James Conway earned EIWA Wrestler of the Week honors (for the second time in three weeks) by claiming the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational crown at 184 lbs.  He became F&M's first Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational champion and did so in F&Ms first ever appearance at the annual tournament. The CKLV Invitational is considered by many to be the toughest regular season tournament of the year.

Conway, seeded No. 3 at 184 lbs., defeated three nationally ranked opponents on his way to the CKLV crown. On Friday, after winning handily in his first two matches, he defeated No. 16 Aaron Ayzerov (Columbia) 12-9 SV. The tight match with Ayzerov turned out to be his closest bout of the tournament.

Conway opened Saturday's semi-finals with a match-up against Isaac Dean of Iowa State. He improved to 3-0 all-time against Dean, the No. 10-ranked wrestler in the country. Following a scoreless first period, Conway was facing a third period deficit for the second consecutive match after Dean countered for a takedown during the second period. Conway quickly escaped in the third and used his continued pressure and pace to overwhelm the Cyclone. With two takedowns during the final period, Conway's pressure resulted in an additional point against his opponent for stalling. He added one more point for riding time at the match's conclusion in an eventual 9-5 victory.

In the championship match, Conway faced No. 7 Brock Mantanona of Michigan. He began the match with a key takedown right at the buzzer of the opening period. He then scored an escape in just 14 seconds during the second period rode out Mantanona the entire third period for a 5-0 win to become the Diplomats' first-ever CKLV Invitational Champion.

With a perfect 5-0 record this weekend – including three nationally-ranked wins – Conway is now 16-1 on the season and owns 89 career victories during his four attached seasons (plus a 22-4 record while redshirting a season ago). Seven of those 16 wins this season have come against nationally-ranked competition.

F&M Head Coach Mike Rogers says this of Conway, "James is the kind of athlete every coach hopes to have—detail-oriented, disciplined, and willing to outwork everyone. His success is simply the payoff for the consistent effort he brings to the room every day. His performance at the CKLV was no accident; it's the result of countless hours of preparation and commitment. It's incredibly rewarding to see someone who invests so much into the process earn the success he's worked so hard for. James's achievements also demonstrate that F&M is on the rise—competing with and beating bigger, better-funded programs. He's proof you can reach your dreams at a smaller school."   

James Conway (184 lbs.) Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Champion

Round of 32: Won vs. David Alonso (Cal Baptist); F: 4:53
Round of 16: Won vs. Hunter Perez (Sacred Heart); F: 4:28
Quarterfinals: Won vs. #6 Aaron Ayzerov (Columbia); 12-9 (SV)
Semifinals: Won vs. #2 Isaac Dean (Iowa State); 9-5
First Place: Won vs. #1 Brock Mantanona (Michigan); 5-0