Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, November 21
East Lansing, Mich.
8 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Michigan State
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Wrestling Heads to East Lansing for Dual with Michigan State
11/20/2013 2:54:00 PM | Wrestling
Eagles look to make it 5-0 on the season
EMU vs. Michigan State Notes
YPSILANTI, Mich. EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team will head back to East Lansing, Mich., this time to take on the Spartans in its first road dual meet of the 2013-14 season. The dual is set to start at 8 p.m. at Jenison Field House.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans enter Thursday's dual with a 3-1 record, falling only to No. 14 Oregon State at the EMU Duals, Saturday, Nov. 16. Michigan State returns eight of its 10 starters from the 2012 dual, including No. 20 Ryan Watts at 157 lbs. and No. 20 Mike McClure, brother of former Eastern Michigan individual MAC champion John McClure, in the heavyweight division.
Last season, Watts and McClure each clinched seventh-place finishes in the Big Ten Tournament, while McClure had a team-best 34-7 overall record and a 15-3 record in dual matches, with eight pins.
SERIES HISTORY: The Eagles and the Spartans have faced off against each other for six consecutive years, as MSU holds a 5-1 advantage over the Green and White. Last season, Eastern was unable to clinch a victory as the Spartans took a 25-11 victory on opening night, Nov. 16, 2012.
The Green and White secured three victories as Phillip Joseph earned a 4-1 decision over Nick McDiarmid at the 197 lb. weight class to knot the score at 3-3 early in the dual. Eastern's second win of the day came when then-No. 23 Jared Germaine captured an 11-3 major decision over Brenan Lyon to give EMU the slight 7-6 edge over the Spartans. The Eagles notched back-to-back victories as Vincent Pizzuto grabbed a 14-5 major decision over Terry Turner, but EMU was unable to hold the lead as Michigan State closed out the match with five straight victories. All three weight classes could see a rematch this season at Jenison Field House as all six wrestlers return to the mats for their respective teams.
The Eagles' only win over Michigan State came in the 2011-12 campaign when they captured a thrilling 20-16 victory, Nov. 18, 2011. Eastern took the early 14-0 advantage with a Jared Germaine pin and two major decisions before MSU found its first victory of the night. The Green and White continued to build its lead as current student assistant coach Aaron Sulzer grabbed a 3-2 decision over a top-15 opponent to put EMU up 17-4 over the Spartans. Phillip Joseph scored the Eagles' final points of the day as he captured a decision at the 174 lb. weight class.
EAGLES PERFECT IN DUALS: Eastern Michigan started off the 2013-14 dual campaign on the right foot as it went a perfect 4-0 at Bowen Field House, Saturday, Nov. 16. The Eagles saw their first 4-0 start since the 2007-08 season when the Green and White posted a 4-0 beginning to the year before dropping a dual to Edinboro, Dec. 14, 2007.
OUTSCORING OPPOSITION: The Eagles are currently outscoring their opponents 133-28 on the young season as they have only allowed one team to score in the double-digits through their first four duals. EMU dominated all four opponents it faced at the EMU Duals as it dropping only seven of its 40 bouts on the day, while averaging two pins per dual with eight total, including five in its first dual against Tiffin.
GETTING IN THE RECORD BOOK EARLY: Eastern's five pins against Tiffin, Nov. 16, ranks as the second most falls in a dual in EMU laurels since the 2005-06 season as the Eagles recorded eight pins against Itasca Community College, Nov. 24, 2012, when they blanked the Vikings 57-0. Along with recording five pins, the Eagles also put up the fifth largest amount of points in the past eight seasons with their 45-4 victory over Tiffin. The Green and White's largest victory came against Itasca, with its second largest win coming against Campbell, Jan. 15, 2011, when they defeated the Fighting Camels 53-0.
BREAKOUT FRESHMEN: Head Coach Derek DelPorto recruited a strong freshman class as two have won their weight classes during open meets this season. Dean Vettese took home the first-place finish at the MSU Open, while Shayne Wireman earned a first-place finish at the EMU Open.
Vettese has placed in both his outings during the 2013-14 campaign, securing a first-place finish at the MSU Open and placed fifth in the EMU Open in the 165 lb. weight class. In his first collegiate outing, Vettese posted a 4-0 record en route to his first tournament championship using one pin, one major decision and two decisions to take the victory. After being pinned in his first bout of the EMU Open, Vettese battled his way through the consolation bracket with six straight victories to take home a fifth-place finish. The Rochester, Mich. native is the first Eagle to mark double-digit victories this season as he currently holds a 10-1 record.
Wireman has found success in all three of his outings this season. He went 4-1 to take a third at the MSU Open with one pin and four decisions. The Lansing, Mich. native got the nod at the 125 lb. weight class in the Eagles' first dual of the season, pinning Tiffin's Kyle Holiday in just 2:03 before going on to win four straight in the EMU Open. Wireman used three decisions and a forfeit to earn the first-place finish and improve his overall season record to 9-1.
ABRO KADABRO: Redshirt-sophomore Anthony Abro picked up his first career tournament victory as he won three straight bouts to take home the first-place finish at the EMU Open in the 184 lb. weight class. The Canton, Mich. native used a bye in the first round before taking victories from two-straight Big Ten opponents. Abro took down Northwestern's Mitch Sliga in a 5-3 decision before earning a 3-1 decision in the semifinals over Michigan State's Eric Ford. The 184 lb. weight class finals saw a matchup between two MAC opponents as Abro went up against Kent State's Trevor White. The redshirt-sophomore secured the 9-5 decision to earn a first-place finish for the Eagles. Abro also earned a starting spot in the Green and White lineup against Tiffin as he took a 5-1 decision over Caleb Matchett to give the Eagles a 45-0 lead over the Dragons.
AWN RANKINGS: Redshirt-seniors Phillip Joseph and Nick Whitenburg both received rankings in their respective weight classes after the second week of competion. Joseph is ranked No. 16 at the 184 lb. weight class after going 4-0 in the EMU Duals at Bowen Field House, including notching his first pin of the season. Whitenburg ranks No. 18 at the 197 lb. weight class in the AWN ranking as he went 2-1 at the EMU Duals, falling only to Drexel's No. 14 Brandon Palik.
COVERAGE OF THE MSU DUAL: Eastern Michigan's dual against Michigan State, Thursday, Nov. 18 will be on the Big Ten Digital Network for all fans at home to enjoy.
UP NEXT?: Eastern returns to Ypsilanti as it takes on Stanford, Sunday, Nov. 24 at 5:30 p.m. in its first-of-four duals in the Convocation Center.
YPSILANTI, Mich. EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team will head back to East Lansing, Mich., this time to take on the Spartans in its first road dual meet of the 2013-14 season. The dual is set to start at 8 p.m. at Jenison Field House.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans enter Thursday's dual with a 3-1 record, falling only to No. 14 Oregon State at the EMU Duals, Saturday, Nov. 16. Michigan State returns eight of its 10 starters from the 2012 dual, including No. 20 Ryan Watts at 157 lbs. and No. 20 Mike McClure, brother of former Eastern Michigan individual MAC champion John McClure, in the heavyweight division.
Last season, Watts and McClure each clinched seventh-place finishes in the Big Ten Tournament, while McClure had a team-best 34-7 overall record and a 15-3 record in dual matches, with eight pins.
SERIES HISTORY: The Eagles and the Spartans have faced off against each other for six consecutive years, as MSU holds a 5-1 advantage over the Green and White. Last season, Eastern was unable to clinch a victory as the Spartans took a 25-11 victory on opening night, Nov. 16, 2012.
The Green and White secured three victories as Phillip Joseph earned a 4-1 decision over Nick McDiarmid at the 197 lb. weight class to knot the score at 3-3 early in the dual. Eastern's second win of the day came when then-No. 23 Jared Germaine captured an 11-3 major decision over Brenan Lyon to give EMU the slight 7-6 edge over the Spartans. The Eagles notched back-to-back victories as Vincent Pizzuto grabbed a 14-5 major decision over Terry Turner, but EMU was unable to hold the lead as Michigan State closed out the match with five straight victories. All three weight classes could see a rematch this season at Jenison Field House as all six wrestlers return to the mats for their respective teams.
The Eagles' only win over Michigan State came in the 2011-12 campaign when they captured a thrilling 20-16 victory, Nov. 18, 2011. Eastern took the early 14-0 advantage with a Jared Germaine pin and two major decisions before MSU found its first victory of the night. The Green and White continued to build its lead as current student assistant coach Aaron Sulzer grabbed a 3-2 decision over a top-15 opponent to put EMU up 17-4 over the Spartans. Phillip Joseph scored the Eagles' final points of the day as he captured a decision at the 174 lb. weight class.
EAGLES PERFECT IN DUALS: Eastern Michigan started off the 2013-14 dual campaign on the right foot as it went a perfect 4-0 at Bowen Field House, Saturday, Nov. 16. The Eagles saw their first 4-0 start since the 2007-08 season when the Green and White posted a 4-0 beginning to the year before dropping a dual to Edinboro, Dec. 14, 2007.
OUTSCORING OPPOSITION: The Eagles are currently outscoring their opponents 133-28 on the young season as they have only allowed one team to score in the double-digits through their first four duals. EMU dominated all four opponents it faced at the EMU Duals as it dropping only seven of its 40 bouts on the day, while averaging two pins per dual with eight total, including five in its first dual against Tiffin.
GETTING IN THE RECORD BOOK EARLY: Eastern's five pins against Tiffin, Nov. 16, ranks as the second most falls in a dual in EMU laurels since the 2005-06 season as the Eagles recorded eight pins against Itasca Community College, Nov. 24, 2012, when they blanked the Vikings 57-0. Along with recording five pins, the Eagles also put up the fifth largest amount of points in the past eight seasons with their 45-4 victory over Tiffin. The Green and White's largest victory came against Itasca, with its second largest win coming against Campbell, Jan. 15, 2011, when they defeated the Fighting Camels 53-0.
BREAKOUT FRESHMEN: Head Coach Derek DelPorto recruited a strong freshman class as two have won their weight classes during open meets this season. Dean Vettese took home the first-place finish at the MSU Open, while Shayne Wireman earned a first-place finish at the EMU Open.
Vettese has placed in both his outings during the 2013-14 campaign, securing a first-place finish at the MSU Open and placed fifth in the EMU Open in the 165 lb. weight class. In his first collegiate outing, Vettese posted a 4-0 record en route to his first tournament championship using one pin, one major decision and two decisions to take the victory. After being pinned in his first bout of the EMU Open, Vettese battled his way through the consolation bracket with six straight victories to take home a fifth-place finish. The Rochester, Mich. native is the first Eagle to mark double-digit victories this season as he currently holds a 10-1 record.
Wireman has found success in all three of his outings this season. He went 4-1 to take a third at the MSU Open with one pin and four decisions. The Lansing, Mich. native got the nod at the 125 lb. weight class in the Eagles' first dual of the season, pinning Tiffin's Kyle Holiday in just 2:03 before going on to win four straight in the EMU Open. Wireman used three decisions and a forfeit to earn the first-place finish and improve his overall season record to 9-1.
ABRO KADABRO: Redshirt-sophomore Anthony Abro picked up his first career tournament victory as he won three straight bouts to take home the first-place finish at the EMU Open in the 184 lb. weight class. The Canton, Mich. native used a bye in the first round before taking victories from two-straight Big Ten opponents. Abro took down Northwestern's Mitch Sliga in a 5-3 decision before earning a 3-1 decision in the semifinals over Michigan State's Eric Ford. The 184 lb. weight class finals saw a matchup between two MAC opponents as Abro went up against Kent State's Trevor White. The redshirt-sophomore secured the 9-5 decision to earn a first-place finish for the Eagles. Abro also earned a starting spot in the Green and White lineup against Tiffin as he took a 5-1 decision over Caleb Matchett to give the Eagles a 45-0 lead over the Dragons.
AWN RANKINGS: Redshirt-seniors Phillip Joseph and Nick Whitenburg both received rankings in their respective weight classes after the second week of competion. Joseph is ranked No. 16 at the 184 lb. weight class after going 4-0 in the EMU Duals at Bowen Field House, including notching his first pin of the season. Whitenburg ranks No. 18 at the 197 lb. weight class in the AWN ranking as he went 2-1 at the EMU Duals, falling only to Drexel's No. 14 Brandon Palik.
COVERAGE OF THE MSU DUAL: Eastern Michigan's dual against Michigan State, Thursday, Nov. 18 will be on the Big Ten Digital Network for all fans at home to enjoy.
UP NEXT?: Eastern returns to Ypsilanti as it takes on Stanford, Sunday, Nov. 24 at 5:30 p.m. in its first-of-four duals in the Convocation Center.
Eastern Michigan - 2018 MAC Wrestling Championships Preview
Monday, June 04
2018 MAC Wrestling Championships 165-lb Match:
Monday, June 04
2018 MAC Wrestling Championships 197-lb Match:
Monday, June 04
2018 MAC Wrestling Championships 285-lb Match:
Monday, June 04