Hofstra University wrestler Mike Patrovich has been selected the 2006 Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Year in a vote by conference coaches at their spring meeting recently. Patrovich's award marks the fourth straight year that a Pride wrestler has been named the CAA Wrestler of the Year following Chris Skretkowicz in 2003 and 2004 and Jon Masa in 2005.
Patrovich, a native of Bohemia, New York, earned his first All-America honor by placing fourth at 174 pounds at the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City in March. He advanced to the championship semifinals before losing to eventual national champion Ben Askren from Missouri. In the consolation semifinals, Patrovich defeated Penn's Matt Herrington 9-4 before dropping an 11-2 decision to Iowa's third-seeded Mark Perry in the third place match. He finished the season with a 34-5 record.
A three-time NCAA qualifier, Patrovich is a three-time CAA Championship finalist and a two-time champion, capturing titles at 165 pounds in 2005 and 174 pounds in 2006.
In other awards presented, former Hofstra coach Tom Ryan was named the CAA Wrestling Coach of the Year, and Steve Mytych of Drexel University was named the CAA Rookie of the Year. Ryan led Hofstra to an 11th place finish at Nationals with a school-record 52.5 points, after winning a fifth consecutive CAA title this season. The 11th-year mentor of the Pride, who left Long Island to accept a similar position at Ohio State in April, received his seventh straight conference Coach of the Year award including his fifth in the CAA.
Mytych, a freshman 125 from Wyoming, PA (Northampton), placed third in the CAA Championships and advanced to Nationals. Mytych was 26-12 overall this year, including 19-8 in duals and 8-1 in the CAA.
Mytych leads the list of CAA All-Rookie team members, which includes: Ryan Williams of Old Dominion at 133, Greg Jensen of Drexel at 141, Mike Kessler of Rider at 149, Chris Wade of Binghamton at 157, Tyler Tisdell of George Mason at 165, Doug Umbehauer of Rider at 174, David Mendoza of Old Dominion at 184, Jason Cook of Campbell at 197, and Jim Connors of Boston U. at heavyweight.
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