Senior wrestler Frank DeFilippis has battled injury and tough opponents all season long, but his crowning moment of the season so far might have came this past weekend in West Lafayette, Ind.

At the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility, the home of Purdue University wrestling, DeFilippis pulled off a stunning upset when he defeated Brad Harper 2-1. Harper was ranked No. 25 in the nation in the 157-pound weight class. Both wrestlers gained one point on escapes before DeFilippis was granted the winning point when Harper was given a one-point penalty for stalling.

For his big win at Purdue, DeFilippis earns this week’s “Top Cat” honors.

Regardless of how DeFilippis won, he earned praise from his head coach, Ralph McCausland.

“It’s good for him because that’s his first match in a few weeks,” McCausland said. “Wrestling at Purdue and in those situations, he kept a good head throughout the entire match.”

DeFilippis has been in and out of the lineup all year due to injuries. He is the lone senior on the Panther wrestling squad. In his last year at Eastern, he has been sidelined two different times with a torn bicep. Despite the nagging injuries, DeFilippis has posted an impressive 14-6 record.

When healthy, DeFilippis is a force for the Panthers. In a November meet against Big Ten powerhouse Indiana, DeFilippis provided the Panthers with one of their three winners on the day when he overmatched J.P. Stanley 8-2.

At the Midlands Tournament in late December, DeFilippis won three matches in the 157-pound weight class. The three wins were the most by any Panther grappler and helped Eastern finish in 33rd out of 57 teams.

The finish was quite respectable for the competition the Panthers were facing. The Midlands is open to wrestlers of all ages and abilities, often an NCAA Champion or Olympic hopeful will attend the meet, which makes it one of the most challenging tournaments according to the Panther coaching staff.

With the regular season complete, DeFilippis will now focus and prepare for the NCAA West Regional held in Charleston March 8. DeFilippis is the reigning regional champion at 157-pounds and because he is finally healthy, McCausland believes his senior has a good shot at repeating.

“He understands what it takes to win,” McCausland said. “It’s just a matter of him picking it up one more notch. He has got to be on and ready.”

Besides being one of the top wrestlers in the program, DeFilippis has become a leader for young Panthers. Although McCausland noted his leadership qualities in 2001, DeFilippis’ role increased this year when senior Ross Bracey suffered a career-ending neck injury over the summer. Bracey was to be counted on as the top senior wrestler and team leader.

“Ross Bracey’s loss was a devastating blow but it just means that certain guys will be forced to step up a little quicker than they expected,” McCausland said.

Judging by DeFilippis’ efforts on the mat it appears as though he has answered his coaches challenge.