The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced its all-time wrestling team, and former Yellowjacket standout Gerry Brusletten has been chosen. As part of its centennial, the WIAC is announcing an all-time team in each of its championship sports.
Brusletten, a native of Amery, Wis., was a championship grappler for the Yellowjackets from 1972-76. In four seasons Brusletten fashioned a 95-15-2 record, including 35 pins, which was the second-highest total in school history. Wrestling in the 126-pound weight class, Brusletten performed the rare feat of winning four-consecutive conference championships. His four WSUC (now WIAC) titles are the most in school history. Twice, Brusletten was the NAIA national runner-up in his weight class.
“Coach (Mertz) Mortorelli was an outstanding developer of wrestlers here at UW-Superior. He had some great teams and those teams were made up of extremely talented individuals and there is no better example of that then Gerry Brusletten,” UW-Superior Athletics Director Steve Nelson said. “I was not here when he was, but by all accounts he was one of the greatest competitors we've had here, combining his skill with a tremendous drive to win. We're very fortunate to be able to call him a Yellowjacket and are excited about his inclusion on this team.”
Brusletten was the Yellowjackets' Rookie of the Year as a freshman, and followed that up with Most Inspirational Wrestler honor as a sophomore. In his final two years, Brusletten was a co-captain for the Yellowjackets and was named the team's Most Valuable Player, as well as the Outstanding Athlete of the Year at UW-Superior.
The student-athlete representation on each team has relied heavily on input provided by the sports information director from each of the nine WIAC campuses, while the process for selecting the head coach(es) for each team also includes input from a panel of media representatives. The number of individuals selected per team varies depending upon the nature of the sport itself as well as the number of years the sport has/had been sponsored within the conference.
All-Time Team members will receive certificates from the conference and it is hoped that most, if not all, of the recipients will be in attendance or represented at the WIAC Centennial Banquet to be held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on August 4, 2012.
More information on the activities and events associated with the WIAC Centennial can be accessed via the WIAC website at www.wiacsports.com.
