Sports In Brief
MAC releases Indoor Track Preseason Poll
Mid-American Conference coaches picked the CMU mens and womens indoor track teams to finish second and third, repectively, in the 2003 MAC Championship.
The men, coached by Jim Knapp, tallied 87 points in the preseason poll, second only to defending champion Eastern Michigan. Western Michigan (82), Kent State (62), Toledo (61), Ball State (49), Akron (44), Buffalo (35), Marshall (17) and Ohio (14) rounded out the mens field.
On the womens side, the Chippewas drew 109 points to finish third, edging out Kent State (104) and trailing Eastern Michigan (117) and preseason favorite Ball State (119). CMU won the championship last season.
Rounding out the poll for the women were Western Michigan (89), Akron (80), Toledo (70), Miami (65), Bowling Green (46), Buffalo (45), Ohio (32), Northern Illinois (18) and Marshall (16).
The men and women open the indoor season at home on Friday, hosting the annual Chippewa Open at Jack Skoog Track. The action is scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
Turner gets John S. Pingel Award
CMU senior Rob Turner received the John S. Pingel Award by the Michigan Chapter of the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame at a banquet in Warren.
The award is given to a Division I football player from Michigan based on academic, athletic and leadership skills.
Turner is a student with a 3.95 grade-point average from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who is majoring in business. He caught 43 passes for 506 yards for CMU this past season.
The 6 foot 2 inch, 200-pounder from Pine Crest High was a first team Verizon Academic All-American in 2001 and a second team selection in 2002.
As a prep senior, Turner also received the Brian Picolo Award from the NFF in Fort Lauderdale.
Central’s last recipient was offensive tackle Scott Rehberg in 1996. He now plays with the Bengals in the NFL.
Four Chippewas garner MAC laurels
Four CMU football players were named to the 2002 Academic All-Mid-American Conference team, tied with Kent State University and Northern Illinois University for the most.
Garnering honors for the Chippewas were: senior offensive guard Kyle Croskey (East Lansing), 3.62 grade-point-average in industrial education; junior offensive guard Derek McLaughlin (Berrien Springs), 3.66 in math; senior wide receiver Rob Turner (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest), 3.96 in business and management information systems; and junior defensive end Matt Wohlgemuth (Lake Orion), 3.65 GPA in outdoor and environmental education.
The members of the 2002 team were voted upon by the faculty athletic representatives of each school.
Gruzwalski earns Freshman All-American Honors
CMU’s Mike Gruzwalski was named first team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News.
The redshirt freshman place-kicker from Utica Eisenhower High hit on 14-of-19 field goals in 2002, and 27-of-31 extra points. He had a long of 40 yards.
Gruzwalski was the lone player from the Mid-American Conference to garner first or second team laurels.
The Chippewas had two players honored by TSN in 2001, tight end Tory Humphrey was second team and linebacker James King was fourth team.
PB set to broadcast CMU basketball
CMU basketball fans now will be able to watch the mens and womens basketball teams vie for a Mid-American Conference title from the comfort of their own home.
The CMU PB network is scheduled to air select mens and womens basketball games from the remainder of the season.
The network will broadcast all of the mens home Mid-American Conference games. The schedule includes MAC East Division preseason favorite Ohio (Jan. 11), Buffalo (Jan. 18), Toledo (Jan. 22), Bowling Green (Feb. 1), Western Michigan (Feb. 10), MAC West Division preseason favorite Ball State (Feb. 19), Akron (Feb. 25), Eastern Michigan (March 1), and Northern Illinois (March 5).
On the womens side, PBS will televise conference tilts vs. Western Michigan (Jan. 20) and Bowling Green (Feb. 5).
