2008 Woodie Awards
Path to nationals varies for lighter weights
By: Aaron Sides
Issue date: 3/12/08 Section: Sports
Editor's note: The wrestling team will send nine individuals to the NCAA Championships March 20-22 in St. Louis. Central Michigan Life will profile three wrestler's seasons until the tournament.
The chance to compete at the NCAA Championships was up in the air for awhile for senior 125-pounder Luke Smith.
After losing in the semifinals of the MAC Championships, he was able to earn a third-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships.
Smith thought he wrestled his last collegiate match at the point, but he soon learned that he had earned a wild card berth to the tournament.
"I thought I might have blown my chance at nationals," he said. "I had tears in my eyes at the end of my last match."
Coach Tom Borrelli said he knew Smith did not have the conference tournament he would have liked, but he now gets a second chance.
"Luke's been given new life with the wild card," he said. "He has the chance to prove himself at nationals."
Sophomore 133-pounder Conor Beebe also found his way into the NCAA tournament as a wild card. He said he is not quite at the point where he wants to be going into the tournament, but plans to use the time he has now to get to that next level.
"I'm hoping to turn the corner at nationals," he said. "I just need to wrestle to the best of my capabilities."
Borrelli said Beebe is a strong tournament wrestler and that he is coming along well going into nationals.
"He's getting his confidence back," he said. "I'm excited for him to have earned this second opportunity to wrestle at nationals."
Senior Brandon Carter earned his tournament berth by winning a MAC title at 149 pounds. After falling short the previous three years, he was finally able to capture the title that has eluded him.
Carter said that despite a bit of a slump about a month ago, he has been pleased with his season and his training is coming along well as nationals draw closer.
"I think I'm peaking at the right time," he said. "I'm just working on getting ready mentally and getting in better shape."
In what Borrelli said is a historically difficult weight class, he expects Carter to prove the doubters wrong.
"I think Brandon is going to be a big surprise," he said. "He's wrestling the best he ever has right now."
sports@cm-life.com
The chance to compete at the NCAA Championships was up in the air for awhile for senior 125-pounder Luke Smith.
After losing in the semifinals of the MAC Championships, he was able to earn a third-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships.
Smith thought he wrestled his last collegiate match at the point, but he soon learned that he had earned a wild card berth to the tournament.
"I thought I might have blown my chance at nationals," he said. "I had tears in my eyes at the end of my last match."
Coach Tom Borrelli said he knew Smith did not have the conference tournament he would have liked, but he now gets a second chance.
"Luke's been given new life with the wild card," he said. "He has the chance to prove himself at nationals."
Sophomore 133-pounder Conor Beebe also found his way into the NCAA tournament as a wild card. He said he is not quite at the point where he wants to be going into the tournament, but plans to use the time he has now to get to that next level.
"I'm hoping to turn the corner at nationals," he said. "I just need to wrestle to the best of my capabilities."
Borrelli said Beebe is a strong tournament wrestler and that he is coming along well going into nationals.
"He's getting his confidence back," he said. "I'm excited for him to have earned this second opportunity to wrestle at nationals."
Senior Brandon Carter earned his tournament berth by winning a MAC title at 149 pounds. After falling short the previous three years, he was finally able to capture the title that has eluded him.
Carter said that despite a bit of a slump about a month ago, he has been pleased with his season and his training is coming along well as nationals draw closer.
"I think I'm peaking at the right time," he said. "I'm just working on getting ready mentally and getting in better shape."
In what Borrelli said is a historically difficult weight class, he expects Carter to prove the doubters wrong.
"I think Brandon is going to be a big surprise," he said. "He's wrestling the best he ever has right now."
sports@cm-life.com
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