The wrestling season may be over, but the awards are still piling up for ASU.
The Sun Devils' undefeated run through the Pac-10 and 13th place finish at nationals caught plenty of attention from conference coaches.
ASU coach Thom Ortiz earned his second Pac-10 Coach of the Year honor after leading the Sun Devils to their 15th conference title.
"I knew I was under consideration [for the award]," Ortiz said. "It's great to be recognized by your fellow coaches, but if it wasn't for my wrestlers, the coaching staff and this administration, it wouldn't have happened."
Junior Cain Velasquez (285 pounds) was also recognized with the Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year award.
Velasquez finished the season 36-5 overall, a Pac-10 champion and collected his first All-America honor after a fifth-place finish at nationals.
"Cain was the hardest- working wrestler at the Pac-10 Tournament," Ortiz said. "He has come a long way as a student-athlete and he just keeps going."
In 2003, Ortiz and then-senior Eric Larkin (149) brought home the same group of awards for ASU.
With a strong returning class, ASU should clear some mantel space for next years' team.
ASU returns all but one of its starters next season, including Velasquez and fellow All-American sophomore Brian Stith.
Stith took home a Pac-10 title at 157 pounds this season and finished 33-12 overall.
National tournament qualifiers junior Jeremy Mendoza (125), freshman Patrick Pitsch (165), junior C.B. Dollaway (184) and junior Ryan Bader (197) are all returning next season for the Sun Devils.
"I'm going to rely heavily on my seniors next season," Ortiz said. "Our goal is to win the Pac-10 Championship next year and place in the top five at nationals."
Reach the reporter at brian.knapp@asu.edu.
