Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wrestling Announces 2008-09 Schedule
10/1/2008 2:44:57 PM | Wrestling
Eagles kick off preparations with first practice Wednesday
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team released its schedule for the upcoming season Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 1. Third year head coach Derek DelPorto will lead his group of experienced veterans and new talent against some of the nation’s finest and toughest competition in hopes of building on a successful 2007-08 campaign.
Eastern begins its season, Nov. 1, with the 17th annual EMU Open. Last year, this event saw over 400 wrestlers take part, a record in participation for the competition.
DelPorto’s Eagles hit the road for a Nov. 9 tilt at the Michigan State Open. They will then battle Northwestern and Purdue at the Boilermaker Challenge on Nov. 15. This will be the first of three occasions in which the Eagles will go up against foes from the Big Ten Conference. On Dec. 5, the Michigan State Spartans come calling in a home match at Bowen Field House. Eastern will face its final Big Ten challenge against Indiana University at the F.I.T.E Duals, Dec. 21 (Harper College and Wisconsin-Whitewater will also compete in the event).
"This year isn’t about setting records, it’s about setting a new standard for Eastern Michigan wrestling," DelPorto said. "We are taking the necessary steps to put us in the best position to win the Mid-American Conference regular season dual competition and to prepare us for the MAC Tournament."
The Eagles will spend the rest of November on the road, making stops at Clarion, Nov. 21, and Buffalo, Nov. 26, which will kick off conference play.
After the home dual against Michigan State and the F.I.T.E Duals, Eastern will head to Evanston, Ill. for The Midlands, Dec. 30. Cleveland State will then help Eagles kick off the 2009 portion of the season, Jan. 11 at Bowen. A trip to Cornell follows thereafter on Jan 17.
On Jan. 22, the Eagles will travel up to Mt. Pleasant to square off against in-state rival Central Michigan. A pause in conference action will then send the Eagles to North Carolina for the annual Gardner-Webb Duals, Jan. 31. The event will feature Appalachian State, Duke, and Gardner-Webb.
To end the regular season schedule, the Eagles will face Northern Illinois on the road, Feb. 6, Kent State at home, Feb. 15, and Ohio in an away bout, Feb. 20.
The Mid-American Conference Championship will then follow, March 7-8, at the Convocation Center. When asked if having this all-important tournament at home was being used as a motivation factor for the Eagles this year, DelPoto said, "I never really looked at where the tournament was being hosted as a motivational tool. If we can be successful on the road, then we should be successful at home. This will be the motivation we will use for the post season."
EMU WRESTLING 2008-09 SEASON SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
Nov. 1 EMU Open Bowen Field House All Day
Nov. 9 Michigan State Open East Lansing, Mich. All Day
Nov. 15 Boilermaker Challenge West Lafayette, Ind. All Day
Nov. 21 Clarion Clarion, Pa. 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 26 *Buffalo Buffalo, N.Y. 1 p.m.
Dec. 5 Michigan State Bowen Field House 7 p.m.
Dec. 21 F.I.T.E. Duals Park Forest, Ill. All Day
Dec. 30 The Midlands Evanston, Ill. All Day
Jan. 11 Cleveland State Bowen Field House 3 p.m.
Jan. 17 Cornell Cornell, N.Y. 1 p.m.
Jan. 22 *Central Michigan Mount Pleasant, Mich. 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 31 Gardner-Webb Duals Boiling Springs, N.C. 10 a.m.
Feb. 6 *Northern Illinois DeKalb, Ill. 7 p.m.
Feb. 15 *Kent State Bowen Field House 4 p.m.
Feb. 20 *Ohio Athens, Ohio 7 p.m.
March 7-8 MAC Championship Bowen Field House All Day
March 19-21 NCAA Championship St. Louis, Mo. All Day
* Denotes MAC game
Bold denotes home game
