Mario Morgan
Weight: 141
Class: Junior
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Previous School(s): Mt. Carmel HS
Honors and Awards
2009, All-American, 3rd place
2009, UNO Gold Award winner (33 wins)
2009, UNO Most Improved Wrestler
2009, UNO Wrestler of the Week (11 times)
2009, Regional Champion
2008, UNO’s Silver Award winner (27 wins)
2008, UNO’s OOOSSS Award (4 times)
2008, NCC Wrestler of the Week
2008, UNO’s Ironman Award
2008, UNO Wrestler of the Week (9 times)
Career record: 60-30, 2 letters
Outlook: All-American Mario Morgan is a key part of a talented group of returning veterans for the Maverick wrestling program…made his second trip to the national tournament last season and came away with a third place finish.
2008-09 Season: Compiled a 33-12 overall record and went 10-3 in duals…finished third in the nation…won his first two matches, 5-3 over Bryan Miller of North Carolina-Pembroke and 6-3 over Jimmie Savala of Chadron State…lost a 2-0 sudden victory decision to Doug Surra of West Liberty State in the Semi-finals, but bounced back with two victories over Ben Lockett of San Francisco State, 2-0 and in the third place match he knocked off second-ranked John Putman of Minnesota State, 4-2…swept his way through the Super Regionals with three dominant victories, including a 12-2 major decision over Matt Irwin of University of Indianapolis in the finals…won the Dana Open with a victory over the NAIA’s top ranked wrestler, Erick Graham of Missouri Valley, 11-5…placed fourth at the Brand Open…took fifth at the UNK Open and finished sixth at the Kaufman Open…went 3-1 at the National Duals and 3-0 at the MIAA Duals…named one of UNO’s Most Improved Wrestlers…shared Outstanding Sophomore Award…UNO’s Gold Match winner with his 33 wins…UNO’s Wrestler of the Week 11 times during the season…named UNO’s OOOSSS Award winner six times during the year.
2007-08 Season: Compiled a 27-18 overall record (6-5 in duals)...recorded nine falls...went 1-2 at the NCAA Division II National Tournament...finished fourth at the NCAA Division II North Regional to qualify for the National Tournament...placed third at the Brand Open...finished fourth at Kaufman-Brand Open (Amateur Division)...had a fifth-place finish at Dana Open and sixth-place showing at Nichols Open...North Central Conference Wrestler of the Week for Northern Iowa dual on Feb. 21...won team’s Ironman Award... UNO Wrestler of the Week nine times...UNO’s OOOSSS Award winner four times...UNO’s Silver Award winner for his 27 victories.
2006-07 Season: Went 4-4 in two open tournaments before hurting his knee and sitting out the rest of the season.
High School: Four-time qualifier for Illinois Class AA State Tournament…four-time Chicago Catholic League champion…166-20 career record which ranks second in Mt.Carmel High School history…placed fifth at the 2006 Illinois class AA State tournament in 2006…recorded a 44-3 record his senior season with 23 falls…three-time Illinois Freestyle state champion…two-time Illinois Greco state champion…No. 6 in the nation by Wrestling USA magazine…went 8-1, placing third in the presigious NHSCA Nationals in Pittsburgh, Pa.
High School Record: Freshman: 39-8; Sophomore: 40-6; Junior: 43-3; Senior: 44-3; Career Record: 166-20.
About Mario
High school coach: Ben Gerdes
Parents: Andre and Nicole Morgan
Sibling: brother, Sergio
Place of birth: Chicago, Ill.
Birthday: Nov. 11, 1987
Major: communications
My greatest individual moment in wrestling so far is: winning my fourth Catholic League title with my sick mother in the stands!
Craziest ambition: to go skydiving
Favorite entertainer: Kanye West
Favorite class at UNO: TV production
Favorite movie: Hardball
Number one thing that I’ve learned in college so far: go to class.
Something people should really know about me but don’t: I was in the movie Hardball.
I came to UNO because: The tradition of Excellence of the wrestling program.
Nickname: “RIO”
Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan
Person that has had the greatest influence on my life: Quintroy Harrel (Harvey Twisters wrestling coach)
If I could change one thing about myself, it would be: I would be 6’6”.
Favorite quote: “You can’t win silver, you can only lose gold.”
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