PREVIEW: MAC Wrestling Championships

n Conference wrestling championships will take place this weekend and hosted by Kent State University on Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8.

Defending champion Central Michigan will be seeking its seventh consecutive league title. The Chippewas are 16-2 overall and completed a perfect 5-0 conference record. CMU 197-pounder Wynn Michalak will be going for his fourth consecutive MAC title. Only Kent State’s Brent Thompson and Ohio’s Russ Johnson (197-73) have won four consecutive individual MAC titles.

CMU is ranked No. 2 nationally and Kent State is listed No. 21 in the latest rankings by USA TODAY/Intermat /NCWA Division I Coaches poll.

Six weight classes feature at least two wrestlers ranked nationally in the Intermat Division I Wrestling Rankings.
At 133, Pat Castillo of Northern Illinois is No. 11, Sean Clair of Eastern Michigan is No. 15 and Dan Mitcheff of Kent State is No. 19.

No. 13 Eric Kruger of Central Michigan and No. 17 Drew Lashaway of Kent State will compete at 141.

13th-ranked Kurt Gross of Kent State and 14th-ranked Trevor Stewart of Central Michigan could battle for the title at 165.

Brandon Sinnott of Central Michigan is fourth in the nation at 174. Also ranked in the weight class is No. 13 Duke Burk of Northern Illinois.

At 184, Christian Sinnott of Central Michigan is fourth and Eric Cine of Kent State is 20th.

In the heavyweight division No. 8 Bubba Gritter of Central Michigan and No. 10 Jermail Porter of Kent State will compete.

Two other individuals stand alone as nationally-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes. At 197, Wynn Michalak of Central Michigan is fourth in the nation. Luke Smith, also of Central Michigan, is ranked 18th at 125.

The complete schedule of events follows.

2008 Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships
March 7-8 -- Kent State University
M.A.C. Center

Friday March 7, 2008
Weigh-In – 10 AM
Session I: First Round – 12-2 PM
Doors open to the public at 10:30 AM
Session II: Semi-Finals & Wrestle-Backs- 7 PM
Doors open to the public at 5:30 PM

Saturday March 8, 2008
Weigh-In – 11 AM
Session III: Finals & Consolation Finals – 12-2 PM
Doors open to the public at 10:30 AM
Final Round for True Second Place (If Necessary) – 2 PM

Tickets
Single Session: $5.00 Adults/$3 Senior Citizens & Students
All-Session: $10.00 Adults/$5 Senior Citizens & Students

Call the Ticket

n Conference wrestling championships will take place this weekend and hosted by Kent State University on Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8.

Defending champion Central Michigan will be seeking its seventh consecutive league title. The Chippewas are 16-2 overall and completed a perfect 5-0 conference record. CMU 197-pounder Wynn Michalak will be going for his fourth consecutive MAC title. Only Kent State’s Brent Thompson and Ohio’s Russ Johnson (197-73) have won four consecutive individual MAC titles.

CMU is ranked No. 2 nationally and Kent State is listed No. 21 in the latest rankings by USA TODAY/Intermat /NCWA Division I Coaches poll.

Six weight classes feature at least two wrestlers ranked nationally in the Intermat Division I Wrestling Rankings.
At 133, Pat Castillo of Northern Illinois is No. 11, Sean Clair of Eastern Michigan is No. 15 and Dan Mitcheff of Kent State is No. 19.

No. 13 Eric Kruger of Central Michigan and No. 17 Drew Lashaway of Kent State will compete at 141.

13th-ranked Kurt Gross of Kent State and 14th-ranked Trevor Stewart of Central Michigan could battle for the title at 165.

Brandon Sinnott of Central Michigan is fourth in the nation at 174. Also ranked in the weight class is No. 13 Duke Burk of Northern Illinois.

At 184, Christian Sinnott of Central Michigan is fourth and Eric Cine of Kent State is 20th.

In the heavyweight division No. 8 Bubba Gritter of Central Michigan and No. 10 Jermail Porter of Kent State will compete.

Two other individuals stand alone as nationally-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes. At 197, Wynn Michalak of Central Michigan is fourth in the nation. Luke Smith, also of Central Michigan, is ranked 18th at 125.

The complete schedule of events follows.

2008 Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships
March 7-8 -- Kent State University
M.A.C. Center

Friday March 7, 2008
Weigh-In – 10 AM
Session I: First Round – 12-2 PM
Doors open to the public at 10:30 AM
Session II: Semi-Finals & Wrestle-Backs- 7 PM
Doors open to the public at 5:30 PM

Saturday March 8, 2008
Weigh-In – 11 AM
Session III: Finals & Consolation Finals – 12-2 PM
Doors open to the public at 10:30 AM
Final Round for True Second Place (If Necessary) – 2 PM

Tickets
Single Session: $5.00 Adults/$3 Senior Citizens & Students
All-Session: $10.00 Adults/$5 Senior Citizens & Students

Call the Ticket