INDIANAPOLIS – A first-place performance with several outcomes of bonus points translated into Great Midwest Athletic Conference Wrestling Athlete of the Week honors for Findlay during the Thanksgiving layover.
 
Athlete of the Week
Branson Proudlock
Findlay
141 LB
Junior
Brownstown, MI (Gibralter Carlson HS)
 
The Oilers are ranked 10th in Division II and Proudlock, a 2021 NCAA All-American, has climbed to fifth in his weight class at 141 pounds after starting the season at No. 6.
 
The junior had a strong performance at the Findlay Open as he finished at the top of his class in the 141 lb. bracket with four victories, including three with bonus points.
 
In the first round, he scored a major decision over Gannon’s Jimmy Ryan, 9-1, before pinning Caleb Cheaves, also of Gannon, in the next round at the 4:30 mark.
 
Proudlock recorded his second major decision of the day with a 14-0 blanking of UIndy’s Ray Rioux in the quarterfinals, 14-0, and finished the tournament with an 11-4 final over Tiffin’s Elijah Hunter.
 
In the championship match, medical forfeit was the result over Mercyhurst’s Alexis Soriano, who is ranked ninth nationally.
 
Proudlock finished eighth at the 2021 NCAA Championship for his first All-American award. He was the conference freshman of the year in 2019-20 while also earning first team all-conference honors at 141.