Central Michigan University Athletics
Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Wrestling Picked To Finish First In MAC
10/21/2021 1:01:00 PM | Wrestling
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Mid-American Conference wrestling championship has been the domain of Missouri for the better part of a decade.
That will change in 2021-22 since the Tigers departed the league for the Big 12 after last season. And, if the league coaches are correct, Central Michigan will be at the top of MAC heap come March.
The Chippewas finished first in the poll of league coaches with 112 points. Cleveland State (96.5) was second and Northern Illinois (93) was third.
"I don't put a whole lot of stock in that," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "I feel like there's a long way to March and that's when you want to be ready; that's when you want to have a good weekend. It doesn't really matter what people think at the beginning of the year. That's a byproduct of what happened last year. Who cares what happened last year? It's a new year."
CMU finished second in the MAC Championships in February and 22nd at the NCAA Championships in March.
Three Chippewas are No. 1 in their respective weight classes in the preseason rankings. Two of them, Matt Stencel (285 pounds) and Dresden Simon (141), are multi-time MAC champions. Stencel won his fourth consecutive MAC crown in 2021, while Simon won his second.
CMU redshirt sophomore Johnny Lovett is ranked first at 157 after finishing third in the league and qualifying for the NCAA Championships last season.
CMU's Aaron Bolo is ranked third at 197 pounds, while teammates Brock Bergelin (125) and Jake Lowell (174) are both fifth in their respective weight classes.
CMU's annual Maroon and Gold intrasquad dual is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 25 (7 p.m.) at McGuirk Arena. The Chippewas open the season on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Michigan State Open and entertain Rider in a MAC dual on Friday, Dec. 3 in their first home event.
That will change in 2021-22 since the Tigers departed the league for the Big 12 after last season. And, if the league coaches are correct, Central Michigan will be at the top of MAC heap come March.
The Chippewas finished first in the poll of league coaches with 112 points. Cleveland State (96.5) was second and Northern Illinois (93) was third.
"I don't put a whole lot of stock in that," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said. "I feel like there's a long way to March and that's when you want to be ready; that's when you want to have a good weekend. It doesn't really matter what people think at the beginning of the year. That's a byproduct of what happened last year. Who cares what happened last year? It's a new year."
CMU finished second in the MAC Championships in February and 22nd at the NCAA Championships in March.
Three Chippewas are No. 1 in their respective weight classes in the preseason rankings. Two of them, Matt Stencel (285 pounds) and Dresden Simon (141), are multi-time MAC champions. Stencel won his fourth consecutive MAC crown in 2021, while Simon won his second.
CMU redshirt sophomore Johnny Lovett is ranked first at 157 after finishing third in the league and qualifying for the NCAA Championships last season.
CMU's Aaron Bolo is ranked third at 197 pounds, while teammates Brock Bergelin (125) and Jake Lowell (174) are both fifth in their respective weight classes.
CMU's annual Maroon and Gold intrasquad dual is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 25 (7 p.m.) at McGuirk Arena. The Chippewas open the season on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Michigan State Open and entertain Rider in a MAC dual on Friday, Dec. 3 in their first home event.
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