MAC Wrestling Weekend Preview

 

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan can clinch the Mid-American Conference title outright in a unique way Friday night as it will host in-state foe Eastern Michigan as a part of the second ever Royal Rumble & Tumble inside McGuirk Arena at 7 p.m. 

 

The Chippewas (12-3, 4-0 MAC) will compete alongside the Central Michigan gymnastics program, which will be taking on MAC foe Northern Illinois. Though many schools have adopted the event, CMU is just one of two programs in the country that features top 25 programs in both sports. 

 

Follow the Action: Fans unable to attend the event can follow live stats provided through TrackWrestling.com or get in-meet updates through the Chippewas' official Twitter account @CMUWrestling. A live video feed will also be available through the CMU Sports Zone. 

 

Building a Dynasty: With a win over the Eagles Friday, the Chippewas will clinch the MAC title outright. The Maroon and Gold clinched at least a share of their eighth title in 10 years, and 13th overall, by defeating rival Kent State on Jan. 27, 27-8. CMU has also claimed the last 11 straight MAC Championships crowns. 

 

CMU vs. EMU: The Chippewas are 54-9-1 all-time against Eastern Michigan and have won 21 straight meetings, including a 21-12 victory in Ypsilanti last season. CMU has more wins over EMU than any other opponent in program history. Eastern Michigan's last win in the series was a 17-16 decision in 1991.  

 

CMU vs. The MAC: The Chippewas have won 74 of their last 78 MAC duals dating back to the 1997-98 season. Their current 11-year reign of the MAC Championships is the longest streak in conference history. 

 

Senior Night: Friday evening's dual marks the final home contest of the 2013 season and the final home contest of five seniors. Christian Cullinan (125), Scotti Sentes (133), Donnie Corby (149), Ben Bennett (184) and Jarod Trice (285) have led CMU to three MAC regular season titles and three MAC Championships crowns as the five have combined for 429 wins on the mat.

 

In the Rankings: CMU held steady at No. 12 in both the NWCA/USA Today coaches' poll and InterMat Tournament Strength rankings following their dominant 25-6 win over Old Dominion Sunday. Eastern Michigan is unranked in both polls. 

 

Probable Lineups

125: No. 11 Christian Cullinan (16-5, 2-0) vs. Alexander Calandrino (20-9, 1-2)

133: No. 7 Scotti Sentes (12-5, 2-0) vs. Jake Byers (14-10, 1-1) or Filiberto Colon (1-2, 1-0)

141: Scott Mattingly (15-13, 3-1) vs. Seth Schaner (7-11, 2-2)

149: Donnie Corby (15-9, 4-0) vs. Mike Shaw (11-12, 0-3)

157: Lucas Smith (14-8, 2-2) vs. Aaron Sulzer (16-9, 4-0)

165: Mike Ottinger (15-13, 3-1) vs. Jacob Davis (18-9, 1-2)

174: Craig Kelliher (19-10, 1-2) vs. Jacob Dorulla (10-14, 0-3)

184: No. 2 Ben Bennett (18-0, 4-0) vs. Phillip Joseph (15-10, 3-1)

197: Jackson Lewis (10-16, 0-4) vs. Nick Whitenburg (6-6, 2-0)

Hwt: No. 5 Jarod Trice (16-2, 4-0) vs. Chris Eggert (4-10, 0-3) or Khodor Hoballah (7-8, 0-1)

 

 

 

 

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team competes in its final Mid-American Conference dual-meet of the 2012-13 season Friday evening, Feb. 18, against No. 10 Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant Mich. Match time is slated for 7 p.m.

   

The Eagles (7-11; 1-3 MAC) will battle a nationally-ranked team for the sixth time this season when they meet up with the 11-time defending conference champion Chippewas (12-3; 4-0 MAC). EMU is 1-4 in its endeavors against ranked opponents this year.

 

CHIP DIP: In case you hadn't noticed, Central Michigan has all but run the table in the MAC in recent years, having won the previous 11 conference titles. This dominance has been bad news for the Eagles, who are 9-54-1 all-time against CMU have not recorded a victory during the seven-year tenure of Head Coach Derek DelPorto. Last season, CMU upended EMU, 21-12.

   

It has not all been bad news for EMU wrestlers when taking on CMU, as redshirt junior Nick Whitenburg has won his match at 197 lbs. in each of the last two seasons against a grappler wearing the Maroon and Gold.

 

SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS: Central Michigan boasts five top-25 wrestlers including a pair which crack the nations top-five. At 184 lbs., Ben Bennett holds down the No. 2 spot while Jarod Trice occupies the No. 5 ranking at heavyweight. Christian Cullinan is No. 7 at 125 lbs., while Scott Sentes is No. 7 at 133 lbs. and Chris Mecate is No. 16 at 141 lbs. 

   

CMU has won five matches in-a-row since losing to No. 19 Virginia, 20-13, Jan. 12.

  

“Central has a very specific style of wrestling throughout their lineup,” noted Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “We will prepare for that style and fight as hard as we can.  They always have a knowledgeable crowd so they will present a small distraction.  Regardless, we will fight!”

 

A PAIR OF INSPIRED PERFORMANCES: Redshirt seniors Filiberto Colon and Aaron Sulzer made the most of their Senior Night bouts Friday, Feb. 1, against Kent State. Both grapplers recorded pins on the evening and accounted for 12 of EMU's 15 team points.

  

“I was very proud,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “Getting a pin at this level against quality opponents is not an easy task, let alone on Senior night.  That was fun to watch.“

  

Friday was Colon's first regular-season match of the year. The Belleville, N.J. native wrestled in a pair of unattached matches earlier in the season, but had not recorded a victory until he pinned Mack McGuire at the 5:58 mark of the 133 lbs. bout.

   

Sulzer's pin at 157 lbs. against Tom Sasfy was his fourth of the year and brought record to 16-9 overall, 11-6 in regular-season tussles and 4-0 in conference action. A win Friday against CMU would make him the second EMU wrestler in as many seasons (Andrew Novak) to post an undefeated MAC season.

 

SENIOR NIGHT UPSET FALLS SHORT: Despite pins by Aaron Sulzer and Filiberto Colon, the Eagles could not hold onto a nine-point lead against Kent State on Senior Night, Feb. 1. The Golden Flashes made up a 15-6 deficit to walk away with a 24-15 win and down the Eagles for a 29th consecutive time.

   

Redshirt junior Seth Schaner was the only other Eagle to win his match. Schaner evened his MAC record at 2-2 for the Eagles with an 11-10 decision against Luke Kern at 141 lbs.

   

Prior to the dual-meet, Sulzer, Colon and heavyweight Chris Eggert were recognized for their contributions to the EMU wrestling team over their careers.

 

REGULAR SEASON CONCLUDES FEB. 17 AT BOWEN: The 2012-13 regular season draws to a close Sunday, Feb. 17, when the Eagles host Iowa State at Bowen Field House. Match time is slated for 1 p.m. EMU is 2-3 in home matches this season, having beaten Cleveland State, Nov. 30, and Olivet, Jan. 16

   

The dual-meet with the Cyclones will be EMU's first look at one of three teams which will join the MAC for the 2013-14 season in wrestling. Missouri and Old Dominion will also wrestle out of the MAC beginning next season.

 

NOT ALL ABOUT WINS AND LOSSES: Wrestling is set up where regular-season success or failure does not necessarily mean the same in the postseason. For example the 1995-96 Eagles went 1-4 in MAC matches during the regular season but ran away with the MAC tournament championship.

   

For Derek DelPorto's squad, the focus now turns to peaking at the right time for a postseason run. “I think we are progressing well,” said DelPorto. “I believe we will be in great shape for the MAC Tournament, which is our ultimate goal at this point in the season.”

 

MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE HORIZON: The 2013 MAC Championships will be held Sunday, March 10, on the campus of the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y. The Eagles will attempt to build off a third-place finish last season when they ultimately sent four grapplers to the NCAA Championships as a result of their performance at the conference tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The No. 20 University of Northern Iowa wrestling team is headed to Ames, Iowa, as the favorite over unranked Iowa State.  Coach Doug Schwab is looking for his first win over the Cyclones as a Panther coach. The last two meetings with Iowa State have been extremely tight with UNI losing by 2 points in 2012 and just 1 point in 2011. The series with Iowa State dates back to 1924, UNI's second year for its wrestling program. The Cyclones lead the series 54-16. 

 

UNI'S SEASON:  The Panthers (8-3) are coming off two wins on the road, beating South Dakota State (41-3) and No. 25 North Dakota State (21-15).  The team made its debut in national rankings after beating then-ranked No. 13 Oklahoma, 18-15, and No. 21 Northwestern, 21-13, in the same weekend. The team has moved up one spot since to 20th in the nation in the latest USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll. UNI is ranked 27th by Intermat. The Panthers are third in the Mid-American Conference behind Central Michigan and Missouri.

 

The Panthers have outscored dual opponents 331-131 so far this season.  After dominating in the Western Wrestling Conference, UNI moved to the MAC this season to participate in the conference meet only. Starting next year, the Panthers will compete fully in the MAC.

 

ISU'S SEASON:  The Cyclones (6-4) have faced a couple of the same teams as UNI. Both teams were victorious over NDSU, where ISU won 22-18. However, ISU lost to Oklahoma, 19-15. The team is coming off a 25-9 loss to Oklahoma State and recent 23-18 win over Arizona State.

 

 

• 125 - Ryan Jauch vs. Ryak Finch

Jauch (4-7/4-5) Crystal Lake, Ill. / Crystal Lake Central

After wrestling in the 133-pound weight class for the last couple of years, Jauch has moved down to 125 for his senior year. He won his first match of the year by technical fall (18-1) and his second with a pin in 1:31. He pinned Tyler Gilleland of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in 20 seconds. He upset No. 16 Dominick Malone to help the team beat No. 21 Northwestern. As a junior, he upset the No. 3 seed in the West Regional in the first round. He was the Finn Grinaker Open champion at 133 pounds and placed second at Harold Nichols Cyclone Open.

Finch (8-7/5-5) Safford, Ariz.

Finch, a sophomore, is a returning NCAA national qualifier. He was third at this year's Harold Nichols Cyclone Open and won it last year. He has earned three wins by fall and two by tech falls this season. 

 

• 133 - Levi Wolfensperger vs. John Meeks

Wolfensperger (20-6/9-2) Denver, Iowa / Denver

UNI's Wolfensperger, a sophomore, is a returning NCAA national qualifier for the Panthers and placed fourth at the Cliff Keen Invite. He won the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open. As a redshirt freshman, he was the WWC's only NCAA qualifier and had the most pins at the West Regional. Wolfensperger and Meeks have both faced Josh Rodriguez of NDSU. Wolfensperger has beaten Rodriguez two times, while Meeks lost 6-2 in their last meeting.

Meeks (6-7/3-6) Des Moines, Iowa / Roosevelt 

Meeks is one of the most-decorated high school wrestlers in Iowa, with a perfect 168-0 record. He was just the sixth wrestler in Iowa history to accomplish the feat. He won four separate weight classes as a prep wrestler: 119 as a freshman, 125 as a sophomore, 130 as a junior, 138 as a senior.

 

• 141 - Joey Lazor or Adam Perrin vs. Luke Goettl

Lazor (26-7/9-2) McDonough, Ga. / Union Grove

Injury kept Lazor, a junior, out of the Panther lineup last year, but he has been an integral part of the UNI team this year. He placed seventh at the Midlands Championships. As a junior, he saw limited action with his injury but placed sixth at Flash Flanagan and sixth at the Duhawk Open.

Perrin (7-5/0-0) Eldridge, Iowa / North Scott

Perrin took fifth at the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open. Last year as a freshman, he posted the most victories of all the true freshmen. He led the team in pins with 14. He was the champion at the Loras and Jim Fox opens. 

Goettl (9-9/4-5) Clarkdale, Ariz.

Goettl is a returning NCAA qualifier. He upset Kendric Maple of Oklahoma and No. 2 Zach Kemmerer of Penn at Midlands last year to place sixth overall. Maple won both of their meetings this year. Goettl took third at this year's Harold Nichols Open. 

 

• 149 - Bart Reiter or Clay Welter vs. Max Mayfield

Reiter (10-4/6-2) Gilbertville, Iowa / Don Bosco / Minnesota  

Injury slowed Reiter's start to the season, but he has been healthy and an asset to the Panther lineup since returning. Reiter started his collegiate wrestling career at Minnesota. This is his first year at UNI. 

Welter (14-4/2-0) Gilbertville, Iowa / Don Bosco

Welter won the William Penn Open and took second at the Grand View Open this year. He had the team's quickest pin at 25 seconds last year. He is a sophomore.

Mayfield (8-9/3-5) Davenport, Iowa 

Mayfield sat out most of last season after getting an injury. This was his third year competing at the Midlands Championships. He was third at the Harold Nichols Open in 2010 and took sixth at the UNI Open that season.  

 

• 157 - David Bonin vs. Logan Molina

Bonin (21-5/8-3) Broussard, La. / Comeaux  

Bonin, a senior, is a two-time NCAA national qualifier for UNI. He has held a national ranking for the majority of the year. Bonin won the UNI Open, was second at the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open and placed fifth at the Cliff Keen Invite. He beat No. 15 Matt Lester in SV2 to help the Panthers beat No. 13 Oklahoma Jan. 18 to earn a spot in the national rankings. As a junior he upset three ranked opponents, including the No. 4 seed Walter Peppelman in the first round of the NCAA Championships with a pin. 

Molina (14-13/3-7) Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln 

Molina lost 2-1 to Bonin earlier in the season en route to his fourth-place finish at the UNI Open. Lester also defeated Molina, 6-4, in a dual. Molina won the Kaye Young and UNI Open last year. He placed fifth at last year's Grand View Open.

 

• 165 - Jarrett Jensen or Kyle Lux vs. Michael Moreno

Jensen 14-12/6-5 Rapid City, S.D. / Rapid City Stevens

Jensen, a redshirt freshman, has been in the UNI lineup for all of UNI's dual meets this season. He placed sixth at the UNI Open. His recent losses came to No. 4 Patrick "Bubby" Graham of Oklahoma and No. 16 Pierce Harger of Northwestern. He is the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open champion. As a freshman, he won three open tournaments: Loras Open and Jim Fox Open at 157 pounds and the Flash Flanagan Open at 165 pounds.

Lux (9-7/0-0) Toledo, Iowa / South Tama

Lux was third at the Flash Flanagan Open and fifth at the Grand View Open. As a freshman, he won the Loras Open and placed third at the Jim Fox Open. 

Moreno (19-6/6-4) Urbandale, Iowa 

Moreno is the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open. He beat Jensen 2-0 to win the UNI Open. He finished fourth at the Big 12 Championships last year. The sophomore was the Iowa state champion at 171 pounds in 2010. In high school, he was coached by his father and former Cyclone All-American Mike Moreno. 

 

• 174 - Cody Caldwell vs. Tanner Weatherman 

Caldwell (24-7/8-3) Waverly, Iowa / Waverly-Shell Rock

Caldwell was seventh at the Cliff Keen Invite in Las Vegas, Nev. Caldwell, a redshirt freshman, won the UNI Open and the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open. As a freshman, he posted the best winning percentage (.885) of the freshman class, winning the Jim Fox Open, William Penn Open and the Flash Flanagan Open.

Weatherman (12-6/6-2) Huxley, Iowa / Ballard-Huxley

Weatherman was second at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open. The redshirt freshman posted a 12-3 record last year competing unattached and took second at the UNI Open. He also won the Grand View Open. He was a three-time state champion in high school.

 

• 184 - Ryan Loder vs. Boaz Beard 

Loder (25-3/10-0) Granite Bay, Calif. / Granite Bay

Loder has been nationally ranked all season. He is a two-time returning NCAA national qualifier. Loder's career record is the fifth-highest winning percentage among all UNI Panthers who have had at least 50 wins and competed at least two seasons in Division I. He consistently has been UNI's top place winner at competitive tournaments, winning the UNI Open, placing third at the Cliff Keen Invite and taking fourth at the Midlands Championships. He upset No. 8 Mike Larson of Missouri in a dual. As a sophomore, he never lost a match by major decision, technical fall or pin. He won three open tournaments: Harold Nichols Cyclone Open, Finn Grinaker Open and the UNI Open. He placed third at Midlands and was named Top Contender.

Beard (8-4/6-2) Wichita, Kan. / Goddard

Beard, a junior, is a returning NCAA national qualifier. He was edged out by Mike Larson of Missouri to take second at the Big 12 Championships last year. Beard lost 1-0 last year to Loder. He was a four-time state champion as a prep wrestler in Kansas. 

 

• 197 - Blaize Cabell or Taylor Kettman vs. Kyven Gadson

Cabell (10-10/2-4) Independence, Iowa / Independence

Cabell is a redshirt freshman. He took second at the William Penn Open. He placed fifth and recorded a pin and technical fall at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open. He joined the dual lineup for the Panthers mid-January. As a freshman, he won the Loras Open and was fourth at the Jim Fox and William Penn opens.

Taylor Kettman (1-1/1-1) Waterloo, Iowa / Don Bosco

Injury has slowed Kettman's start to the season. The sophomore was undefeated in competition his first weekend back. He placed second at the Flash Flanagan Open last year and third at the Finn Grinaker Cobber open. He was fifth at the UNI Open last season. As a freshman, he picked up eight wins in open tournaments. 

Gadson (16-2/9-0) Waterloo, Iowa / Waterloo East

Gadson was fourth at this year's Midlands Championships and took second at this year's UNI Open. Gadson, a sophomore, was injured for much of last year. He posted back-to-back undefeated seasons to win state titles at 171 and 189 pounds in high school. 

 

• 285 - Blayne Beale or Cody Krumwiede vs. Matt Gibson 

Beale (13-7/6-3) Davenport, Iowa / Davenport West

Beale, a senior, is one of four returning NCAA national qualifiers for UNI. He has wrestled the majority of the duals for the Panthers this season. He got fourth at the UNI Open, his first meet of the season. His last-second takedown against Keldrick Hall of Oklahoma helped secure the Panthers' win against the Sooners. His 3-2 decision over Hall gave UNI the three points it needed to win as a team. As a junior, he was undefeated in WWC dual competition and won the Flash Flanagan Open. 

Cody Krumwiede (19-10/1-1) Waverly, Iowa / Waverly-Shell Rock

Krumwiede, a redshirt freshman, is the William Penn Open champion. He was second at the Finn Grinaker Cobber Open, UNI Open and the Grand View Open. He got fifth at the Flash Flanagan Open. As a freshman, he won a team-high of four titles at open tournaments: Loras, Jim Fox, William Penn and Flash Flanagan opens.

Matt Gibson (12-6/4-4) Vallejo, Calif. 

Gibson was third at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open. Last year, he won the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open and Kaye Young Open. He took third at the Midlands Championships. He is a returning NCAA national qualifier after winning the Big 12 Championships. At last year's dual against UNI, Gibson pulled out a 7-1 win to help the Cyclones defeat the Panthers 19-17.