CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference wrestling coaches announced the second February Coaches Rankings for each weight class in conjunction with the league office today.  The rankings were released each month throughout the season, with one additional ranking system (two total) in January and February. 

 

Based on the individual rankings, new MAC affiliate member Missouri is expected to win the 2013 conference championship and end the eleven year consecutive run by the Central Michigan Chippewas as MAC defending champions. 

 

During the fall of 2012, the conference announced the addition of the University of Missouri, the University of Northern Iowa and Old Dominion University as affiliate members in the sport of wrestling.  All three universities joined the MAC with five-year agreements, with Missouri and Northern Iowa joining the MAC for the conference tournament only for the 2012-13 season and then to participate fully in regular season and tournament action for the next four consecutive years (2013-14 season thru 2016-17 academic season).  Old Dominion will join the MAC for the regular season and tournament action in the 2013-14 season through the 2017-18 academic season.

 

The 2012-13 second February Coaches rankings, voted on by the league’s head coaches in an open forum are as follows:

 

125  – 1. Alan Waters (Missouri); 2. Christian Cullinan (CMU); 3. Jared Germaine (EMU); 4. Steve Mitcheff (KSU).

133 – 1. Nathan McCormick (Missouri); 2. Scotti Sentes (CMU); 3.  Levi Wolfensperger (Northern Iowa); 4. Nick Smith (NIU).

141 –1. Joey Lazor (Northern Iowa); 2. Kevin Fanta (NIU); 3. Nick Hucke (Missouri); 4. Erik Galloway (UB).

149 – 1. Drake Houdasheldt (Missouri); 2. Donnie Corby (CMU); 3. Blake Roulo (Buffalo); 4. Andrew Romanchik (Ohio).

157 – 1. Kyle Bradley (Missouri); 2. David Bonin (Northern Iowa); 3. Aaron Sulzer (EMU); 4. Spartak Chino (Ohio).

165 – t1. Zach Toal (Missouri); t1. Mike Ottinger (CMU); 3. Mark Lewandowski (UB); 4. Caleb Marsh (KSU).

174 – 1. Todd Porter (Missouri); 2. Cody Walters (Ohio); 3. Sam Wheeler (KSU); 4. John-Martin Cannon (UB).

184 – 1. Ben Bennett (CMU); 2. Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa); 3. Mike Larson (Missouri); 4. Casey Newburg (KSU).

197 –1. Dustin Kilgore (KSU); 2. Brent Haynes (Missouri); 3. Phillip Wellington (Ohio); 4. Nick Whitenburg (EMU).

HWT – 1. Dom Bradley (Missouri); 2. Jarod Trice (CMU); 3. Jeremy Johnson (OU); 4. Blayne Beale (Northern Iowa).

 

The monthly team rankings were also decided in the same forum.  The eight 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 that team one point in the team ranking system.  The monthly team rankings for the MAC are as follows:

 

1.Missouri (34.5)

2.Central Michigan (19.5)

3.Northern Iowa (13)

t4.Ohio (9)

t4.Kent State (9)

6.Buffalo (6)

7.Eastern Michigan (5)

8.Northern Illinois (4)

 

The 2013 MAC Wrestling Championships will be held March 10 and hosted by the University at Buffalo. 

 

Last year, Central Michigan won its eleventh consecutive MAC wrestling championship with 89 team points.  Kent State was the runner-up with 79 points, while Eastern Michigan was third with 49 points.