Wrestling remains focused on returning to perennial spot in MAC
Wrestling is looking to bounce back after its streak of 11-straight MAC tournament titles came to an end last season.
They will not be handed the title easily – six teams ranked in the top 30 by InterMat will be competitors in the Mid-American Conference tournament.
Senior Craig Kelliher said while the top-seeded teams are worrying more about losing, CMU is worried about winning, which is different from past seasons.
“The benefit of this year is we have nothing to lose,” Kelliher said. “Nobody is counting on us right now. It’s more relaxing, you don’t have to worry about anything other than just wrestling.”
Head coach Tom Borrelli said the team has looked relaxed both physically and mentally this week in preparation for the tournament.
He said the key to being successful is to be more consistent than they were during the season.
"We’ve been up and down all year long," Borrelli said. "We have to string together three very good matches.”
Northern Iowa won the regular season conference title and will be the No. 1 seed over the weekend. The Panthers are the No. 11 team nationally and have five ranked wrestlers including No. 1 senior Joe Colon at 133 pounds. CMU lost to UNI, 25-14, on Jan 11.
Missouri is the No. 2 seed and ranked ninth in the country. Six wrestlers are ranked for the Tigers, including junior Drake Houdashelt who is No. 1 at 149 pounds, and No. 2 freshman J’den Cox at 197.
“I think Northern Iowa is probably the favorite,” Borrelli said. “Missouri has probably the most balanced lineup of the 10 weight classes. I think Old Dominion is probably wrestling as good as anybody right now. The competition is going to be very, very good.”
On Jan. 19, CMU nearly pulled an upset against Missouri, but came up short 16-15.
Third-seeded Ohio enters the tournament with four ranked wrestlers, including sophomore Phil Wellington who is ranked No. 8 at 197 pounds. CMU picked up the victory over the Bobcats 19-15 on Jan. 17.
“Northern Iowa has a couple of studs on their team that are ranked high in the country,” Horan said. “Missouri has a very balanced lineup. Ohio has very good upper weights that a lot of the other teams aren’t strong at."
CMU is the four seed this season after finishing the year with a 4-4 conference record. Rounding out the top five is Kent State.
Four Chippewa wrestlers are the No. 2 seed in their weight class for the tournament, including sophomores Zach Horan and Luke Smith, junior Mike Ottinger and senior Joe Roth. Sophomore Corey Keener is ranked fourth.
CMU has five wrestlers ranked in the top 33 in the final coaches poll, comprised of No. 24 Keener, No. 12 Roth, No. 6 Horan, No. 17 Smith and No. 8 Ottinger.
Ottinger will look to win his third consecutive MAC title, but is up a weight class from last season. He has been dominant in the 174-pound weight class this season.
Borrelli said unlike some ranked in the top of their weight classes, others have to work to earn a spot in the NCAA championships.
“For the five guys that are seeded in the top two or three in the conference, I think those guys want to win a championship,” Borrelli said. “The other guys, like Scott Mattingly for example, he has to steal a spot. He has to go in and finish in the top four in his weight. He can’t be worrying about getting an at-large bid because he is on the bubble.”
The nine-team tournament will take place Saturday and Sunday in Kent, Ohio. Saturday is reserved for the preliminary, quarterfinal and semifinal championship matches, beginning at noon.
Finals of the championship round will take place on Sunday at 1:20 p.m. Following will be the NCAA Championship Qualifying matches, if necessary.
The MAC was awarded 41 spots in the NCAA Wrestling Championships, which will take place March 20-22 in Oklahoma City. The 41 spots is the third most of any conference in the nation.
