Watch: Wrestling Insider Season Review

MOUNT PLEASANT - Only in the Central Michigan wrestling program could a championship season be considered a rebuilding year.

A young CMU squad peaked at the right time, rolling to the program's 11th consecutive Mid-American Conference Championships title and sending seven individuals to the NCAA Championships. Head coach Tom Borrelli was named MAC Coach of the Year for a MAC record 12th time after guiding a team with six new starters to the conference tournament championship.

Despite a roster that included just two seniors—one being first-year transfer heavyweight Peter Sturgeon—the Chippewas rolled to victories in 12 of their first 14 dual meets to open the season and posted an 11th-place finish at the Midlands Championships. Junior 184-pounder Ben Bennett claimed his third straight runner-up finish at the Midlands, while sophomore 125-pounder Joe Roth placed sixth.

Following the 12-2 start, however, the Chippewas dropped seven of their final nine dual meets against a challenging schedule that included four ranked opponents and an appearance at the NWCA National Duals.

CMU finished the dual meet season 14-9 overall, including 4-1 in MAC duals, good for second place in the MAC standings.

As the calendar turned to March, the Chippewas prepared to travel to Ohio University for the MAC Championships. Few outside the program expected CMU to win its 11th consecutive conference tournament title, but the Chippewas dominated the tournament's final session, winning five championship bouts and four third-place matches, to pull away from runner-up Kent State. Roth, Zach Horan (133 pounds), Donnie Corby (157 pounds), Mike Ottinger (165 pounds) and Bennett each claimed individual titles for CMU, with Bennett becoming the 10th three-time MAC champion in CMU history. Roth was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Scott Mattingly (141) and Sturgeon both earned at-large bids to the NCAA Championships, where CMU finished 24th as a team. Bennett placed sixth at 184 pounds, becoming the third three-time NCAA Division I All-American in program history. His trip to the medal stand marked the 10th consecutive season CMU has produced at least one All-American. Horan, who won a wrestleoff just to earn a spot in the lineup at the MAC Championships, finished one win shy of All-America honors; he and Ottinger were the first true freshman teammates in CMU history to qualify for the national tournament.

CMU continued to add hardware to the trophy case following the season. In addition to Borrelli's MAC Coach of the Year honor, Bennett was selected the MAC Wrestler of the Year. Corby and Mattingly represented CMU on the Academic All-MAC squad.

The Chippewas' annual program awards went to Bennett (Chick Sherwood Award), Corby (Harry Richards Coaches Award), Roth (Most Improved Wrestler), Ottinger and Horan (co-Freshman of the Year) and Lucas Smith (Redshirt/Open Wrestler of the Year). Roth led the Chippewas in victories, finishing 35-9 overall, while Bennett was 34-6 overall with 27 bonus-point victories during the 2011-12 season.

Looking ahead to 2013, CMU returns nine of the 10 individuals who competed at the MAC Championships. Sturgeon graduates from his starting role at heavyweight but will be replaced by Jarod Trice, a two-time NCAA All-American who took an Olympic redshirt and finished fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials this season.