Missouri Tigers Win First MAC Wrestling Tournament Championship
Buffalo, NY – The Missouri Tigers won the 2013 MAC Wrestling Championships and ended the 11-year reign of Central Michigan as conference tournament champions. The Tigers finished with 136 team points, followed by Central Michigan with 88 team points. MAC affiliate Northern Iowa finished third with 83 points, while Kent State finished one behind with 82 team points. Northern Illinois and Ohio tied for fifth with 63.5 team points. Buffalo finished with 51.5 points, while Eastern Michigan added 44.5 points.
Missouri joined the MAC this season for the tournament as an affiliate member in wrestling and the Tigers were paced with four individual champions – Alan Waters (125 pounds), Nathan McCormick (133 pounds), Drake Houdashelt (149 pounds) and Dom Bradley (285 pounds).
Central Michigan had two tournament champions with Mike Ottinger (165 pounds) and Ben Bennett (184 pounds) winning their weight classes, while Northern Iowa matched the effort with Joey Lazor (141 pounds) and David Bonin (157 pounds) taking first place.
Kent State’s Dustin Kilgore (197 pounds) and Ohio’s Cody Walters (174 pounds) rounded out the MAC champions.
For Kent State's Dustin Kilgore and Central Michigan's Ben Bennett, both wrestlers join elite company and became only the fifth and sixth wrestlers in conference history to become four-time MAC champions.
Central Michigan earned the MAC regular season title among the six programs. Both affiliate members Missouri and Northern Iowa did not compete in the regular season, however, joined for the conference tournament championship. Beginning next season, all three MAC affiliate members – Missouri, Northern Iowa and Old Dominion will compete in the MAC regular season and conference tournament.
FINAL TEAM SCORING:
1. Missouri, 136.0
2. Central Michigan, 88.0
3. Northern Iowa, 83.0
4. Kent State, 82.0
t5. Northern Illinois, 63.5
t5. Ohio, 63.5
7. Buffalo, 51.5
8. Eastern Michigan, 44.5
2013 MAC Championship Matches:
125: Alan Waters (Missouri) def. Steve Mitcheff (Kent State), 4-0
133: Nathan McCormick (Missouri) def. Levi Wolfensperger (Northern Iowa), 8-0
141: Joey Lazor (Northern Iowa) def. Kevin Fanta (Northern Illinois), 1-0
149: Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) def. Blake Roulo (Buffalo), 13-0
157: David Bonin (Northern Iowa) def. Kyle Bradley (Missouri), 5-2
165: Mike Ottinger (Central Michigan) def. Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo), 8-5
174: Cody Walters (Ohio) def. John-Martin Cannon (Buffalo), 4-3
184: Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) def. Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa), 5-3
197: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) def. Brent Haynes (Missouri), 17-5
285: Dom Bradley (Missouri) def. Jarod Trice (Central Michigan), 4-1
Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith Interview:
2013 MAC Champion -- Missouri Tigers Trophy Presentation
2013 MAC Championship Matches:
125: Alan Waters (Missouri) def. Steve Mitcheff (Kent State), 4-0
133: Nathan McCormick (Missouri) def. Levi Wolfensperger (Northern Iowa), 8-0
141: Joey Lazor (Northern Iowa) def. Kevin Fanta (Northern Illinois), 1-0
149: Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) def. Blake Roulo (Buffalo), 13-0
157: David Bonin (Northern Iowa) def. Kyle Bradley (Missouri), 5-2
165: Mike Ottinger (Central Michigan) def. Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo), 8-5
174: Cody Walters (Ohio) def. John-Martin Cannon (Buffalo), 4-3
184: Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) def. Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa), 5-3
197: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) def. Brent Haynes (Missouri), 17-5
285: Dom Bradley (Missouri) def. Jarod Trice (Central Michigan), 4-1