Ohio State freshman Jesse Mendez, the No. 9 wrestler at 133 pounds, was named co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Tuesday following his performances against Michigan and Michigan State over the weekend.
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In the dual with the Wolverines, Mendez defeated No. 12 Dylan Ragusin with a 3-1 score in sudden victory by using a powerful slam to secure a takedown and two points for the Buckeyes. His victory in the bout put his team up 6-0 in what would eventually be a 23-15 win for Ohio State over their rivals from Ann Arbor.
Two days later, Mendez and the Buckeyes cruised to a home win over the Spartans, as the Crown Point, Indiana, native earned a 10-2 major decision over No. 18 Rayvon Foley and Ohio State defeated Michigan State 36-3 in Columbus. Mendez's victory was his fifth win against a ranked opponent this season and has him trending in the right direction for a bout later this week against Penn State.
The No. 5 Buckeyes are home Friday vs. No. 1 Penn State in the sold-out Covelli Center. Match time is set for 7 p.m., with the Big Ten Network providing the television coverage.
