Ohio had two weeks off from competition and the Bobcats will look to regain its winning ways against tough competition this weekend.
In the second tournament of the season, Ohio will head to Eastern Michigan to take on Lock Haven, Michigan and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
The Bobcats will have their work cut out for them facing No. 12 Michigan, but are confident in their abilities to not only compete, but win.
“Obviously Michigan is a Big 10 team ... I think it’s a good measuring stick for us,” coach Joel Greenlee said. “We can say ‘What do these guys have? Where are we at?’”
The Bobcats are two weeks removed from the Michigan State Open, in which two redshirt juniors, Tywan Claxton and Cody Walters, won first place in their respective weight classes.
Last season, Walters was unable to finish in the EMU Duals, as he left the tournament with a concussion. Walters hopes to be able to continue his success from the Michigan State Open this weekend.
“Our goal is top 10,” Walters said. “We gotta beat and hang around with those top guys so Michigan is gonna be a great test.”
Greenlee expects the weekend to be a strong test for his team, as the Bobcats will face different styles of wrestling, which will present a big challenge for the team.
“We wrestle a lot like the midwestern teams, which is wrestling from the neutral position instead of on the mat, as to where the eastern teams are generally very good wrestling on top,” Greenlee said.
The team competes in non-conference tournaments like these before Mid-American Conference play begins each season, giving wrestlers a chance to boost their individual rankings.
“Five guys on our team are ranked in the top 25; it gives them a chance to rise the ladder,” Greenlee said. “There’s only so much wrestling you can do in the (MAC) and there’s only so much opportunity to climb the ladder, so that’s what you’re trying to do now.”
Walters will try to head to the mats this weekend like he does every week and will try to stick with his same routine.
Walters, however, has a meaningful routine that will undoubtedly be a fixture in his pregame warmup for his years at Ohio.
“I always have to wear my baby blue shirt,” Walters said. “One of my best friends died in a car wreck my senior year, and since he’s passed away we got those shirts, and I’ve never not worn one before a match.”
Walters will continue on the path toward regaining his All-American status, as well as competing for his main goal of a national championship this season.
While the tournament does not directly correlate to the team’s MAC record, it can be a significant part of the season, offering chances for continued success, or a chance to start fresh.
“I like to think of OU as a pretty great school with a lot of great opportunity,” Walters said. “I want to go out and battle and be remembered that OU is a tough team.”
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