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ATHENS, Ohio – Ohio Wrestling heads into the 2024 Mid-American Conference Championships with high expectations. The Bobcats boast numerous wrestlers poised to challenge for championships over Friday and Saturday (Mar. 8-9) at Kent State's Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.
Wrestlers from the 13 schools will all head to Kent, with action set to start on Friday (Mar. 8) at 12:00 p.m. For a full schedule of events and more information for the championships, follow this link.
The Bobcats will look to claim their first MAC Championship since 2001 and individual championship since current Ohio assistant coach Shakur Laney won at 125 pounds in 2017.
Last year at the MAC Championships, the Bobcats finished in fourth overall. Ohio used seven podium finishes, including a second place finish in the 184-pound division from junior Zayne Lehman (Akron, Ohio) and a third place position from redshirt sophomore Peyten Kellar (Cutler, Ohio) at 157. Ohio earned 87.5 total points, 25 points behind the champions Lock Haven.
Ohio enters the MAC Championships ranked third with 102 points in the conference's most recent team rankings. The Bobcats sit behind Central Michigan (116 points) and Rider (104 points).
In the individual weight classes, seven Ohio wrestlers received pre-seeds for the Championships, including two No. 1 seeds. Peyten Kellar is the top seeded 157-pounder and completed an undefeated conference season. Kellar has a record of 18-2 and has already knocked DJ McGee (George Mason) and Johnny Lovett (Central Michigan), the second and third seeded wrestlers in the weight class. Kellar will look to return to the NCAA Championships after making his first appearance last season.
Redshirt sophomore Garrett Thompson (Murrysville, Pa.) is seeded first in the 165-pound class. Thompson has a record of 23-5 and 9-2 in dual meets. Thompson has not wrestled since Ohio's 'Grudge Match' win over Kent State when he defeated Aaron Ferguson with a 10-7 decision. The redshirt sophomore is the highest-ranked wrestler in the NCAA Coaches' Poll for Ohio and leads the team in falls with nine.
Junior Sal Perrine (Northfield, Ohio) is the second-seeded wrestler in the 174-pound weight class, coming in behind Central Michigan's Alex Cramer. The two faced off earlier in the year during Ohio's dual-meet at Central Michigan. Cramer got the win in a 4-1 sudden victory decision, but Perrine, ranked 28th in the Coaches' Poll, is poised to make a run at the title this weekend. Perrine will look to make his third trip to the NCAA Championships after qualifying in his freshman and sophomore seasons.
At 184-pounds, Zayne Lehman also enters as the third seeded wrestler in the division. Lehman, who made an appearance at the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships, will look to improve on his second place finish at the MACs from a year ago. On the season, Lehman is 13-5 and finished with an 8-1 record in dual-meets. Lehman is poised to make his second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships after qualifying last season.
Sophomore Austin Starr (Indian Creek, Ohio) enters as the fifth-seed in the 197-pound division. Starr has had a strong sophomore season, working to a 16-9 record including a win by fall over Kent State's third-seeded Blake Schaffer.
Senior Jordan Greer (Avon, Ohio) is the sixth-seed in the heavyweight division. Greer enters the championships with a record of 11-7 on the year and 8-3 in dual-meets. Greer has a win over Kent State's seventh-seeded Josh Boggan and lost in a tight 4-1 battle to the number one seed in the class, Daniel Bucknavich of Cleveland State.
In the 149-pound division, redshirt freshman Derek Raike (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) is the seventh seed entering the tournament. Raike is 15-11 on the season and placed third at the Southeast Open earlier this year.
There are 22 automatic bids for the NCAA Tournament at stake at the MAC Championships. Two wrestlers from the 125 division will make their way to Kansas City, one from 133, one from 141, three from 149, five from 157, one from 165, two from 174, two from 184, two from 197, and three from the heavyweight division.
In addition to the 22 automatic bids the conference receives, there are 47 at large bids; six at 125, five at 133, six at 141, four at 149, four at 157, five at 165, four at 174, five at 184, and four at both 197 and in the heavyweights.
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