Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wrestling Signs Six Early for 2009-10
11/20/2008 4:16:35 PM | Wrestling
YPSILANTI, Mich.— Eastern Michigan University wrestling head coach Derek DelPorto and assistant coach Dave Bolyard have signed six recruits during the early signing period for the 2009-10 season, announced Thursday. These additions are expected to add even more stability to a consistently strengthening Eagles roster. Of the six recruits, four hail from Michigan, one comes from Ohio and one is from Texas.
Two of the six recruits will be wrestling in the 125 lb. weight class, the first of which is Jared Germaine (Saginaw, Mich.-Swan Valley). Jared is a three-time placewinner at the state championship, including a runner-up finish. He is currently ranked No. 10 overall in the state and No. 3 in the Division 3 125 lb. weight class by Michigan Grappler for High School Seniors.
"Jared is a very tough kid," said DelPorto. "He has a lot of natural ability and a huge learning curve that we are excited to be a part of next season. I would look for Jared to make an immediate impact in our starting line-up."
The second recruit in the 125 lb. division is Greg Gogonas (Austin, Texas-Bowie), who is a state champion and three-time placewinner at the state level.
"Greg is a very talented athlete who is very under the radar and we are really glad we got to him," DelPorto mentioned. "He will catch a lot of attention as soon as he hits the collegiate scene. We are ecstatic that he is coming up north to be a part of our family."
Wrestling in either the 141 or 149 lb. weight class next season for the Eagles will be newcomers Mike LeHolm (Jackson, Mich.-Northwest) and Seth Schaner (Big Rapids, Mich.-Big Rapids). LeHolm is a Michigan state champion and a two-time placewinner at the state level. He is currently coached by former EMU grappler Corey Slater. Michigan Grappler for High School Seniors currently ranks him No. 8 overall in the state and No. 2 in the Division 2 135 lb. weight class. Schaner is a three-time placewinner at the state championship. He currently owns the No. 18 ranking in the state and No. 2 spot for the Division 3 140 lb. division according to Michigan Grappler for High School Seniors.
Coach DelPorto said of LeHolm, "I’m sure his coach is as happy as we are that he chose EMU. Mike is extremely quick on his feet and has a great mat sense. I like his style. It is always a good thing to win a state title and still have a lot of learning to do."
Said DelPorto of Schaner, "Seth is probably the dark horse of our recruiting class. He certainly has the talent and ability to win a state title this year. His ability to scramble in and out of positions gives him a head start to what is needed at the collegiate level."
Representing the 165 lb. weight class will be Ohio state runner-up and two-time placewinner J.T. Rice (Hillard, Ohio-Davidson).
"J.T. is one of two out-of-state student-athletes to sign with us in the early signing period," added DelPorto. "He comes to us with a ton of untapped potential and he’s already good! That is very exciting for us because of what we think J.T. is going to accomplish for us in the future."
Rounding out the early recruiting class for the Eagles is Nick Whitenburg (Lambertville, Mich.-Temperance Bedford) who will look to earn a roster spot at 184 lbs. Whitenburg is a three-time placewinner at the state level and is the cousin of Eagle grappler Alex Ortman, who is a two-time state champion himself. Michigan Grappler for High School Seniors currently ranks him No. 20 in the state and No. 2 in the Division 1 189 lb. weight class.
Whitenburg, like the other recruits, is highly touted by DelPorto, "Nick comes to us from a very traditionally rich program. He is another one who hasn’t tapped his wrestling potential, largely because he is a three-sport athlete and is constantly changing playing surfaces. We can’t wait for Nick to concentrate on one sport and see how far he can take it. His cousin, Alex is here at EMU and we think these two guys will represent their family well!"
EMU is next in action Friday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. They will square-off against Clarion University in Clarion, Pa.
