Mid American Conferance Wrestling

Contact: Bob Lee (740-593-1299 or leer1@ohio.edu)
Website: ohiobobcats.com
vcaine@mac-sports.com

Bennett Named MAC Wrestler of the Week

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan junior 184-pounder Ben Bennett (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) has been named the Mid-American Conference's Wrestler of the Week.

Bennett posted a pair of bonus point victories as the Chippewas split dual meets at George Mason and Old Dominion over the weekend. At George Mason on Saturday, Bennett pinned Corey Smith at the 1:05 mark of the first period to extend CMU's lead to 19-10 in an eventual 23-13 victory. At Old Dominion on Sunday, Bennett scored an 8-0 major decision over Billy Curling to pull the Chippewas within one point, 15-14, in an eventual 18-17 loss.

Bennett, ranked No. 4 nationally at 184 pounds, improved to 24-3 on the season with the two victories, and 21 of his 24 wins have accounted for bonus points: six major decisions, six technical falls, eight pins and one forfeit. He earns the conference's weekly honor for the third time this season and sixth in his career.

CMU, ranked No. 25 nationally in this week's NWCA/USA Today coaches' poll, travels to Cornell University for the regional round of the NWCA National Duals this weekend. The Chippewas (13-6 overall) are seeded fourth in the six-team regional and will face Purdue in the opening round Sunday at 10 a.m.

Bennett Earns Second MAC Wrestler of the Week Honor

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan junior Ben Bennett (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) has collected his second straight Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week honor for his performance at the Midlands Championships.

One week after being honored for pinning all three of his opponents in a total of just 6:51 at the Bison Duals, Bennett finished runner-up in the 184-pound bracket at Midlands.

The No. 3 seed at 184 pounds, Bennett posted technical falls in each of his first three matches, out-scoring his first three opponents by a combined score of 50-1. In the semifinals, he claimed a 6-3 decision over No. 2 seed Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa), who had handed Bennett his only prior defeat this season. In the finals, Bennett dropped a 5-2 decision to Lehigh's Robert Hamlin, the No. 1 seed, nation's No. 1-ranked 184-pounder and defending national runner-up.

Bennett is now a three-time finalist and three-time runner-up at Midlands. He advanced to the 174-pound championship bout in both 2009 and 2010.

Bennett, who earns the MAC Wrestler of the Week honor for the fifth time in his career, is now 18-2 overall this season.

CMU (10-2 overall, 2-0 MAC) returns to action on Friday, Jan. 13 when it visits Eastern Michigan for a MAC dual meet.

Central Michigan Senior Brown Named MAC Wrestler of the Week

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan senior Steve Brown (Hermon, N.Y./Hermon-Dekalb Central HS) has been named Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week.

Brown, ranked 13th nationally at 157 pounds, upset No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska, 3-2, in the second sudden victory period on Saturday. Brown's victory ended a 44-match winning streak for Burroughs, who had not lost since the finals of the 2008 NCAA Championships.

In his first match on Saturday, Brown pinned Neb.-Kearney's Jordan Gienger in the second period.

Sixth-ranked CMU defeated Neb.-Kearney, the No. 3-ranked team in Division II, 37-3, and No. 12 Nebraska, 29-6, in Lincoln, Neb. on Saturday.

Brown earns the conference's wrestler of the week award for the second time in his career.

CMU (7-0) will compete in the Midlands Championships on Dec. 29-30 at Northwestern University.
Jackson Named MAC Wrestler of the Week February 14, 2006

Jackson Named MAC Wrestler of the Week
Redshirt freshman has won six of his last seven matches for Ohio

CLEVELAND - Ohio University wrestler Terry Jackson, a 133-pound redshirt freshman from Uhrichsville, Ohio, has been named the Mid-American Conference Wrestler of the Week, the league office announced today.

Jackson won both of this matches for the Bobcats last weekend, defeating West Virginia's Seth Lisa on Friday and Kent State's Drew Opfer on Sunday. His 4-2 decision over Lisa - a two-time NCAA qualifier - came in overtime and was crucial to Ohio's 18-16 victory over the Mountaineers, which gave Bobcat head coach Joel Greenlee his 100th career coaching win.

On Sunday's, Jackson dominated Opfer, a senior for the Golden Flashes. The 7-0 shutout improved Jackson's record to 12-4 in duals and 3-1 in the MAC. Jackson has won six of his last seven matches, including two pins and one major decision.

"Terry has really come a long way since the beginning of the season," said Greenlee. "Since becoming the starter, he's done just a great job for us. He's not a real flashy guy - he's basic in what he does - but he doesn't make mistakes and that is huge in wrestling."

Jackson and the Bobcats (11-10, 1-3 MAC) finish out the regular season this Friday at Central Michigan (11-4, 3-0 MAC), currently ranked fifth in the nation with nine individually ranked wrestlers. Ohio will then compete at the MAC Championships in DeKalb, Ill., on March 3-4.-

OHIO -