Cleveland, OHIO - All six Mid-American Conference wrestling teams are scheduled to arrive upon Athens, Ohio and the campus of Ohio University Saturday (March 6) for the two-day MAC Championship. Preseason coaches poll favorite and two-time defending tournament champion No. 14 nationally ranked Central Michigan highlights a competitive field that will start competition at 5:00 p.m. Sunday's action gets underway at 11:00 a.m.     This year's championship features a very strong collection of individuals. Entering the tournament, there are sixteen nationally ranked wrestlers, including seven in the top ten. Among those are Central Michigan's Jason Mester, Ohio's Jake Percival, and Northern Illinois' Ben Heizer, all of whom earned placings in last year's NCAA Wrestling Championship.     At the 125 pound weight class, the 2003 MAC Champion and No. 16 Kyle Stoffer returns ready to defend his title for the Chippewas. However, heading into the tournament Stoffer is not the top ranked wrestler in the weight class. That distinction belongs to Buffalo freshman Mark McKnight, who is No. 20 in the nation, and defeated Stoffer 8-4 in earlier this year in the match between CMU and UB. Also in the mix is last year's runner up, Kent State's Drew Opfer, who lost to Stoffer 6-3, but has not wrestled against McKnight.     Northern Illinois' Sam Hiatt, last year's champion at 133 pounds returns ready to defend his title though the No. 13 ranked Huskie will face strong competition from CMU's Jordan Webster, KSU's Jared Opfer, and Ohio's Anthony Carrizales. Mester was the 2002 champion but was unable to defend his title due to a medical redshirt. However, the No. 9 ranked Mester went undefeated this year in the MAC, with victories over Hiatt, Carrizales and Opfer. Carrizales has experience as he reached the finals last year, though he has been beaten this year by Opfer.     At 141 pounds, No. 4 ranked Jason Mester is the favorite. The Chippewa was last year's champion and is 5-0 in MAC dual meets this year. Looking to knock off Mester will be NIU"s Andy Hiatt, who is the No. 2 ranked wrestler in the conference and was 4-1 in MAC meets, with his only loss coming to Mester, an 8-3 decision. The five point decision was the closest win for Mester in MAC meets this year.     Last year's match in the finals of 149 pounds pitted Ohio's Jake Percival and CMU's Ty Morgan. This year, both of those wrestlers have moved up to 157 pounds, leaving the championship open for a new winner. The favorite heading into the tournament is NIU's Josh Wooton, who is 5-0 in the MAC and is ranked No. 14 nationally. Last year Wooton came in second-place at 141 pounds. His main competition for this year's title will be Adam Cunningham of CMU, who lost a tight 7-5 decision earlier this year against Wooton. On the year Cunningham is 4-1 in the league, with his only loss coming at the hands of Wooton.     Percival is the favorite at 157 pounds, as he is undefeated on the year not only in the MAC, but for the entire season. The fifth place NCAA finisher in 2003 is 32-0 on the year and is ranked at No. 3 nationally. However, he will face challenges from Morgan and No. 17 Mike Tolar of Kent State, who are both undefeated in the MAC this year. What is most interesting about the weight class this year, is that due to coaching strategies, none of the three wrestlers have faced each other in MAC Duals this season.     Last year's champion at 165, Nick Nemeth of KSU has graduated, leaving it open for a new champion. Looking to step into that title is CMU's David Bolyard, ranked No.5 fifth nationally. Bolyard wrestled last year at 157, taking second place in the championship. This year the junior's closest competitor in the MAC is EMU's J.J. Holmes who is 4-1 on the year in the league, and stands No. 15 nationally. However Bolyard pinned Holmes in MAC action earlier this campaign.     In the 174 pound weight class, it is wide open as last year's champion Gary Cooper of UB has graduated. Three wrestlers looked poised to claim the crown, including CMU's Mitch Hancock,who finished third last year, Buffalo's Ed Pawlak, and EMU's Tim Hoff. All three stand with one loss in the league. Pawlak beat Hoff, Hoff beat Hancock, and it was Hancock's teammate Kevin Carr defeating Pawlak.     NIU's Ben Heizer is poised to become a three time champion at the 184 pound weight class. Ranked No. 2 nationally, Heizer stands at 25-1 on the year, with his only loss coming to No. 1 Greg Jones of Virginia. CMU's Alex Lammers appears to have the best chance to knock off the two-time defending champion, as he lost a close 1-0 decision to Heizer earlier this year in the MAC.     No. 9 ranked Kyle Cerminara of Buffalo looks to win his second title in the past three years at 197 pounds. Cerminara was the 2002 champion, but was upset last year in the semifinals. This year, it appears he has returned to form as he stands 5-0 in the MAC. Looking to deny him the title this year will be CMU's Joe Yager, who is 4-1 in the MAC with his lone loss coming to Cerminara. A possible third candidate is Ohio's Joel Weimer, who is 3-2 in the MAC, with a two point loss to Yager and a one point loss to Cerminara.     In the Heavyweight Class, last year's champion Tomas Rodriguez of Kent State has not competed this season due to an injury sustained during football season, leaving it open for anyone. Bill Stouffer of CMU, last year's runner up, has had a solid campaign. He is No. 11 in the nation, has gone 5-0 in MAC play. However, he should face challenges from Joe Sapp's NIU, and Ohio's Jeremiah Beltran, both of whom are 3-2 in the league.