INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Midwest Athletic Conference recognized Lake Erie senior Tyler Hughes (Brunswich, OH / Brunswick HS) as the emerging sport of wrestling’s first athlete of the week on Tuesday.
 
The league currently has four member institutions participating in the sport, Alderson Broaddus, Findlay, Lake Erie and Ohio Valley, while Tiffin is scheduled to join with full membership next season.
 
Three of the above mentioned teams were ranked in the NWCA Coaches Top-25 poll to end the 2016-17 season: Tiffin (tied for 7th), Findlay (12th) and Lake Erie (tied for 17th).
 
Several teams started their season back on Nov. 3 and competition is picking up with tournament action and head-to-head duals.
 
Hughes won the Mount Union Invitational title at the 184-pound weight class, besting opponents on Saturday from Mount Union, Seton Hill and Campbellsville.
 
He started out with a major decision against Isaiah Watson-Kirksey from host Mount Union, who had majored Mitch Rusch (Bellarmine) previously. Hughes made his way into the next round with decision over Nathan Bowlen of Seton Hill, a Great Midwest-men’s lacrosse associate member school.
 
The final featured Hughes toppling InterMat Wrestling’s top-ranked NAIA wrestler at 184 pounds, Campbellsville’s Chuck Sharon. Sharon had finished runner-up in the NAIA National Championships while compiling a record of 27-2 last season.
 
Hughes was able to come back in the final and earn the invite title with a score of 7-6 in the final.
 
The senior is currently ranked seventh nationally at 184 pounds in InterMat’s individual rankings.