Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, December 1
Cleveland, OH
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Cleveland State
Eagles Face Cleveland State Thursday, Ohio Sunday in MAC Opener
11/29/2011 11:16:00 AM | Wrestling
Sunday's dual is first of five home dates at Bowen Field House
Complete Release (.pdf)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)– The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team prepares for a pair of duals this week beginning with a trip to Cleveland, Ohio to face the Cleveland State University Vikings Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. The Green and White then return to Ypsilanti to host the Ohio University Bobcats in the Mid-American Conference opener at Bowen Field House Sunday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m.
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS: The Eagles (3-1) enter Thursday's dual against Cleveland State (2-2) riding a four-match winning streak against their annual opponent from the Eastern Wrestling League. Last season, EMU cruised to a 38-3 victory over the Vikings at Bowen, Dec. 3, 2010.
BOBCATS AND EAGLES: The MAC season opens Sunday, Dec. 4, when the Eagles look to topple Ohio for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Sunday also marks the first of five regular season home events for the EMU squad which includes four MAC meets.
The Bobcats will wrestle their first dual of the season Friday, Dec. 2, against Central Michigan University before coming to EMU Sunday.
Ohio enters the season with five of its wrestlers receiving MAC preseason rankings including two grapplers–Brad Squire (149 lbs.) and Nick Purdue (147 lbs.)–earning the top seed in their respective weight classes. The Eagles counter with four preseason-ranked grapplers including redshirt sophomore Phillip Joseph, who will square off with Purdue as the third-ranked wrestler at 174 lbs.
TRAINING DAY: If Head Coach Derek DelPorto has emphasized one thing during his six-year tenure, it has been conditioning. This week's grueling training schedule will determine who cracks the lineup this weekend.
“We intend on wrestling at an exhausting pace to see who is in better shape,” said DelPorto. “The key to winning both duals is gaining bonus points where we can and winning the one and two point matches. The combination of those three things will put us in a position to win duals.”
HATS OFF TO YOU: The Eagles are off to a 3-1 start for a second straight season after beating Michigan State University, Nov. 18, and posting a 2-1 record Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Northeast Regional.
“The team feels really good about itself right now,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “We can't hang our hats on the MSU win, but we certainly gained confidence with the victory. “
Despite losing to nationally-ranked Binghamton University, the Eagles still came away with a good feeling about the current state of their program.
“We had some calls go against us in the Binghamton dual and two overtime match losses,” DelPorto added. “I don't want to say we should have, could have or would have won, but if you give us those overtime wins, we win the dual. That's how close we were to winning, so the team still feels good about things.”
EAGLES WIN TWO IN NEW YORK: At the Northeast Regional, the Eagles opened the day with a 49-3 win over Sacred Heart University and finished with a 26-6 victory over Bucknell University and a 22-12 loss to No. 24 Binghamton.
A trio of EMU grapplers, redshirt sophomores Jared Germaine (125 lbs.) and Phillip Joseph (174 lbs.) along with redshirt senior Andrew Novak (133 lbs.) went 3-0 on the day.
In the opening match against Sacred Heart, the Eagles won six-of-seven contested bouts with the other three awarded to EMU via forfeit. Germaine and Novak each recorded pins to begin the match.
In the middle match, the Eagles were victorious in eight bouts to roll past Bucknell, 26-6.
Germaine and Novak started the Binghamton dual with a decision and a pin, respectively, to give the Eagles an early 9-0 lead before Binghamton came back to win the match, 22-12.
Joseph also won a 6-0 shutout decision over Caleb Wallace for his third victory of the day.
WINNING WHERE IT COUNTS: Through four dual meets this season, the Eagles are 25-15 overall in individual bouts. Redshirt sophomores Jared Germaine (125 lbs.) and Phillip Joseph (174 lbs.) along with redshirt senior Andrew Novak (133 lbs.) are a perfect 4-0 so far this season and are all projected to be in the starting lineup this week.
“We couldn't ask for anything more from Jared and Andrew in starting off our duals,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “It is also very fun having Phillip back in the line-up. He is getting better every match.”
Redshirt junior Aaron Sulzer is also 3-1 in regular season matches this season. Sulzer's marquee win thus far was a 3-2 decision over No. 15 David Cheza of Michigan State.
MAC FACTS: A win Sunday against the Bobcats would give the Eagles their first MAC victory since an 18-16 win over Northern Illinois University, Feb. 6, 2009.
The 2008-09 campaign was also the last time an EMU wrestler won a MAC individual title. John McClure took the 197 lbs. crown for EMU at Bowen Field House over James Hamel of the University at Buffalo.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)– The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team prepares for a pair of duals this week beginning with a trip to Cleveland, Ohio to face the Cleveland State University Vikings Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. The Green and White then return to Ypsilanti to host the Ohio University Bobcats in the Mid-American Conference opener at Bowen Field House Sunday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m.
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS: The Eagles (3-1) enter Thursday's dual against Cleveland State (2-2) riding a four-match winning streak against their annual opponent from the Eastern Wrestling League. Last season, EMU cruised to a 38-3 victory over the Vikings at Bowen, Dec. 3, 2010.
BOBCATS AND EAGLES: The MAC season opens Sunday, Dec. 4, when the Eagles look to topple Ohio for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Sunday also marks the first of five regular season home events for the EMU squad which includes four MAC meets.
The Bobcats will wrestle their first dual of the season Friday, Dec. 2, against Central Michigan University before coming to EMU Sunday.
Ohio enters the season with five of its wrestlers receiving MAC preseason rankings including two grapplers–Brad Squire (149 lbs.) and Nick Purdue (147 lbs.)–earning the top seed in their respective weight classes. The Eagles counter with four preseason-ranked grapplers including redshirt sophomore Phillip Joseph, who will square off with Purdue as the third-ranked wrestler at 174 lbs.
TRAINING DAY: If Head Coach Derek DelPorto has emphasized one thing during his six-year tenure, it has been conditioning. This week's grueling training schedule will determine who cracks the lineup this weekend.
“We intend on wrestling at an exhausting pace to see who is in better shape,” said DelPorto. “The key to winning both duals is gaining bonus points where we can and winning the one and two point matches. The combination of those three things will put us in a position to win duals.”
HATS OFF TO YOU: The Eagles are off to a 3-1 start for a second straight season after beating Michigan State University, Nov. 18, and posting a 2-1 record Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Northeast Regional.
“The team feels really good about itself right now,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “We can't hang our hats on the MSU win, but we certainly gained confidence with the victory. “
Despite losing to nationally-ranked Binghamton University, the Eagles still came away with a good feeling about the current state of their program.
“We had some calls go against us in the Binghamton dual and two overtime match losses,” DelPorto added. “I don't want to say we should have, could have or would have won, but if you give us those overtime wins, we win the dual. That's how close we were to winning, so the team still feels good about things.”
EAGLES WIN TWO IN NEW YORK: At the Northeast Regional, the Eagles opened the day with a 49-3 win over Sacred Heart University and finished with a 26-6 victory over Bucknell University and a 22-12 loss to No. 24 Binghamton.
A trio of EMU grapplers, redshirt sophomores Jared Germaine (125 lbs.) and Phillip Joseph (174 lbs.) along with redshirt senior Andrew Novak (133 lbs.) went 3-0 on the day.
In the opening match against Sacred Heart, the Eagles won six-of-seven contested bouts with the other three awarded to EMU via forfeit. Germaine and Novak each recorded pins to begin the match.
In the middle match, the Eagles were victorious in eight bouts to roll past Bucknell, 26-6.
Germaine and Novak started the Binghamton dual with a decision and a pin, respectively, to give the Eagles an early 9-0 lead before Binghamton came back to win the match, 22-12.
Joseph also won a 6-0 shutout decision over Caleb Wallace for his third victory of the day.
WINNING WHERE IT COUNTS: Through four dual meets this season, the Eagles are 25-15 overall in individual bouts. Redshirt sophomores Jared Germaine (125 lbs.) and Phillip Joseph (174 lbs.) along with redshirt senior Andrew Novak (133 lbs.) are a perfect 4-0 so far this season and are all projected to be in the starting lineup this week.
“We couldn't ask for anything more from Jared and Andrew in starting off our duals,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “It is also very fun having Phillip back in the line-up. He is getting better every match.”
Redshirt junior Aaron Sulzer is also 3-1 in regular season matches this season. Sulzer's marquee win thus far was a 3-2 decision over No. 15 David Cheza of Michigan State.
MAC FACTS: A win Sunday against the Bobcats would give the Eagles their first MAC victory since an 18-16 win over Northern Illinois University, Feb. 6, 2009.
The 2008-09 campaign was also the last time an EMU wrestler won a MAC individual title. John McClure took the 197 lbs. crown for EMU at Bowen Field House over James Hamel of the University at Buffalo.
Eastern Michigan - 2018 MAC Wrestling Championships Preview
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2018 MAC Wrestling Championships 165-lb Match:
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2018 MAC Wrestling Championships 197-lb Match:
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2018 MAC Wrestling Championships 285-lb Match:
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