Player Profiles



Michael                            Morales
Michael
Morales
Class: Jr.
Hometown: Brick, NJ
Height: 5-6
Weight: 141
Sport: Wrestling

Biography

At West Virginia in 2011-12
  • Finished the season with a 18-4 record
  • Qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career
  • Lost to eventual national-runner up Montell Marion of Iowa in a tightly contested match in the first round of the national tournament
  • Won the first EWL title of his career, taking a 7-6 decision from Edinboro’s Mitchell Port in the finals
  • Ranked as high as No. 26 throughout the season
  • Entered the starting lineup on Jan. 6 vs. Maryland
  • Posted an 8-2 record in all dual meets
  • Had a 5-1 mark in EWL dual meets
  • Tied for second on the team with eight wins by fall
  • Also had three wins by major decision and one by technical fall
  • Accumulated 53 dual points for and 32 against
  • Pinned Brian Gibbs of Michigan State at 3:20
  • Won by fall against Pitt’s Travis Shaffer at 2:11
  • Pinned Darrin Boing of Ohio at 2:28
  • Won by fall against Cleveland State’s Josh Palivoda at 4:47


At West Virginia in 2010-11
  • Made a smooth transition from high school with an 18-11 record as a true freshman
  • Named to the Amateur Wrestling News’ All-Rookie team
  • Came in third at the EWL Championships, beating three opponents and falling only to No. 14 Matt Bonson of Lock Haven by a 6-5 decision in the second round
  • Started every match for the team at 141-pounds
  • Earned a 7-3 mark in league play and 9-6 dual record
  • Outscored dual opponents 39-24
  • Had the fifth-best mark on the team for number of wins (18) and third-best spot for major decisions (6)
  • Came in fifth with four victories at the Washington & Jefferson College Open, the first tournament of his WVU career
  • Faced eight ranked opponents on year
  • Won six consecutive matches early in the year
  • Had two wins over Big Ten opponents John Deneen (Illinois) and Joel Trombly (Michigan State)
  • Had six major decision wins, 26 near-fall points and 43 takedowns for the year
  • Also won four matches by fall, the fastest being in 0:57 over Adam Householder of Thiel College


Prep
  • Coached by Dan O’Cone at Brick Memorial High
  • Coached by Vinnie Santaniello of the Shore Thing Wrestling Club
  • Four-year starter, ending career 134-12
  • As a sophomore, earned fourth place at state championships
  • State champion as a junior
  • Second-place finish as a senior


Personal
  • Son of Ralph and Blanca Morales
  • Birthday is June 13
  • Enrolled in sociology and anthropology
  • Has one brother


Morales’ Career Statistics
Year	W	L	Dual	EWL	Falls	EWLs	NCAA
2011	18	11	9-6	7-3	4	3-1	-
2012	18	4	8-2	5-1	8	3-0	0-2
Totals	36	15	17-8	12-4	12	6-1	0-2                     
                    
                

Related Articles

Wrestling: Morales Receives AWN Honor
Posted: 5.14.11



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