Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewa Wrestlers Go West
12/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Cullen Maksimowski, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The 2015 portion of the schedule may be winding down for the Central Michigan wrestling team, but the competition level is not.
The Chippewas will travel to Nevada on Sunday to take part in the Reno Tournament of Champions.
The No. 17-ranked Chippewas (4-0) will square off against wrestlers from 24 teams from across country in an individual format. No team scores will be kept.
No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 11 Illinois will be in attendance along with Oregon State and Stanford, both of which have been ranked in the top 25 this season.
"It's a good tournament, we've been there a number of times in the past and its real good competition," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "We'll get to see a lot of the west coast teams that we normally wouldn't see and we expect to do well."
The weekend will begin a stretch of amplified competition level for the Chippewas, who have won their last two dual meets by 30-plus points.
The Chippewas are set to participate the Southern Scuffle Jan. 1-2. The tournament features 10 teams ranked in the top 25 nationally.
"I think our guys are aware (of the competition level) and are excited, for not only this tournament and the Southern Scuffle, but the month of January is a big month for us as well," Borrelli said.
Four of the six duel meets CMU will wrestle in January will come against ranked opponents.
The Chippewas enter the Reno Tournament of Championships with five wrestlers ranked nationally by Amateur Wresting News.
Mike Ottinger (174 pounds) is No. 7; Colin Heffernan (149) and Luke Smith (157) are No. 8; Zach Horan (141) is No.12; and Austin Severn (184) is No.17.
Smith, a senior who was a part of CMU's 2012 Mid-American Conference championship team, said this season's group is among the best he's been apart of.
"We don't have the, per se, guns on this team -- no returning All-Americans, but I think that puts a chip on our shoulders," Smith said. "We're all hungry and want to accomplish something together as a unit, it's really exciting to be in environment like this."
Regarded by teammates and coaches as one of the more vocal leaders among this year's group of seniors, Smith said it's good to have a nice mix of leadership styles and guys who lead by example in the wrestling room.
"Having (Ottinger) back, he's one of the hardest-working guys in room and he doesn't really say much, but he's in here every day grinding it out and pushing people to get better," Smith said.
The Chippewas will return home on Jan. 9 to entertain Oregon State in a non-conference dual in McGuirk Arena at 2 p.m.
