Youth will play a role in Ohio’s first wrestling match, but well-rounded talent and coaching could help lift the Bobcats to success this weekend.
The Ohio wrestling team heads to Charlottesville, Va., this weekend to take on Tennessee-Chattanooga, Virginia, and Anderson University in the Virginia Duals.
The squad is looking to have a better season this year after coming off a mediocre fourth-place finish in the MAC championships the past season.
Ohio coach Joel Greenlee said he believes the squad is ready for the weekend.
“We’re going to wrestle some true freshmen, and a lot of redshirt freshmen,” Greenlee said. “I think you have to be smart and give guys rest when they need breaks. If we give a lot of guys opportunities, I think we will have success.”
Tennessee-Chattanooga enters this weekend looking to satisfy preseason expectations as having been picked by other Southern Conference coaches to win the conference. The Mocs return five seniors charged with leading a young roster.
But despite the youth of the opposition, Greenlee and his squad won’t overlook the Mocs.“They’re a pretty hard-nosed team, they are going to be well-conditioned, and they’re going to come after you,” he said.
Virginia starts this season following a year during which the team suffered only one loss. The Cavaliers boast considerable youth led by a group of five redshirt seniors, comparable to the youth on Ohio’s roster.
Anderson’s season ended with an 11-match losing streak, and the Trojans are not currently members of a conference with wrestling as a sport. Ohio could take advantage of a less experienced squad with its team-wide talent.
“I’m just looking for us to go out and be aggressive and score points,” Greenlee said. “We want to wrestle with an exciting style of wrestling that people want to see and step on the mat with confidence. I think if you do those things, the wins will take care of themselves.”
ab109410@ohiou.edu
