Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 26
DeKalb, Ill.
11 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Northern Illinois
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Wrestling Looks to Lock Up First MAC Win Saturday at NIU
1/23/2013 4:14:00 PM | Wrestling
Eagles and Huskies both winless in MAC action this year
Complete Release (.pdf)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After splitting a pair of dual-meets last week, the Eastern Michigan University wrestling team prepares to take on Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Ill., Saturday, Jan. 26. The original start time of 1 p.m. has been moved to 11 a.m. due to a scheduling conflict at Victor E. Court.
“We need to push through this rough patch we are experiencing and stay focused on peaking for the MAC Championships,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “ We all understand the challenges ahead and the situations that are out of our hands. No matter what, we need to keep fighting.”
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES: The Huskies might be taking on EMU at Victor E. Court Saturday, but despite the clever pun, NIU has struggled to post a victory as of late particularly in conference tussles. Northern Illinois comes into Saturday's affair 7-5 overall and 0-3 in the MAC. In their previous two conference matches, the Huskies dropped decisions to Ohio, 32-13, and Central Michigan, 23-12.
NIU's last victory in a conference bout came against the Eagles back in the 2010-11 season. Since then, the Huskies have dropped eight consecutive MAC matches including a 22-9 decision to EMU last season, Jan. 22, 2012, at Bowen Field House.
This season, the Huskies return seven starters to their lineup including a pair 2012 NCAA qualifier Kevin Fanta (141 lbs.) . NIU also adds nine newcomers to its roster including several who have cracked the starting lineup in their first season of competition.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Redshirt juniors Phillip Joseph (184 lbs.) and Nick Whitenburg (197 lbs.) each finished last week's competition against Olivet and Buffalo with 2-0 records and a pair of major decisions. The duo nearly erased EMU's 10-point deficit on their own with back-to-back bonus-point performances Friday, Jan. 18, at Buffalo.
Joseph is 14-9 overall on the season and leads the team with an 11-5 ledger in regular-season bouts. Since his return to dual-meet action last weekend, Whitenburg has put together a 3-2 record. The Temperance, Mich. native is 5-6 on the year.
BYERS PICKING UP THE SLACK: An injury to redshirt freshman Vincent Pizzuto has opened the door for redshirt sophomore Jake Byers to fill the void at 133 lbs. in Pizzuto's absence. Byers has fit in nicely in that slot, winning four of his last five matches including a pair at the Pitt Duals to go along with victories against Olivet and Buffalo. For the season, Byers is 5-1 in dual-meet action and 14-9 overall.
DELPORTO INCHING CLOSER TO 100 WINS: EMU Head Coach Derek DelPorto recorded the 95th win of his career when the Eagles defeated the Comets, Jan. 16, at Bowen. DelPorto, now in his seventh season at the helm of EMU wrestling, spent two seasons as the head man at his Alma Mater, Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, where he led The Rock to a 24-25 mark over that span. At EMU, he is 71-65 and is nine wins shy of tying John Eisley's 80 victories from 1979-91. Overall, DelPorto is 95-90 as a Head Coach.
IT WAS A CLOSE ONE: The Eagles nearly erased a 10-point deficit with three matches remaining before ultimately dropping a 19-14 decision to Buffalo Friday, Jan. 18. EMU wrestled hard with a depleted lineup but fell to 6-10 overall and 0-2 in Mid-American Conference action.
“I was happy with our effort regardless of the black and white results,” remarked Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “Our backs are against the wall with some bad luck and now we need to fight our way out. We must stay positive, get healthy and prep the best we can for the last leg of this regular season.”
The Green and White remained without the services of 2012 NCAA qualifier Jared Germaine for a second-straight weekend at 125 lbs. and redshirt freshman Vincent Pizzuto in the 133 lbs. slot.
PLENTY OF HOME ACTION IN 2013: EMU wrestling fans are encouraged to come out to Bowen Field House to support the Eagles at the three remaining home matches of the 2012-13 season. The squad brings in Kent State, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m., for the lone home MAC match of the season.
Eastern Michigan closes out the regular season taking on Iowa State, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m. The Cyclones are one of three new universities joining the MAC as a full-time member in the sport of wrestling for the 2013-14 campaign.
MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE HORIZON: The 2013 MAC Championships will be held Sunday, March 10, on the campus of the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y. The Eagles will attempt to build off a third-place finish last season when they ultimately sent four grapplers to the NCAA Championships as a result of their performance at the conference tournament.
FOLLOW THE EAGLES ONLINE: For the latest scores, news and highlights surrounding the Eagles, head to EMUEagles.com. Or check out the EMU wrestling on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/EMUWrestling/) and Twitter (@EMUWrestling).
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After splitting a pair of dual-meets last week, the Eastern Michigan University wrestling team prepares to take on Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Ill., Saturday, Jan. 26. The original start time of 1 p.m. has been moved to 11 a.m. due to a scheduling conflict at Victor E. Court.
“We need to push through this rough patch we are experiencing and stay focused on peaking for the MAC Championships,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “ We all understand the challenges ahead and the situations that are out of our hands. No matter what, we need to keep fighting.”
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES: The Huskies might be taking on EMU at Victor E. Court Saturday, but despite the clever pun, NIU has struggled to post a victory as of late particularly in conference tussles. Northern Illinois comes into Saturday's affair 7-5 overall and 0-3 in the MAC. In their previous two conference matches, the Huskies dropped decisions to Ohio, 32-13, and Central Michigan, 23-12.
NIU's last victory in a conference bout came against the Eagles back in the 2010-11 season. Since then, the Huskies have dropped eight consecutive MAC matches including a 22-9 decision to EMU last season, Jan. 22, 2012, at Bowen Field House.
This season, the Huskies return seven starters to their lineup including a pair 2012 NCAA qualifier Kevin Fanta (141 lbs.) . NIU also adds nine newcomers to its roster including several who have cracked the starting lineup in their first season of competition.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Redshirt juniors Phillip Joseph (184 lbs.) and Nick Whitenburg (197 lbs.) each finished last week's competition against Olivet and Buffalo with 2-0 records and a pair of major decisions. The duo nearly erased EMU's 10-point deficit on their own with back-to-back bonus-point performances Friday, Jan. 18, at Buffalo.
Joseph is 14-9 overall on the season and leads the team with an 11-5 ledger in regular-season bouts. Since his return to dual-meet action last weekend, Whitenburg has put together a 3-2 record. The Temperance, Mich. native is 5-6 on the year.
BYERS PICKING UP THE SLACK: An injury to redshirt freshman Vincent Pizzuto has opened the door for redshirt sophomore Jake Byers to fill the void at 133 lbs. in Pizzuto's absence. Byers has fit in nicely in that slot, winning four of his last five matches including a pair at the Pitt Duals to go along with victories against Olivet and Buffalo. For the season, Byers is 5-1 in dual-meet action and 14-9 overall.
DELPORTO INCHING CLOSER TO 100 WINS: EMU Head Coach Derek DelPorto recorded the 95th win of his career when the Eagles defeated the Comets, Jan. 16, at Bowen. DelPorto, now in his seventh season at the helm of EMU wrestling, spent two seasons as the head man at his Alma Mater, Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, where he led The Rock to a 24-25 mark over that span. At EMU, he is 71-65 and is nine wins shy of tying John Eisley's 80 victories from 1979-91. Overall, DelPorto is 95-90 as a Head Coach.
IT WAS A CLOSE ONE: The Eagles nearly erased a 10-point deficit with three matches remaining before ultimately dropping a 19-14 decision to Buffalo Friday, Jan. 18. EMU wrestled hard with a depleted lineup but fell to 6-10 overall and 0-2 in Mid-American Conference action.
“I was happy with our effort regardless of the black and white results,” remarked Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “Our backs are against the wall with some bad luck and now we need to fight our way out. We must stay positive, get healthy and prep the best we can for the last leg of this regular season.”
The Green and White remained without the services of 2012 NCAA qualifier Jared Germaine for a second-straight weekend at 125 lbs. and redshirt freshman Vincent Pizzuto in the 133 lbs. slot.
PLENTY OF HOME ACTION IN 2013: EMU wrestling fans are encouraged to come out to Bowen Field House to support the Eagles at the three remaining home matches of the 2012-13 season. The squad brings in Kent State, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m., for the lone home MAC match of the season.
Eastern Michigan closes out the regular season taking on Iowa State, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m. The Cyclones are one of three new universities joining the MAC as a full-time member in the sport of wrestling for the 2013-14 campaign.
MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE HORIZON: The 2013 MAC Championships will be held Sunday, March 10, on the campus of the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y. The Eagles will attempt to build off a third-place finish last season when they ultimately sent four grapplers to the NCAA Championships as a result of their performance at the conference tournament.
FOLLOW THE EAGLES ONLINE: For the latest scores, news and highlights surrounding the Eagles, head to EMUEagles.com. Or check out the EMU wrestling on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/EMUWrestling/) and Twitter (@EMUWrestling).
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