Of the 10 Bobcats wrestling in the annual Mid-American Conference Championships, they'll all look to achieve a feat that hasn’t happened in two years — the prestige of being crowned a MAC champion.
Ohio’s last MAC champion was fifth-year senior Cody Walters, who won his third consecutive title in the 2014-15 season. Since then, the Bobcats have had their fair share of placers (including Walters in last year's tournament), but not a champion.
Despite having to replace five starters from last year’s team, the 2017 post-season has the potential to be special for the Bobcats. Ohio returns three participants from last year's MAC championships in sophomores Shakur Laney (125 lbs) and Cameron Kelly (133) and redshirt junior Noah Forrider (141).
Kelly posted a fourth-place finish by way of decision, and Laney ended the MAC championships with a fifth-place finish by way of pin over Buffalo’s Kyle Akins. Forrider failed to place, but went 2-2.
If the regular season is any indicator of post-season success, however, the trio should experience a successful tournament.
Wednesday, the MAC released its pre-seedings for the tournament that saw Laney, Kelly and Forrider sitting at the No. 1, 3 and 2 seeds in their respective weight classes. Redshirt sophomore Zack Parker (heavyweight) also earned a No. 1 seed in his weight class.
While wrestling is a team sport, it relies heavily on the individual in order for the team to succeed. Coach Joel Greenlee echoed a similar mantra.
“It’s all about the individual at this point in time," he said. "Shakur Laney can’t worry about Cam Kelly, and Cam can’t worry about Shakur.”
The wrestlers, from Greenlee's leadership, are approaching the tournament with the same mindset.
“It’s not a matter of knowing if I can do it, it’s a matter of executing and believing in myself that I can win and just focusing on myself,” said Kelly.
The pair of sophomores nodded in the same direction by saying in order to be a MAC champion at the end of the weekend, it’s going to take “focus and domination.”
“When I wrestled these guys (the first time), I was trying to just get through it,” said Laney. “Now I’m trying to go out there and dominate them.”
Even if the latter are unsuccessful in being crowned MAC champions, Laney and Kelly have taken to Greenlee’s expectation: “It’s about wrestling hard,” he said simply.
The Bobcats will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for a weekend where at the end of it all, someone will be declared a champion.
Whether or not it will be one of Ohio’s own?
“Stay tuned," Laney said.
