2015-16 Season Preview: Wrestling
10/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Oct. 28, 2015
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2015-16 OUTLOOK
Under the direction of 17th-year head coach Joe McFarland, Michigan enters the 2015-16 season with the No. 3 ranking in the USA Today/NWCA preseason poll -- its highest ranking in 10 years -- and with 10 returning NCAA qualifiers, including five All-Americans, the Wolverines have the talent and depth conducive to both dual-meet and tournament success.
After fielding an exceedingly young squad in each of the last two seasons -- last year's NCAA contingent included just two upperclassmen -- Michigan will have a veteran lineup in 2015-16. The Wolverines received a major boost over the summer when two-year team captain Max Huntley, who suffered from a pair of season-ending injuries in his career, was granted a sixth of eligibility, and U-M's heralded junior class, featuring Brian Murphy, Domenic Abounader and Adam Coon -- the nation's No. 1 recruiting class three seasons ago -- now has two years of varsity experience under its belt.
Michigan is without a weak spot in its lineup with all 10 projected starters ranked by at least one wrestling media outlet. Senior/junior Conor Youtsey and senior Rossi Bruno provide a strong 1-2 punch at the lowerweights, coming off All-America performances at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively, while sophomore Alec Pantaleo, who turned heads throughout his rookie campaign at 149 pounds, kicks off a gauntlet at the middleweights. The Wolverines are equally strong at the top with reigning 184-pound Big Ten champion Abounader, Huntley and Coon -- last year's NCAA runner-up at heavyweight.
The Wolverines welcome 10 freshmen to the 2015-16 squad, including the nation's No. 2 recruit in Logan Massa, two-time Michigan state champion Myles Amine and two-time Fargo freestyle champion Austin Assad. Wrestle-offs will officially determine the starting lineup, though most U-M freshmen -- perhaps all -- are expected to redshirt.
STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH
Conor Youtsey, 125 pounds -- After a slow start that saw him drop out of the national rankings during the Big Ten dual season, Youtsey turned it on in the postseason, placing fifth at the Big Ten tournament before claiming his first All-America citation with a sixth-place NCAA finish. Youtsey edged Virginia Tech's third-seeded Joey Dance with an overtime takedown in the Round of 12 and backed it up with a decision against Oklahoma State's Eddie Klimara in his next bout. He enters the season ranked fifth nationally.
Davonte Mahomes, 174 pounds -- Mahomes posted a 13-3 record last season, earning three wins against ranked opposition, before tearing his ACL in the fifth-place match at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Eligible for a medical hardship, he earned the year back and still has four years remaining in his collegiate career. He enters the season ranked No. 11 nationally.
Adam Coon, Heavyweight -- Though eligible for an Olympic redshirt, Coon is set to return in 2015-16 after falling just short in the NCAA final against NC State's Nick Gwiadowski. He led the Wolverines with a 32-5 record, matching his freshman year record, and boasted 10 pins, including four in Big Ten dual competition. He enters the season with the No. 2 national ranking and owns wins against eight other ranked heavyweights, including an overtime decision against Gwiadowski two seasons ago.
Left: Adam Coon // Middle: Alec Pantaleo // Right: Conor Youtsey
KEY COMPETITIONS
Sunday, Nov. 22, vs. Oklahoma
The Wolverines will open the home portion of their dual-meet schedule against Big 12 power Oklahoma, which will travel to Ann Arbor for just the third time and first since 1974. The Sooners are ranked No. 20 in the preseason poll, coming off an 18th-place finish at last year's NCAA Championships highlighted by 133-pound individual champion Cody Brewer.
Saturday, Jan. 9, at Ohio State
Michigan will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to face defending NCAA champion Ohio State live on the Big Ten Network. After Michigan dominated the series for decades, the Buckeyes have had the upper hand of late, claiming six of the last eight meetings, including a 25-15 decision last season in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines won in their last trip to Columbus, however, and will look to repeat the feat this season.
Sunday, Jan. 31, at Penn State
Penn State, a three-time NCAA champion from 2012-14, has been projected by many wrestling media members as the team to beat in 2015-16 and, at No. 2, is the highest ranked Big Ten team in the preseason poll. Michigan has dropped five straight against the Nittany Lions, including a frustrating 19-15 decision at home last season. Scheduled late in the Big Ten season, the matchup could include league dual-meet title implications.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Joe McFarland
On returning a veteran team ... "You develop through experience and time. We've got some guys that have been through the grind of the season, understand it and are physically able to handle it better now than when they were a little younger. I think that's in all aspects -- focus, training habits as well as managing their nutrition, academics and social life better. You just can't beat experience. That's where we're at right now as a program, and it's exciting."
On Michigan's returners hungry to take the next step ... "I see a very focused and driven team. We have really good leadership. Guys are stepping up in the practice room on a daily basis. Mix in there a group of highly motivated and eager freshmen, and it creates a really good blend in our room."
On the depth and competition at every weight ... "It's healthy from a competitive standpoint. We had a really good summer and early fall, and I think our guys are just eager to compete. Things are getting tough now. We're getting through midterms, we've ramped up the intensity in our training, and the guys are getting down to the weight. These guys have really been responding well. I really like the attitude of this team. We're hungry for the season to start."
2014-15 RECAP
After battling through several injuries en route to an 8-6 dual record, the Wolverines broke out in postseason tournament competition, claiming a fourth-place Big Ten finish before taking 11th at the NCAA Championships with five All-Americans. Michigan qualified all 10 wrestlers to the NCAA tournament for just the second time in program history. Conor Youtsey (125 pounds), Rossi Bruno (133), Brian Murphy (157) and Max Huntley (197) made it 4-for-4 in a memorable Round of 12, while Adam Coon advanced to the heavyweight final before dropping a narrow 7-6 decision to NC State's Nick Gwiazdowski.
Communications Contact: Leah Howard
