Zeth Romney was named the Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year, according to a postseason awards release by the Pac-12, making him the second wrestler in program history to win the prestigious honor.
The recognition comes not long after he finished third at 133-pounds in the NCAA Championships, the highest finish by any 133-pound wrestler in program history.
In just his second full season as a Mustang, the redshirt sophomore’s rise was on full display, going 19-5 and reaching as high as No. 2 in the 133-pound rankings.
He faced midseason battles with injuries, but was able to rebound in time for the Pac-12 Championships, where he finished second.
Romney was even better at the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia, where he went 5-1, only losing in the semifinal round in a close battle to No. 1 seed and eventual champion Lucas Byrd.
The performance landed him his first career All-American award, making him the first Mustang to win the award at his weight class in 15 years.
The only other Cal Poly Wrestler to win Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year was Chad Mendes in 2008.
With two years of eligibility remaining, Romney will contend for Pac-12 and NCAA championships in the future.
This year’s 133-pound Pac-12 winner Nasir Bailey transferred from Little Rock to Big-10 wrestling powerhouse Iowa for next season, clearing the title path for Romney, who lost to Bailey in the 133-pound title match at this year’s Pac-12 championships.
Romney will return to a largely similar Cal Poly squad next year, who will retain their entire starting lineup aside from graduate student 157-pounder Legend Lamer.