Damion Hahn Pulls in Big Honor

Damion Hahn was named the 2004 Big Ten male athlete of the year on Tuesday. The honor is the first for a Golden Gopher since hockey player Jordan Leopold took the honor in 2002.

Hahn’s great career started with Minnesota in 1999 when he gave his commitment to J Robinson and the Minnesota wrestling program. Coming out of high school, the Lakewood, New Jersey native was ranked as the #1 wrestling recruit in the nation at all weights. He redshirted as a true freshman in 1999 but didn’t waste any time living up to his high ranking as a redshirt freshman in 2000. As a freshman at 184 pounds, Damion compiled a record of 35-7 while on his way to a 5th place and All American finish at the NCAA Championships. His sophomore season in 2001 also saw him wrestle at 184. Again, he went on to finish 5th at the NCAA’s while gathering his 2nd All-American honor.

Damion’s Junior & Senior years saw him move up a weight class and accomplish the feats of which legends are made. Damion’s junior season got off to a late start due to a knee injury, but once he got going he didn’t waste any time establishing himself as a dominant wrestler at his new weight. He went on to finish 20-3 as a junior and won his first national championship with an exciting 5-4 decision over Jon Trenge of Lehigh. Hahn upped that feat his senior season, going a spectacular 33-1 while on his way to his second individual championship.

Hahn joins the list of Chad Kraft, Luke Becker and Jared Lawrence as Minnesota’s only four-time All-Americans, but he was the first of those to win two individual titles.

Damion Hahn’s impressive collegiate resume :

– Career record of 118-21
– 4 time All-Big Ten wrestler
– 3 time Big Ten wrestling champion
– 2 time NCAA individual champion
– 4 time All-American
– 2 time member of Gopher team champions

Former Gopher winners :
1993 ““ John Roethlisberger, Gymnastics
1997 – Gretchen Hegener, Swimming
2002 ““ Jordan Leopold, Hockey

Full list of past men’s winners:

1982 ““ Jim Spivey, Indiana, Track & Field/Cross Country
1983 ““ Ed Banach, Iowa, Wrestling
1984 ““ Sunder Nix, Indiana, Track & Field
1985 ““ Barry Davis, Iowa, Wrestling
1986 ““ Chuck Long, Iowa, Football
1987 ““ Steve Alford, Indiana, Basketball
1988 ““ Jim Abbott, Michigan, Baseball
1989 ““ Glen Rice, Michigan, Basketball
1990 ““ Anthony Thompson, Indiana, Football
1991 ““ Mike Barrowman, Michigan, Swimming
1992 ““ Desmond Howard, Michigan, Football
1993 ““ John Roethlisberger, Minnesota, Gymnastics
1994 ““ Glenn Robinson, Purdue, Basketball
1995 ““ Tom Dolan, Michigan, Swimming
1996 ““ Eddie George, Ohio State, Football
1997 ““ Blaine Wilson, Ohio State, Gymnastics
1998 ““ Charles Woodson, Michigan, Football
1999 ““ Luke Donald, Northwestern, Golf
2000 ““ Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, Football
2001 ““ Ryan Miller, Michigan State, Hockey
2002 ““ Jordan Leopold, Minnesota, Hockey
2003 ““ Amer Delic, Illinois, Tennis & Matt Lackey, Illinois, Wrestling
2004 ““ Damion Hahn, Minnesota, Wrestling