[bears9]

Iowa sophomore Brent Metcalf climaxed his first year of college wrestling by capturing the 149-pound title at the NCAA Championships, March 22, in St. Louis.

Metcalf was also voted the tourney’s Outstanding Wrestler for winning the weight class considered the toughest in college wrestling this year.

For this year’s performance, Metcalf has been named the winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy for 2008 — completing his clean sweep of the Big Three (NCAA champion, O.W. and Hodge winner).

The Dan Hodge Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s most dominant college wrestler. It is named for the undefeated, three-time NCAA champion from Oklahoma University in the mid 1950s. The only wrestler to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated (April 1, 19576), Hodge has the highest pinning percentage in collegiate history, and was known for his dominating style of wrestling.

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