Senior wrestler Brad Ginn has been selected as the George Mason University "Athlete of the Week."
A native of Virginia Beach, VA, and a 1993 graduate of Kempsville High School, Ginn continued his outstanding season last week as he helped the Patriots to their most impressive performance of the season in a 33-11 victory over Virginia Military Institute at the John Linn Memorial Gymnasium.
Wrestling at 167 pounds, Ginn posted George Mason's fourth fall of the evening as he pinned VMI freshman Dale Seymour in 3:54. It was Ginn's second consecutive win by fall and his 10th of the season as he improved his overall record to 20-4. He has won 15 of his last 16 matches, and he is 8-1 in dual meets (2-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association). Ginn's only dual-meet loss was to Pittsburgh's Nick Mengerink, who was ranked 11th in the latest national polls.
Ginn, a tri-captain for the Patriots this season along with junior Mark Weader and sophomore Kevin Brandon, posted 12 consecutive victories from Jan. 9 through Jan. 28, the longest streak by a George Mason wrestler this season. Included among those wins were a third-place finish at the Millersville (PA) Belles Tournament and a first-place finish at the Virginia Division I Intercollegiate Championships.
A Virginia Group AAA runner-up and a high school All-American as a senior at Kempsville, Ginn gained national recognition with a 36-15 record and placed twice at the Southern Conference Championships while attending Appalachian State University. He transferred to George Mason prior to the 1995-96 season, but he struggled with injuries during his first season as a Patriot and took a medical redshirt. Ginn bounced back last season to post a 22-10 overall record and placed second at the CAA Championships, and he has dominated opponents this season. With his 20-4 mark this year, he has a career record of 42-14 at George Mason.
"Brad has been tremendous for us this year," said Patriots head coach Brian Shaffer. "He has been a great influence on the team as a tri-captain, and by concentrating more on his technique and with an improved mental focus, he's having a lot of fun and success."