2008 Woodie Awards
Seven members give CMU swagger, veteran leadership for 2007-08
By: Aaron Vigneault
Issue date: 11/26/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
Talent is important to the success of any athletics program, but the key to winning championships is experience.
Central Michigan's wrestling team has always had talent, but has perhaps its most returning experience ever this season. The Chippewas return seven seniors and four All-Americans this season, which have raised expectations to a new height.
With the veteran leadership in the wrestling room, coach Tom Borrelli will be leaving some of the discipline to the seniors.
One of those is senior 197-pounder Wynn Michalak.
"It will be the seniors that jump in if someone isn't in peak shape and working hard," Michalak said. "This is our last season and we want to be national champions. I will accept nothing less."
Michalak leads a group of seven returning seniors including 125-pounder Luke Smith, 149-pounder Brandon Carter and 174-pounder Brandon Sinnott. Brandon's brother Christian also returns alongside Ben Kelto at 184 pounds, while Bubba Gritter returns to the team at heavyweight.
Borrelli said he feels the team has been tired at the end of the season in past years, and is hoping to avoid that by focusing more on technique early in the year.
Brandon Sinnott knows it will only be a matter of time before Borrelli forces the team's intensity to pick up.
"Right now we're working on our weaknesses," Sinnott said. "As the season goes along, he'll start killing us."
In the past few years, the Chippewas have not achieved all of their goals. Borrelli said he is hoping that experience and hard work will help CMU reach its potential this year.
"To make that jump to the next level you have to have national champions," he said. "In the past when we've gotten to nationals we haven't had those individuals take that next step. The key to that is attitude and believing that you've paid the price to win those matches."
CMU hopes that having been there before will help overcome past failures. Smith has made adjustments and hopes the effort pays off with a national title.
"I'm a lot more focused on what I need to do this year," he said. "I think I've learned from years past. I really burned out a little bit last year, so I took time off in the summer to work on getting ready for this year. I definitely think I can be a national champion."
Experience has paid off for Brandon Sinnott.
"I've beaten the guy that was No. 1 in my weight class four times in my career," Sinnott said. "If that's not motivation for me to go win a national championship I don't know what is."
sports@cm-life.com
Central Michigan's wrestling team has always had talent, but has perhaps its most returning experience ever this season. The Chippewas return seven seniors and four All-Americans this season, which have raised expectations to a new height.
With the veteran leadership in the wrestling room, coach Tom Borrelli will be leaving some of the discipline to the seniors.
One of those is senior 197-pounder Wynn Michalak.
"It will be the seniors that jump in if someone isn't in peak shape and working hard," Michalak said. "This is our last season and we want to be national champions. I will accept nothing less."
Michalak leads a group of seven returning seniors including 125-pounder Luke Smith, 149-pounder Brandon Carter and 174-pounder Brandon Sinnott. Brandon's brother Christian also returns alongside Ben Kelto at 184 pounds, while Bubba Gritter returns to the team at heavyweight.
Borrelli said he feels the team has been tired at the end of the season in past years, and is hoping to avoid that by focusing more on technique early in the year.
Brandon Sinnott knows it will only be a matter of time before Borrelli forces the team's intensity to pick up.
"Right now we're working on our weaknesses," Sinnott said. "As the season goes along, he'll start killing us."
In the past few years, the Chippewas have not achieved all of their goals. Borrelli said he is hoping that experience and hard work will help CMU reach its potential this year.
"To make that jump to the next level you have to have national champions," he said. "In the past when we've gotten to nationals we haven't had those individuals take that next step. The key to that is attitude and believing that you've paid the price to win those matches."
CMU hopes that having been there before will help overcome past failures. Smith has made adjustments and hopes the effort pays off with a national title.
"I'm a lot more focused on what I need to do this year," he said. "I think I've learned from years past. I really burned out a little bit last year, so I took time off in the summer to work on getting ready for this year. I definitely think I can be a national champion."
Experience has paid off for Brandon Sinnott.
"I've beaten the guy that was No. 1 in my weight class four times in my career," Sinnott said. "If that's not motivation for me to go win a national championship I don't know what is."
sports@cm-life.com
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