Marauders take wrestling outdoors to Cooper Park
10/27/2023 3:14:00 PM | Wrestling
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The Marauders start off their season at home in a unique fashion. They will host a dual with York College in an outdoor match-up in Cooper Park on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 3 p.m.
The Marauders and Spartans are no strangers as they have had 28 meetings against each other but this is the first time that Millersville has ever hosted a regular season dual in an outdoor venue. Cooper Park, home of the Millersville baseball team, provides a new perspective for fans, who can fill the grandstand behind home plate. The mat will be situation in the home plate area with teams occupying the dugouts.
"Having an outdoor dual to start the season adds another dimension of excitement to what already is an event that is highly anticipated, said Millersville head coach Jerry Boland. "It provides a different environment for the wrestlers and the fans. It will be an experience that they will always remember."
Millersville currently holds a 21-7 record over York with Millersville winning the most recent match-up in 2021-22, 27-17.
In the 2022-2023 regular season, the Marauders had a 10-7 overall record and look to keep that trend coming into this upcoming season. Millersville is equipped with nine returning starters. Among those returners is two-time All-American Devin Flannery and multiple time national qualifiers Brandon Connor and Craig Cook. The Marauders also placed five wrestlers at the NCAA Super Region 1 Championships. Connor finished out the season with a 20-6 record at 165 pounds. Flannery, at 133, posted a 29-4 record, and Cook, wrestling at 149, went 20-8.
"Our nine returning starters provide a foundation of leadership within the program and a lot of experience in our lineup," said Boland. "They sit at the top of the depth chart and give the other guys in the room something to strive for. They have been through the trenches, so they understand what it takes to bring themselves to another level"
More from Coach Boland:
Looking forward to this season: "I am looking forward to watching each guy in the program develop, on and off the mat. Being a student-athlete is very demanding and we've set a high standard here. So each and every one of them strives to be the best they can be every day. So seeing that type of effort and attitude every day is what I enjoy because at the end of the day, it's truly what makes them a better person and leads to them fulfilling their goals. This group set a few records last year and it would be nice to see them continue that trend."
On the state of the program: "I am extremely excited about where our program is right now and where it is heading. We have a level of commitment from our athletes that is pretty special. They respond well to our expectations as a program and any challenges that come their way. My hope is that this group of seniors are able to accomplish their personal goals and pave the way for the younger guys and challenge them to continue to raise the bar each and every year."
