After leading Pitt’s wrestling team in wins and advancing to the second day of competition… After leading Pitt’s wrestling team in wins and advancing to the second day of competition at the NCAA Championships, Matt Kocher was named the Eastern Wrestling League’s Freshman of the Year last Thursday.

Kocher picked up 32 wins on the season, including three in the NCAA Championships — the most by any Pitt wrestler this season. Kocher’s win total is the fourth most by a freshman in school history.

After finishing second in EWL Championships in the 149-pound weight class, Kocher earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships, where he went 3-2.

Kocher is the fifth Panther to win the award, joining Doug Haines (1985), Chad Jesko (1995), Rob Loper (1997) and Nick Mengerink (1998).

Included in his 32 wins, Kocher won 11 of his 14 dual matches and had five major decisions.

Kocher’s win total ranked him in the top 10 nationally in the 149-pound weight class and The Wrestling Mall ranked him among the top 30 wrestlers in his weight class throughout the season.