ties for sixth in program history in pins, an impressive feat for a sophomore.

The Kent State wrestling team placed fourth out of 14 schools at the Navy Classic. The Flashes will have their home opener and first taste of dual MAC competition Saturday as they prepare to host Buffalo at the M.A.C. Center at noon.

Contact Richie Mulhall at [email protected].