Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 13
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
No. 21 Old Dominion
Photo by: Sam Janicki
Wrestling Set for Weekend Duals Against No. 21 ODU and Buffalo
2/12/2015 11:52:00 AM | Wrestling
The Eagles will host the Monarchs of Old Dominion before heading to Buffalo to take on the Bulls
Complete Notes
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University wrestling squad will square off with two Mid-American Conference opponents this coming weekend. First,EMU will take on the No. 21 Monarchs of Old Dominion University at the Convocation Center Friday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. The Eagles will close out the weekend with a trip to Buffalo, N.Y. to tangle with the Bulls of the University at Buffalo Sunday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m.
For fans who are unable to make it out to the dual against ODU, the match will be broadcast on Eastern's live webstreaming service Eagle All-Access. Fans will be able to watch the dual as well as get play-by-play from former EMU wrestlers J.J. Johnson and Drew Lesko. Subscriptions for Eagle All-Access start at just $6.95 and can be purchased at EMUEagles.com/watch.
SCOUTING No. 21 OLD DOMINION: The dual against Old Dominion marks the second-straight ranked opponent that the Eagles will take on in a week's span, while it is the fourth ranked opponent of the season for EMU.
Six starters in the ODU lineup have passed the 20-win plateau, while four grapplers are nationally ranked for the Monarchs. Old Dominion is led by No. 3 Jack Dechow, who has posted a 22-1 overall record at 184 lbs. Along with Dechow, Chris Mecate is ranked as the No. 9 grappler at 141 lbs. with a 16-6 overall record, Alex Richardson is ranked No. 14 at 149 lbs., and Tristan Warner is ranked 19th in the 165 lb. weight class. Also bursting onto the scene for the Monarchs is freshman T.C. Warner ,who boasts a team-best 26 wins in the 157 lb. weight class.
As a team, Old Dominion is 10-4 overall on the season and 3-1 in confrence competition. The Monarchs lone loss in league action came to No. 2 Missouri, Nov. 23. Most recently, ODU fell to N.C. State, 21-15, in a home dual, Feb. 6.
ALL-TIME AGAINST ODU: Friday's dual will mark just the second time EMU and Old Dominion will meet on the mats. Last season, the Eagles picked up the 21-19 win over the Monarchs, Dec. 6, 2014, when former Head Coach Derek DelPorto nabbed his 100th career victory. The Green and White notched the come-from-behind win when three seniors rose to the challenge and won the final three bouts of the night to capture Eastern's first conference victory of the season.
A QUICK PEEK AT BUFFALO: Entering the weekend duals, both Buffalo and Eastern Michigan will be looking to pick up its first conference victory. The Bulls come into the weekend with a 5-11 overall record and a 0-6 tally in conference action.
The Bulls are led by 125 lb. redshirt-junior Max Soria who posts a 19-7 overall record and a 4-2 tally in MAC duals, while Brandon Lapi highlights the 141 lb. weight class with a 21-10 overall record and an identical 4-2 mark in league action.
ALL-TIME HISTORY WITH THE BULLS: Over the past nine seasos, EMU posts a 4-5 record against Buffalo. Most recently, the Eagles easily handled UB in a dual at the Convocation Center. EMU defeated Buffalo, 34-6, capturing all but two bouts in a senior day victory, Feb. 16, 2014. The Eagles will return three starters from last years lineup, while the Bulls return five of its 10 starters from a season ago.
TAKING ON RANKED OPPONENTS: Friday's dual marks the fourth time this season that the Eagles will go up against a ranked opponent. Old Dominion is currently ranked at No. 21 in the nation with a 10-4 overall record and a 3-1 mark in conference action.
The Green and White has stuggled with ranked teams this season, falling to then-No. 16 Northwestern in its first dual of the season before dropping a dual to then-No. 22 N.C. State at the Pitt Duals, Jan. 11 and No. 2 Missouri Sunday, Feb. 8.
The last time the Eagles defeated a ranked opponent was during the 2013-14 season when EMU took down then-No. 23 Stanford at the Convocation Center, Nov. 24, 2013. A pin from Phillip Joseph in the last bout of the afternoon allowed Eastern to take a 18-16 victory over the Cardinal.
EAGLES STILL LOOKING FOR A CONFERENCE WIN: EMU has struggled since beginning Mid-American Conference action, dropping its first five duals. This weekend, the Eagles hope to get back on track by taking a dual from Old Dominion or Buffalo. The Monarchs are 10-4 overall on the season and sit in third in the league standings, while the Bulls are 0-6 in the conference are ninth overall in MAC standings.
FOUR EAGLES RANK IN FEBRUARY MAC POLL: Redshirt-junior Vincent Pizzuto remained in the Mid-American Conference rankings, moving up to the No. 2 wrestler at 133 lbs., while redshirt-senior Brandon Zeerip and redshirt-junior Michael Shaw make their way back into the rankings after earning a place in their respective weight classes during the month of December. Redshirt-junior Anthony Abro is the final EMU grappler to make an appearance on the list, tying for fourth at 197 lbs.
Pizzuto picked up his second conference win with a 4-1 decision over Josh Parrett of Ohio after taking a week break following the Pitt Duals, Jan. 11. The North Jackson, Mich. native holds a 10-9 overall record and is a perfect 2-0 is conference duals.
Zeerip grabbed his first conference victory of the 2014-15 season with a 3-1 decision over Ohio's Spartak Chino Sunday, Jan. 21. The Fremont, Mich. native carries a 16-9 overall record and is 1-1 in conference action this season for the Green and White at 157 lbs.
Shaw improved upon his 1-0 MAC record with 6-0 shutout victory oer Joel Shump of Ohio at 141 lbs., ranking him fourth in the conference. The Bangor, Mich. native is 10-10 overall on the season and 7-6 in duals.
Abro is ranked for the first time this season at 197 lbs. after nabbing five-straight victories, including a pin over nationally-ranked N.C. State, Jan. 11. The redshirt-junior has been a catalyst for the EMU lineup with a 17-8 overall record and a 10-3 record in dual action.
UP NEXT ON THE MATS: Eastern Michigan will cap off its regular season Friday, Feb. 20 when it returns to the Convocation Center for a Senior Night dual against in-state conference foe Central Michigan. First bout is slated for 7 p.m.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University wrestling squad will square off with two Mid-American Conference opponents this coming weekend. First,EMU will take on the No. 21 Monarchs of Old Dominion University at the Convocation Center Friday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. The Eagles will close out the weekend with a trip to Buffalo, N.Y. to tangle with the Bulls of the University at Buffalo Sunday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m.
For fans who are unable to make it out to the dual against ODU, the match will be broadcast on Eastern's live webstreaming service Eagle All-Access. Fans will be able to watch the dual as well as get play-by-play from former EMU wrestlers J.J. Johnson and Drew Lesko. Subscriptions for Eagle All-Access start at just $6.95 and can be purchased at EMUEagles.com/watch.
SCOUTING No. 21 OLD DOMINION: The dual against Old Dominion marks the second-straight ranked opponent that the Eagles will take on in a week's span, while it is the fourth ranked opponent of the season for EMU.
Six starters in the ODU lineup have passed the 20-win plateau, while four grapplers are nationally ranked for the Monarchs. Old Dominion is led by No. 3 Jack Dechow, who has posted a 22-1 overall record at 184 lbs. Along with Dechow, Chris Mecate is ranked as the No. 9 grappler at 141 lbs. with a 16-6 overall record, Alex Richardson is ranked No. 14 at 149 lbs., and Tristan Warner is ranked 19th in the 165 lb. weight class. Also bursting onto the scene for the Monarchs is freshman T.C. Warner ,who boasts a team-best 26 wins in the 157 lb. weight class.
As a team, Old Dominion is 10-4 overall on the season and 3-1 in confrence competition. The Monarchs lone loss in league action came to No. 2 Missouri, Nov. 23. Most recently, ODU fell to N.C. State, 21-15, in a home dual, Feb. 6.
ALL-TIME AGAINST ODU: Friday's dual will mark just the second time EMU and Old Dominion will meet on the mats. Last season, the Eagles picked up the 21-19 win over the Monarchs, Dec. 6, 2014, when former Head Coach Derek DelPorto nabbed his 100th career victory. The Green and White notched the come-from-behind win when three seniors rose to the challenge and won the final three bouts of the night to capture Eastern's first conference victory of the season.
A QUICK PEEK AT BUFFALO: Entering the weekend duals, both Buffalo and Eastern Michigan will be looking to pick up its first conference victory. The Bulls come into the weekend with a 5-11 overall record and a 0-6 tally in conference action.
The Bulls are led by 125 lb. redshirt-junior Max Soria who posts a 19-7 overall record and a 4-2 tally in MAC duals, while Brandon Lapi highlights the 141 lb. weight class with a 21-10 overall record and an identical 4-2 mark in league action.
ALL-TIME HISTORY WITH THE BULLS: Over the past nine seasos, EMU posts a 4-5 record against Buffalo. Most recently, the Eagles easily handled UB in a dual at the Convocation Center. EMU defeated Buffalo, 34-6, capturing all but two bouts in a senior day victory, Feb. 16, 2014. The Eagles will return three starters from last years lineup, while the Bulls return five of its 10 starters from a season ago.
TAKING ON RANKED OPPONENTS: Friday's dual marks the fourth time this season that the Eagles will go up against a ranked opponent. Old Dominion is currently ranked at No. 21 in the nation with a 10-4 overall record and a 3-1 mark in conference action.
The Green and White has stuggled with ranked teams this season, falling to then-No. 16 Northwestern in its first dual of the season before dropping a dual to then-No. 22 N.C. State at the Pitt Duals, Jan. 11 and No. 2 Missouri Sunday, Feb. 8.
The last time the Eagles defeated a ranked opponent was during the 2013-14 season when EMU took down then-No. 23 Stanford at the Convocation Center, Nov. 24, 2013. A pin from Phillip Joseph in the last bout of the afternoon allowed Eastern to take a 18-16 victory over the Cardinal.
EAGLES STILL LOOKING FOR A CONFERENCE WIN: EMU has struggled since beginning Mid-American Conference action, dropping its first five duals. This weekend, the Eagles hope to get back on track by taking a dual from Old Dominion or Buffalo. The Monarchs are 10-4 overall on the season and sit in third in the league standings, while the Bulls are 0-6 in the conference are ninth overall in MAC standings.
FOUR EAGLES RANK IN FEBRUARY MAC POLL: Redshirt-junior Vincent Pizzuto remained in the Mid-American Conference rankings, moving up to the No. 2 wrestler at 133 lbs., while redshirt-senior Brandon Zeerip and redshirt-junior Michael Shaw make their way back into the rankings after earning a place in their respective weight classes during the month of December. Redshirt-junior Anthony Abro is the final EMU grappler to make an appearance on the list, tying for fourth at 197 lbs.
Pizzuto picked up his second conference win with a 4-1 decision over Josh Parrett of Ohio after taking a week break following the Pitt Duals, Jan. 11. The North Jackson, Mich. native holds a 10-9 overall record and is a perfect 2-0 is conference duals.
Zeerip grabbed his first conference victory of the 2014-15 season with a 3-1 decision over Ohio's Spartak Chino Sunday, Jan. 21. The Fremont, Mich. native carries a 16-9 overall record and is 1-1 in conference action this season for the Green and White at 157 lbs.
Shaw improved upon his 1-0 MAC record with 6-0 shutout victory oer Joel Shump of Ohio at 141 lbs., ranking him fourth in the conference. The Bangor, Mich. native is 10-10 overall on the season and 7-6 in duals.
Abro is ranked for the first time this season at 197 lbs. after nabbing five-straight victories, including a pin over nationally-ranked N.C. State, Jan. 11. The redshirt-junior has been a catalyst for the EMU lineup with a 17-8 overall record and a 10-3 record in dual action.
UP NEXT ON THE MATS: Eastern Michigan will cap off its regular season Friday, Feb. 20 when it returns to the Convocation Center for a Senior Night dual against in-state conference foe Central Michigan. First bout is slated for 7 p.m.
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