Wrestling benefits from experienced assistant coaching staff


Wrestling looks to benefit this season from two new assistant coaches, both Mid-American Conference champions, All-American wrestlers and CMU alums.

Ryan Cunningham and Ben Bennett returned to their alma mater as assistant coaches prior to the start of the 2013 season. Cunningham is the first wrestler in CMU history to earn Division I All-American honors three times. He also was a three-time MAC champion and finished his career with 104 wins to just 30 losses.

Bennett is the first four-time All-American in program history. Head coach Tom Borrelli said the championship experience his coaching staff brings to a young wrestling team is invaluable.

"It brings them another great workout partner in the room and another person to lead by example," Borrelli said. "Ben is recently removed from the team, so its much of a transition for him. Guys know their careers and respect them for it."

Wrestling differs from other sports in that coaches are often right there on the mat with athletes in practice, bringing a more hands-on approach that is especially useful with coaches who can pass on their skills to the next crop of wrestlers.

"I just think its important that we've been through the same system, so we're always on the same page as a coaching staff," Cunningham said. "We know what has made this program successful since we've been through it. What made us successful we can funnel through to these guys."

Cunningham left his job as an assistant principal and athletic director at Farwell High School to return to CMU. He said he has stayed in contact with other wrestling programs in the area but couldn't pass up the chance to return to Mount Pleasant.

"When this came up it would have been the only position I would have left what I was doing to come do," Cunningham said. "It just felt it was the right timing; I couldn’t be happier."

The CMU wrestling program’s rise to national prominence coincided with Cunningham’s career. He helped lead CMU to a pair of MAC championships and three MAC Tournament titles, while CMU finished in the top 20 at the NCAA meet in three of his four seasons, including a school-record fifth-place showing in 1998.

Bennett is more recently removed from the team, graduating just last year. He boasts an overall 19-1 MAC record and career record of 122-24.

"I don't know if I could do something where I sit around all day," Bennet said. "I get to work out with the team, do some of the conditioning and work on technique. There's no better place to be than in the wrestling room"

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