Central Michigan University Athletics
Three Chippewas Added To NCAA Field
3/8/2017 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Three Central Michigan wrestlers have received at-large selections to the NCAA Championships bringing to nine the number of CMU wrestlers who will compete in the event.
CMU's Brent Fleetwood (125 pounds), Austin Severn (197) and Newton Smerchek (HWT) will join six teammates at the Championships, March 16-18 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
The nine national qualifiers is the most of any Mid-American Conference school. Missouri is second with eight, while Northern Iowa has seven.
Fleetwood, Severn and Smerchek are among 53 wrestlers from across to country to receive at-large bids. The selections were made based on head-to-head competiton, quality wins, results against common opponents, winning percentage, RPI, coaches ranking and qualifying-event placement.
The qualifying-event placement in the case of the Chippewas is the Mid-American Conference Championships last weekend at Northern Iowa.
Six CMU wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championships at the MAC event. They are Corey Keener (133 pounds), Mason Smith (141), Justin Oliver (149), Colin Heffernan (157), CJ Brucki (174) and Jordan Ellingwood (184).
The nine selections ties for the second-most in program history.
"I'm happy for the guys to get a second opportunity," Borrelli said in regard to his three wrestlers who received at-large bids. "A lot of them thought they'd pretty much finished their season.
"Three years ago we took four guys. It means we're moving in the right direction. Now we've got to perform when we get there."
