CLINTON, S.C. – One of the brightest shining stars on a roster full of soon-to-be premier players on a national stage, true freshman Henlee Haynes of the Presbyterian College women's wrestling team was chosen as the NWCA Region 2 Wrestler of the Month over the December period.

Announced on Tuesday afternoon by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, Haynes' selection is one of only six regional winners across the country. For head coach Brian Vutianitis' club, the accolade goes down as another first for a program that continues to display elite consistency.

Jumping right into the 170-pound class as a collegiate rookie for a Blue Hose squad that finished in ninth-place nationwide last spring and who currently owns a # 11 ranking from the NWCA, Haynes immediately proved her starting status by gaining a silver medal at the Princeton Open back in November and has segued that into a 15-8 mark thus far.

All three of PC's tournament appearances have ended with Haynes taking either a 1^st or 2^nd place trophy, including a 4-0 sprint to the Wasp Open title last month that transitioned smoothly into a runner-up spot for the newbie at the famed Midlands Championships in Chicago.



That Windy City performance – where she bested nationally-ranked opponent Jade Herzer of UW-Stevens Point on her way to the silver standing – capped off a December window where the freshman put together a 9-1 clip.

Of those nine victories, six were submitted by either pin or technical fall (three each). Haynes has collected the W in three out of Presbyterian's four ranked dual wins to this point on the year, having a huge hand in triumphs over then-#11 Lindenwood, #8 Lock Haven, and #4 Colorado Mesa.

A native of Panama City, Florida, Henlee has emerged into a severe threat for all in the 170 class. The first-year standout has accomplished seven falls and five more tech's throughout her time as a freshman, going on a nine-match winning streak in December to help her obtain the NWCA's Region Wrestler of the Month hardware.

Since the team assumed 18 individual wins at Midlands, Coach V's unit went on to claim three head-to-head victories at the NWCA National Duals in Iowa, making it six wins (all against ranked foes) at the event over the past two years.

Presby turned many heads by knocking off three top-ten adversaries within a 24-hour period, with the 28-19 triumph over fourth-ranked Colorado Mesa registering as the most high-profile dual win in the program's short-but-stellar history.

Making a convincing case for the nation's most challenging schedule, the Blue Hose will compete against their sixth consecutive member of the top ten this weekend as they'll face the King Tornado in Bristol, Tennessee on Saturday.

PC's regional rival holds a national ranking of # 3, setting the stage for a proper clash-of-the-titans in four days. The action will begin at 3:00 PM from the Volunteer State.