January MAC Coaches Poll

The first week in January means a new coaches poll from the MAC conference, and not a whole lot has changed since December. Instead of UNI being in a tie for fourth, the Panthers now sit in fourth alone, as they lost one point and ODU picked up a point to move up to third. Ohio dropped three and one half points to fall to fifth.

As usual the bookends of UNI’s lineup remain in first place. Dylan Peters leads a 125 pound weight class that hasn’t changed since last month, while heavyweight Blaize Cabell just took down the new number two wrestler Gage Hutchison 9-3 in the dual meet between the Panthers and the Eagles. This is the first time that Hutchison has been ranked in the top four in the MAC conference.

At 165 pounds Cooper Moore held steady at second place, behind Daniel Lewis from Missouri. Lewis has defeated Moore once this season, and the top four at this weight have remained unchanged. Moore is expected face the number three wrestler, Shaun’Qae McMurtry tonight, when the Panthers go to Northern Illinois.

Bryce Steiert clocked in at fourth place at 157 pounds again this month. With the majority of the conference duals ahead of them, Steiert and all the other Panthers will have the opportunity to move up in the rankings.

Josh Alber, previously number four at 133, dropped out of the rankings, despite his very impressive showing at The Midlands.

The complete MAC rankings can be found below, as well as team rankings. You’ll see UNI wrestle again tonight at 7PM when they go on the road to Northern Illinois.

2016 MAC January Weight Class Rankings:
125 – 1. Dylan Peters (Northern Iowa, Junior); 2.  Barlow McGhee (Missouri, Sophomore); 3.  Brent Fleetwood (Central Michigan, Sophomore); 4. Brandon Jeske (Old Dominion, Junior).

133 – 1. Mack McGuire (Kent State, Senior); 2. Zach Synon (Missouri, Junior); 3. Emilio Saavedra (Old Dominion, Redshirt Freshman); 4. Corey Keener (Central Michigan, Junior).

141 – 1. Chris Mecate (Old Dominion, Senior); 2. Zach Horan (Central Michigan, Senior); 3. Matt Manley (Missouri, Junior); 4. Steve Bleise (Northern Illinois, Redshirt Freshman).

149 – 1. Alexander Richardson (Old Dominion, Senior); 2. Lavion Mayes (Missouri, Junior); 3. Colin Heffernan (Central Michigan, Sophomore); 4. Mike DePalma (Kent State, Senior).

157 – 1. Ian Miller (Kent State, Senior); 2. Lucas Smith (Central Michigan, Senior); 3. Spartak Chino (Ohio, Senior); 4. Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa, Freshman).

165 – 1. Daniel Lewis (Missouri, Redshirt Freshman); 2. Cooper Moore (Northern Iowa, Junior); 3. Shaun’Qae McMurtry (Northern Illinois, Junior); 4. Austin Reese (Ohio, Redshirt Freshman).

174 – 1. Blaise Butler (Missouri, Senior); 2. Cody Walters (Ohio, Senior); 3. Mike Ottinger (Central Michigan, Senior); 4. Jacob Davis (Eastern Michigan, Junior).

184 – 1. Willie Miklus (Missouri, Sophomore); 2. Jack Dechow (Old Dominion, Junior); t-3. Andrew Romanchik (Ohio, Senior); t-3. Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan, Sophomore).

197 – 1. J’Den Cox (Missouri, Junior); 2. Phil Wellington (Ohio, Senior); 3. Anthony Abro (Eastern Michigan, Senior); 4. Shawn Scott (Northern Illinois, Junior).

HWT – 1. Blaize Cabell (Northern Iowa, Senior); 2. Gage Hutchison (Eastern Michigan, Sophomore); 3. Jake Gunning (Buffalo, Redshirt Freshman); 4. Jesse Webb (Ohio, Sophomore).

2016 MAC January Rankings (Jan. 7, 2016)
1. Missouri (27.0)
2. Central Michigan (14.5)
3. Old Dominion (14.0)
4. Northern Iowa (12.0)
5. Ohio (11.5)
6. Kent State (9.0)
7. Eastern Michigan (6.0)
8. Northern Illinois (4.0)
9. Buffalo (2.0)