Wrestling closes out MAC schedule against Eastern Michigan
Wrestling head coach Tom Borrelli is taking no team for granted at the conclusion of conference play despite having a 55-9-1 all-time record against Eastern Michigan.
“I don’t know that we’ve had such an edge on Eastern in the past, it’s hard to say,” Borrelli said. “I know they have a good team this year. They’re wrestling well. They just had a very good match against Missouri. It will be a very competitive dual meet like all our matches have been this year.”
EMU is seventh in the MAC with a 1-4 conference record. The Eagles have stayed competitive in their matches, losing 18-12 against Kent State and 18-15 against Missouri.
Eastern Michigan's Vincent Pizzuto is the reigning MAC Wrestler of the Week. He went 3-0 last week including a win over a Top 20 opponent.
CMU currently sits at 4-3 in the Mid-American Conference standing behind Old Dominion (4-2), Missouri (5-1) and Northern Iowa (6-0).
“Our program needs to improve. In the past we won the MAC and we were a top 15-18 team but now that’s not going to win the MAC anymore,” Borrelli said. “Now you have to be a top 5-10 team to win our conference. Things have changed and we have to step up to that. We can’t be the old Central Michigan."
The lower weight classes have been the core of the lineup this season and continue to put up impressive numbers, combining for a 53-13 record.
Five wrestlers are ranked in the top 20 of their respective weight classes including Freshman Corey Keener, senior Joe Roth, sophomores Zach Horan and Lucas Smith and junior Mike Ottinger.
With no competitions last week, the Chippewas were able to do light workouts and recover their bodies in preparation for the remaining schedule.
Borrelli said the last week has been beneficial for his team in order to prepare for the final matches and the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
“The biggest thing we’re trying to do is let our bodies recover,” Borrelli said. “We’ve got about a month left in the season and so we have time to train hard again, but we just needed some time to recover a little bit."
The Chippewas will host EMU Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in McGuirk Arena in their final Mid-American Conference meet.
