Chippewas begin regular season at Eastern Michigan Open
CMU will send 17 wrestlers to take part in the annual Eastern Michigan Open at 9 a.m. Saturday in Ypsilanti.
The school pays for six of those on its wrestling team, and the other 11 wrestlers compete unattached.
“Mainly, it’s just an opportunity for out guys to get matches in,” said head coach Tom Borrelli. “We’re not taking all our starters.”
The team has yet to set a starter in the 125, 141, 165 and 197-pound classes, leaving room for players to step up in the tournament and show their potential.
“Those are the ones where we have guys who haven’t been starters in the past, who have a chance to step up,” Borrelli said.
Redshirt freshman Adam Miller is one wrestler looking to land the 165 starting title. In 2009, Miller competed unattached at the Eastern Open.
“I won my first match, and pulled two All-Americans next and I got whooped,” Miller said. “It was the first time in a long time, and was kind of an eye opener for me and put me in my place.”
After beating Cleveland State’s Corey Carlo 5-3, Miller was on the losing side of a 9-2 decision to Indiana’s Kurt Kinser and 7-3 to Matt Coughlin.
Sophomore Christian Cullinan competed in the Eastern Open in 2009, making it to the third round before losing to North Western’s Brandon Precin, who went on to win the 125-pound weight class.
During the Intrasquad match Tuesday, Cullinan got the 6-3 decision over redshirt freshman Joe Roth.
Redshirt freshman Craig Kelliher wrestles in the 197-pound weight class — a step up from the 184-pound class he competed unattached in 2009 at the Eastern Open.
Kelliher had two byes to start the tournament, before pinning Southwest Minneosta State’s C.D. Johnson 3:51 into the match. He made it to the third place match, before getting pinned in 52 seconds by Illinois’ Tony Dallago.
“It’s important for our guys to have an opportunity to wrestle somebody other than who they practice in our rooms,” Borrelli said. “It’s a good opportunity to see a lot of guys from around the midwest and gage where they are right now.”
The Eastern Open is the first of a handful of tournaments to begin the 2010-11 season. The next one taking place is at 9 a.m. Nov. 14 at the Michigan State Open in East Lansing.
