Central Michigan University Athletics
Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Wrestling Preview: Solid Core Returns, But Plenty of Question Marks Dot CMU Lineup
11/4/2022 5:41:00 PM | Wrestling
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The unknown and the known.
Ten weight classes comprise a college wrestling team. For Central Michigan in 2022-23, five of those weight classes are manned by veterans with proven track records against top-line competition.
The other five? Much to be seen.
"Even if you haven't had great results, you can't replace experience," said longtime Chippewa coach Tom Borrelli, whose team opens the season on Saturday at the Michigan State Open. "Experienced guys can turn it around pretty quick even if they haven't had great results. You've got to get experience and we have five big question marks."
Veterans Johnny Lovett (149 pounds), Corbyn Munson (157), Tracy Hubbard (165), Alex Cramer (174) and Ben Cushman (184) form the core of the veteran returnees to the Mid-American Conference's premier program.
The questions come into play at the other five weight classes, beginning at 125, where junior Sean Spidle is the starter.
"We think he has a tremendous upside, tremendous potential," Borrelli said. "Really think he's going to surprise a lot of people."
At 133, redshirt junior Vince Perez returns after getting the majority of the starts in duals a year ago and finishing 12-16 while placing eighth in the MAC Championships.
"I think (Perez) did a lot of the right things this summer," Borrelli said. "We'll see if that pays off for him."
Mason Breece has earned the starting nod at 141 over Ja'Kerion Merritt and Will Grater in arguably the Chippewas' most competitive weight class.
On the other end of the lineup are relative newcomers Cade Dallwitz, Cameron Wood and Bryan Caves. Dallwitz and Wood are battling for the starting spot at 197, while Caves will start at 285.
Of the five returnees from 149-184, Lovett carries the most impressive resumé. The redshirt junior is a two-time NCAA Championships qualifier who last year placed second at 157 in the MAC Championships.
He will drop to 149 this season in a move that both strengthens the CMU lineup and Lovett's chances of reaching his potential. Munson will move up to 157 from 149, where he finished 22-6 and placed third in the MAC last season.
"(Lovett) was a small 57-pounder," Borrelli said. "That doesn't mean he wasn't productive; we just felt like he could be more productive at 49. If he can learn to manage the weight at 49 the right way and be healthy at 49 and retain his explosiveness and his strength, I think he can be real trouble at that weight."
Hubbard went 20-9 a year ago and placed fourth in the MAC, while Cushman finished 10-15.
"Cushman, we feel like he's good, really good," Borrelli said. "He just hasn't broken through and turned the corner yet. Last year he was in every match he wrestled, every single match he wrestled. It didn't matter who he wrestled, he was in every match. He was just snakebit, lost a lot of one-point matches. If he can flip those matches this year he's going to have a great year."
Cramer sat out last season as a medical redshirt. In 2021, he was the Chippewas' starter at 165 pounds and earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Championships after placing third in the MAC Championships.
As is annually the case, the Chippewas' schedule is rugged and includes nonconference duals with No. 9 North Carolina State, Duke, Michigan State, and No. 5 Michigan as well as five tournaments: the MSU Open, the Army Black Knight Invitational, the Cleveland State Invitational, and the Midlands Championships.
CMU is also scheduled to partake in the Journeyman Collegiate Duals in New Orleans where it will meet No. 1 Penn State, No. 16 North Carolina, and No. 19 Oregon State.
"Obviously you've got to stay healthy," Borrelli said. "Everything's got to go well the first two months of the year as far as that is concerned. Then you get into January and you're into your conference schedule and you should be turning the corner."
Ten weight classes comprise a college wrestling team. For Central Michigan in 2022-23, five of those weight classes are manned by veterans with proven track records against top-line competition.
The other five? Much to be seen.
"Even if you haven't had great results, you can't replace experience," said longtime Chippewa coach Tom Borrelli, whose team opens the season on Saturday at the Michigan State Open. "Experienced guys can turn it around pretty quick even if they haven't had great results. You've got to get experience and we have five big question marks."
Veterans Johnny Lovett (149 pounds), Corbyn Munson (157), Tracy Hubbard (165), Alex Cramer (174) and Ben Cushman (184) form the core of the veteran returnees to the Mid-American Conference's premier program.
The questions come into play at the other five weight classes, beginning at 125, where junior Sean Spidle is the starter.
"We think he has a tremendous upside, tremendous potential," Borrelli said. "Really think he's going to surprise a lot of people."
At 133, redshirt junior Vince Perez returns after getting the majority of the starts in duals a year ago and finishing 12-16 while placing eighth in the MAC Championships.
"I think (Perez) did a lot of the right things this summer," Borrelli said. "We'll see if that pays off for him."
Mason Breece has earned the starting nod at 141 over Ja'Kerion Merritt and Will Grater in arguably the Chippewas' most competitive weight class.
On the other end of the lineup are relative newcomers Cade Dallwitz, Cameron Wood and Bryan Caves. Dallwitz and Wood are battling for the starting spot at 197, while Caves will start at 285.
Of the five returnees from 149-184, Lovett carries the most impressive resumé. The redshirt junior is a two-time NCAA Championships qualifier who last year placed second at 157 in the MAC Championships.
He will drop to 149 this season in a move that both strengthens the CMU lineup and Lovett's chances of reaching his potential. Munson will move up to 157 from 149, where he finished 22-6 and placed third in the MAC last season.
"(Lovett) was a small 57-pounder," Borrelli said. "That doesn't mean he wasn't productive; we just felt like he could be more productive at 49. If he can learn to manage the weight at 49 the right way and be healthy at 49 and retain his explosiveness and his strength, I think he can be real trouble at that weight."
Hubbard went 20-9 a year ago and placed fourth in the MAC, while Cushman finished 10-15.
"Cushman, we feel like he's good, really good," Borrelli said. "He just hasn't broken through and turned the corner yet. Last year he was in every match he wrestled, every single match he wrestled. It didn't matter who he wrestled, he was in every match. He was just snakebit, lost a lot of one-point matches. If he can flip those matches this year he's going to have a great year."
Cramer sat out last season as a medical redshirt. In 2021, he was the Chippewas' starter at 165 pounds and earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Championships after placing third in the MAC Championships.
As is annually the case, the Chippewas' schedule is rugged and includes nonconference duals with No. 9 North Carolina State, Duke, Michigan State, and No. 5 Michigan as well as five tournaments: the MSU Open, the Army Black Knight Invitational, the Cleveland State Invitational, and the Midlands Championships.
CMU is also scheduled to partake in the Journeyman Collegiate Duals in New Orleans where it will meet No. 1 Penn State, No. 16 North Carolina, and No. 19 Oregon State.
"Obviously you've got to stay healthy," Borrelli said. "Everything's got to go well the first two months of the year as far as that is concerned. Then you get into January and you're into your conference schedule and you should be turning the corner."
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