Virginia sophomore Gus Sako earned the title of ACC Wrestler of the Week for the first time in his career after upsetting Rutgers No. 5 redshirt junior Mario Mason Saturday. Sako is the third wrestler to earn the distinction for Virginia this season and the second consecutive Cavalier to win after the ACC honored redshirt junior Jedd Moore last week.
Sako pulled off an unlikely 5-3 victory against Mason to help the Cavaliers to a 24-12 victory against the Scarlet Knights (12-6). The win was the sixth in a row in dual matches for No. 20 Virginia (8-1).
Sako took a 3-1 lead before Mason evened the score at 3-3. With chants of "Sako" resonating around the Memorial Gymnasium walls, Sako pulled off the most important win of his young career, earning a bonus point for his 1 minute 59 second riding time.
Sako garnered some national notoriety for the win, as he was listed at No. 17 in the most recent Amateur Wrestling News rankings and No. 19 in the WIN Magazine rankings in the 149-pound weight class.
Sako, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, was 24-19 as a freshman last year while wrestling five ranked opponents.
-compiled by Daniel Weltz
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