Last Friday, Massey, then ranked No. 4 at the time, faced Dustin Fox from Northwestern and prior to Friday's bout, Fox had a 17-0 record and a No. 1 ranking. The Badgers trailed the Wildcats 19-18 heading into the final bout, which was at heavyweight. Both wrestlers were scoreless in the first period but in the second, Massey struck first with a two-point reversal. Fox earned a point of his own off an escape but Massey still led 2-1 heading into the third period. In the third, Fox evened the score with an early escape but Massey scored another takedown with just 46 seconds remaining and had a point of riding time in the 5-3 victory. The win was Massey's 11th-straight and the third time in as many duals that the heavyweight scored the winning points for Wisconsin.
With the win, Massey moved up to No. 2 in the latest USA Today/InterMat/NWCA poll. This is the highest ranking of his career. Massey has not lost since Dec. 10, 2007, which was against J.D. Bergman from Ohio State. Bergman now occupies the top spot at heavyweight.
The Badgers broke a few records with the conference's weekly award this season. It was the first time in school history that three different Badgers have earned the award. It is also the first time Wisconsin has earned four weekly awards in one season and is the first time UW wrestlers have earned back-to-back honors. Last week junior Zach Tanelli was the co-wrestler of the week.
Massey and the rest of the Badgers are preparing for the 2008 Big Ten Championships which span from March 8-9 in Minneapolis, Minn.
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