March 7, 2011

Contact: Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information & Media Services, adahl@naia.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 2011 Wrestling All-Americans. Honors were bestowed to the top-eight finishers of each weight class at the 54th Annual NAIA Wrestling National Championships that were held March 3 - 5 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Andrew Sanchez of McKendree (Ill.) was the only wrestler to earn his fourth honor among the 80 that earned All-America accolades. Eight grapplers tallied their third All-America finish, four of which did so in their final season. Four others have placed among the top-eight in each of their trips to the NAIA Wrestling National Championships. Eighteen wrestlers became two-time honorees and 53 registered their first All-America finish.

Sanchez capped off his career by winning his second 197-pound national title, edging defending national champ Derek Foore of Notre Dame (Ohio) with a 2-1 decision. After a scoreless first period, Sanchez got on the board in with an escape in the second for a 1-0 lead. He was able to maintain control of Foore throughout the third period to accumulate 1:26 worth of riding time, which proved to be the deciding factor. The senior closed out his stellar Bearcat career with a 144-23 record, including a 38-1 mark in his final season. For his performance on the mat during his senior campaign, Sanchez was named NWCA/NAIA National Wrestler of the Year.

McKendree head coach James Kisgen was named NAIA National Coach of the Year. He guided the Bearcats to a third-place finish with 138.5 points, crowned two national champions in Sanchez and 133-pounder Wade Lowe, and had three other individuals take home All-America honors. Kisgen has coached Lowe and junior 141-pounder Kyle Williams to three All-America finishes. It is the second time Kisgen has been tabbed with the honor, with the first coming in 2008.