Wrestling team faces east coast teams back-to-back days
The Central Michigan wrestling team will leave Mount Pleasant and an unimpressive month behind to wrestle at George Mason and Old Dominion this weekend.
The No. 22 Chippewas hit a cold streak, losing three of five duals after starting 10-2.
Their three losses were all against top-15 teams.“I think sometimes evaluating things has a lot to do with the level of competition, not necessarily the outcomes,” head coach Tom Borrelli said. “We had some disappointing losses toward the end of the month, but overall we got better.”
The road will not be any easier in February.
Some of the best teams in the U.S. are competing in the National Duals after this weekend’s set against two Colonial Athletic Association members.
It will be no pushover 3 p.m. Sunday at Norfolk, Va., when CMU faces No. 25 Old Dominion. Last year the Monarchs were two points away from beating CMU.
They have one ranked wrestler, and three on the cusp of the top-20 according to wrestlingreport.com.
George Mason should be an easier test. The Patriots only have one wrestler with more than 12 wins. The Chippewas have five. They face off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Washington, D.C.
CMU has never lost to either team. They are 4-0 against Old Dominion and have not wrestled GMU before.
Donnie Corby and Mike Ottinger undefeated in January
Donnie Corby and Mike Ottinger were the only Chippewas that came out of the month of January unscathed with a combined record of 9-0.
“They’ve been practicing hard,” Borrelli said. “When you’re making those sacrifices and you’re doing the things you’re suppose to be doing in practice, then you feel like you deserve to be successful in competition and you carry that on to the mat with you.”
Both have faced their own obstacles this season. Ottinger is in his first year of collegiate wrestling and Corby was hampered by a foot injury.
“I think I’ve performed well in the last month, but the most important time is coming up, so I got to be ready for that,” Ottinger said. “I want to win the (Nationals), it’s going to be a tough task to do that, and also All-American isn’t going to be easy either, but those are my goals.”
Borrelli used the word “spark” and “catalyst” to describe Ottinger.
“Whenever a freshman can go out and perform the way he’s performed it can inspire and motivate everyone else,” Borrelli said.
Corby and Ottinger will be challenged this weekend against two of ODU’s top three wrestlers in 157-pound John Nicholson (21-5) and 165-pound Tristan Warner (23-11).
