For some wrestlers, tomorrow's Mid-American Conference Championships are the beginning stage of the end to long careers.
After graduating no wrestlers last season, four Bobcats are currently in their last year. Seniors Seth Morton and Kevin Christensen and redshirt seniors Clay Tucker and Jacob Ison will be ex-Bobcats in no more than a month.
Without question, the seniors' imminent departure makes tomorrow different from the MAC tournaments they competed in for the past few years.
It's my last chance
Morton said. (It's the) last shot at nationals last shot to be somebody last shot to impress the critics.
Some wrestlers like Ison, who will train in Greco-Roman wrestling after this season, will continue to wrestle after college. For the most part, though, the seniors are moving on to find jobs or attend graduate school.
Tucker, who will not wrestle after Ohio, said the thought of his career ending adds more pressure to perform well at the MAC tournament.
I'd like to say no (it doesn't affect me)
but definitely yeah (it does)
Tucker said. I don't want to put any more pressure on myself than there already has to be
but it's definitely in the back of my mind.
I've been wrestling for 16 years now (and) it's almost over.
If the Bobcats (12-5
3-2 MAC) wrestle well
their season does not have to wrap up this weekend.
Wrestlers can earn automatic bids to the NCAA Championships by placing in the top few spots in their weight class
depending on how many bids are assigned to the weight.
Unlike previous years
the Bobcats expect to send at least three or four wrestlers to the national tournament. The last Ohio wrestler to make it is junior Germane Lindsey
who qualified in the 2007-2008 season.
Technicalities in the Way
The NCAA's system of assigning bids to conference tournaments is designed to allot as many bids to weight classes as there are quality wrestlers at the weight.
But because of technicalities of the process
