Eastern Michigan Athletics
MAC Announces 2016-17 Wrestling Preseason Rankings
10/6/2016 5:35:00 PM | Wrestling
EMU was selected to finish fourth in the Conference
CLEVELAND, Ohio. (EMUEagles.com) — The Mid-American Conference wrestling coaches announced the 2016-17 preseason weight class individual rankings and team rankings in conjunction with the league office today, Oct. 7.
The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team was selected to finish tied for fourth in the Conference, receiving nine points in the poll. Missouri was selected to repeat as champions, garnering 32 points, followed by Northern Iowa (16.5), Central Michigan (11), EMU and Northern Illinois (9), Buffalo and Old Dominion (6), Ohio (5.5), and Kent State (5).
The nine schools were ranked based on the number of first through fourth-place votes that were earned in the individual voting system. A first-place vote was worth four team points; a second-place vote earned three team points; third-seeded votes were worth two team points, while a fourth-place tally earned one point in the team ranking system.
Individually, EMU had five of its wrestlers selected in the preseason top-4 of their weight classes. Redshirt junior Kyle Springer (New Boston, Mich.-Davenport Assumption (Indiana)) was picked in a tie for second at 141; redshirt senior Nick Barber (Cleveland, Ohio-St. Edward) is fourth at 149 lbs, redshirt sophomore Dakota Juarez (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) checked in at third at 165 lbs, redshirt senior Jacob Davis (North Ridgeville, Ohio-St. Edward) was picked tied for third at 174 lbs, and finally redshirt junior Gage Hutchison (Buchanan, Mich.-Buchanan) was selected third at the heavyweight.
The rankings will be released each month throughout the season, with one additional ranking system (two total) in January and February.
The Eagles are coming off an 8-7 season in Head Coach David Bolyard's second season, which was the second winning season in three years for EMU. Eastern qualified four wrestlers for the 2016 NCAA Championships, including returning starters Barber, Juarez, and Hutchison.
The 2017 MAC Wrestling Championships will be held March 4-5, and are set to be hosted by the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
EMU's 2016-17 season gets underway in just under a month with the EMU Open, Saturday, Nov. 5.
2016-17 MAC Preseason Poll
1. Missouri (32.0)
2. Northern Iowa (16.5)
3. Central Michigan (11.0)
t-4. Eastern Michigan (9.0)
t-4. Northern Illinois (9.0)
t-6. Buffalo (6.0)
t-6. Old Dominion (6.0)
8. Ohio (5.5)
9. Kent State (5.0)
2016-17 MAC Weight Class Rankings:
125 – 1. Dylan Peters (Northern Iowa, Senior); 2. Barlow McGhee (Missouri, Junior); 3. Brent Fleetwood (Central Michigan, Junior); 4. Brandon Jeske (Old Dominion, Senior).
133 – t-1. Cameron Kelly (Ohio, Sophomore); t-1. Jaydin Eierman (Missouri, R-Freshman); 3. Corey Keener (Central Michigan, Senior); 4. Josh Alber (Northern Iowa, Sophomore).
141 – 1. Matt Manley (Missouri, Senior); t-2. Kyle Springer (Eastern Michigan, Junior); t-2. Jake Koethe (Northern Iowa, Sophomore); 4. Noah Forrider (Ohio, Junior).
149 – 1. Lavion Mayes (Missouri, Senior); 2. Justin Oliver (Central Michigan, Sophomore); 3. (Steve Bleise, Northern Illinois); 4. Nick Barber (Eastern Michigan, Senior).
157 – 1. Joey Lavalle (Missouri, Junior); 2. Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa, Sophomore); 3. Colin Heffernan (Central Michigan, Junior); 4. Casey Sparkman (Kent State, Sophomore).
165 – 1. Daniel Lewis (Missouri, Sophomore); 2. Cooper Moore (Northern Iowa, Senior); 3. Dakota Juarez (Eastern Michigan, Sophomore); 4. Austin Reese (Ohio, Sophomore).
174 – 1. Trace Engelkes (Northern Illinois, Senior); 2. Jairod James (Kent State, Sophomore); t-3. Jacob Davis (Eastern Michigan, Senior); t-3. Dylan Wisman (Missouri, R-Freshman).
184 – 1. Willie Miklus (Missouri, Junior); 2. Jack Dechow (Old Dominion, Senior); 3. Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan, Junior); 4. Joe Ariola (Buffalo, Junior).
197 – 1. J'Den Cox (Missouri, Senior); 2. Shawn Scott (Northern Illinois, Senior); 3. Kevin Beazley (Old Dominion, Junior); 4. James Benjamin (Buffalo, Senior).
HWT – 1. Jake Gunning (Buffalo, Sophomore); 2. JJ Everard (Northern Iowa, Senior); 3. Gage Hutchison (Eastern Michigan, Junior); 4. Devin Nye (Kent State, Sophomore).
The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team was selected to finish tied for fourth in the Conference, receiving nine points in the poll. Missouri was selected to repeat as champions, garnering 32 points, followed by Northern Iowa (16.5), Central Michigan (11), EMU and Northern Illinois (9), Buffalo and Old Dominion (6), Ohio (5.5), and Kent State (5).
The nine schools were ranked based on the number of first through fourth-place votes that were earned in the individual voting system. A first-place vote was worth four team points; a second-place vote earned three team points; third-seeded votes were worth two team points, while a fourth-place tally earned one point in the team ranking system.
Individually, EMU had five of its wrestlers selected in the preseason top-4 of their weight classes. Redshirt junior Kyle Springer (New Boston, Mich.-Davenport Assumption (Indiana)) was picked in a tie for second at 141; redshirt senior Nick Barber (Cleveland, Ohio-St. Edward) is fourth at 149 lbs, redshirt sophomore Dakota Juarez (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) checked in at third at 165 lbs, redshirt senior Jacob Davis (North Ridgeville, Ohio-St. Edward) was picked tied for third at 174 lbs, and finally redshirt junior Gage Hutchison (Buchanan, Mich.-Buchanan) was selected third at the heavyweight.
The rankings will be released each month throughout the season, with one additional ranking system (two total) in January and February.
The Eagles are coming off an 8-7 season in Head Coach David Bolyard's second season, which was the second winning season in three years for EMU. Eastern qualified four wrestlers for the 2016 NCAA Championships, including returning starters Barber, Juarez, and Hutchison.
The 2017 MAC Wrestling Championships will be held March 4-5, and are set to be hosted by the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
EMU's 2016-17 season gets underway in just under a month with the EMU Open, Saturday, Nov. 5.
2016-17 MAC Preseason Poll
1. Missouri (32.0)
2. Northern Iowa (16.5)
3. Central Michigan (11.0)
t-4. Eastern Michigan (9.0)
t-4. Northern Illinois (9.0)
t-6. Buffalo (6.0)
t-6. Old Dominion (6.0)
8. Ohio (5.5)
9. Kent State (5.0)
2016-17 MAC Weight Class Rankings:
125 – 1. Dylan Peters (Northern Iowa, Senior); 2. Barlow McGhee (Missouri, Junior); 3. Brent Fleetwood (Central Michigan, Junior); 4. Brandon Jeske (Old Dominion, Senior).
133 – t-1. Cameron Kelly (Ohio, Sophomore); t-1. Jaydin Eierman (Missouri, R-Freshman); 3. Corey Keener (Central Michigan, Senior); 4. Josh Alber (Northern Iowa, Sophomore).
141 – 1. Matt Manley (Missouri, Senior); t-2. Kyle Springer (Eastern Michigan, Junior); t-2. Jake Koethe (Northern Iowa, Sophomore); 4. Noah Forrider (Ohio, Junior).
149 – 1. Lavion Mayes (Missouri, Senior); 2. Justin Oliver (Central Michigan, Sophomore); 3. (Steve Bleise, Northern Illinois); 4. Nick Barber (Eastern Michigan, Senior).
157 – 1. Joey Lavalle (Missouri, Junior); 2. Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa, Sophomore); 3. Colin Heffernan (Central Michigan, Junior); 4. Casey Sparkman (Kent State, Sophomore).
165 – 1. Daniel Lewis (Missouri, Sophomore); 2. Cooper Moore (Northern Iowa, Senior); 3. Dakota Juarez (Eastern Michigan, Sophomore); 4. Austin Reese (Ohio, Sophomore).
174 – 1. Trace Engelkes (Northern Illinois, Senior); 2. Jairod James (Kent State, Sophomore); t-3. Jacob Davis (Eastern Michigan, Senior); t-3. Dylan Wisman (Missouri, R-Freshman).
184 – 1. Willie Miklus (Missouri, Junior); 2. Jack Dechow (Old Dominion, Senior); 3. Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan, Junior); 4. Joe Ariola (Buffalo, Junior).
197 – 1. J'Den Cox (Missouri, Senior); 2. Shawn Scott (Northern Illinois, Senior); 3. Kevin Beazley (Old Dominion, Junior); 4. James Benjamin (Buffalo, Senior).
HWT – 1. Jake Gunning (Buffalo, Sophomore); 2. JJ Everard (Northern Iowa, Senior); 3. Gage Hutchison (Eastern Michigan, Junior); 4. Devin Nye (Kent State, Sophomore).
Players Mentioned
149
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
141
/ WrestlingEastern 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