Nov. 16, 2011

2012 Wresting Signees

DeKALB - The Northern Illinois Huskie wrestling team announced the signing of five wrestlers to their 2012 recruiting class Wednesday. The five signees have combined for four state titles and nine top-three finishes in their high school careers so far.

"This immediately addresses some of the needs we have in our lineup as far as depth in some of our upper weights and immediate needs in our middle weights, as well," said NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig. "I think all of these kids are capable of coming in and competing for starting spots right away. I'm excited about the fact that these kids are outstanding citizens. They take their studies very seriously and they all live, eat and breathe wrestling. That's the kind of kids we're looking for."

Two of the signees - Billy Chancey (Braidwood, Ill./Reed-Custer HS) and Trace Engelkes (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago HS) - hail from northern Illinois. The class also features twins Andrew and Gabriel Morse (Alto, Mich./Lowell HS) and heavyweight Tanner Lowe (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS).

"We're always out there competing with the top-level programs for the best recruits in the country," Ludwig said. "That is how it has been and it is never going to change. We had a very focused way about our recruiting this year. We knew exactly who we wanted to go after and we're very fortunate to find those kids in a situation where we got them to sign with Northern Illinois. We're excited to get them here to start working with them and training them."

The Huskies are currently 1-1 in the 2011-12 season. They will return to action Saturday, Nov. 26 in Bloomington, Ind., for the Hoosier Duals.

Complete bios for each signee are listed below.

 

Class of 2012 Signees

Name                  Weight   Hometown (High School)

Billy Chancey     160      Braidwood, Ill. (Reed-Custer)

Trace Engelkes  160      Winnebago, Ill. (Winnebago)

Tanner Lowe      285      Coon Rapids, Minn. (Coon Rapids)

Andrew Morse    152      Alto, Mich. (Lowell)

Gabriel Morse    145      Alto, Mich. (Lowell)

 

BILLY CHANCEY
Braidwood, Ill.
Reed-Custer HS
160 LBS.

High School: Boasts a 112-18 record through three seasons at Reed-Custer High School... Won the Illinois state championship at 145 in 2011... Qualified for the state finals as a freshman and a sophomore, finishing second in 2010 at 125... Earned the Comets' Team MVP award each of his first three years... Won Interstate Eight conference championships as a sophomore at 125 and as a junior at 145... Three-time all-conference and all-area selection... Two-time all-state honoree... Won his weight class at regionals three times and twice at sectionals... Won the Plano Tournament and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the meet in 2010... Lettered in football all four years.

Personal: Born May 5, 1993, in Joliet, Ill... Son of Wade and Lori Chancey... Enjoys four-wheeling and swimming... Admires Dan Gable.

TRACE ENGELKES
Winnebago, Ill.
Winnebago HS
160 LBS.

High School: Maintains a 105-13 record in three seasons with Winnebago High School... Rated as the 10th best wrestler in the nation at 160 by WIN Magazine... Went undefeated as a junior at 152 en route to an Illinois state championship... Finished second at 145 in 2010 after ending the season with a 39-4 record... Qualified for state as a freshman at 125... Three-time first team All-Big Northern Conference selection with the Indians... Two-time all-state pick... Won the regional title all three seasons at WHS... Finished sixth at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet National Championships in Fargo, N.D., which included a win against Geordan Speiller of Florida... Competed at the Disney Duals in 2010, finishing with a 9-4 record... Class president for two years.

Personal: Born December 16, 1993... Son of Michael and Kathleen Engelkes... Intends to major in psychology... Aspires to work with the FBI... Enjoys reading... Admires Lincoln McIlravy.

TANNER LOWE
Coon Rapids, Minn.
Coon Rapids HS
285 LBS.

High School: Has an 88-29 record with 32 pins after three seasons with Coon Rapids High School... Ranked as the 15th-best wrestler at 285 nationally by InterMat... Finished third at the Minnesota state championships in 2011 with a record of 41-3... Took third place at the Rumble on the Red national tournament in Fargo, N.D., beating U.S. Olympic Education Center trainee Parker Betts in the process... Three-time Folkstyle High School All-American... Member of three conference championship teams at CRHS... Named team MVP in his junior season... Two-time all-Northwest Suburban Conference selection... Named all-area and all-state in 2011... Won conference titles as a sophomore and a junior... Will be team captain for his senior season... Played in the 2007 Little League World Series.

Personal: Born June 28, 1994, in Coon Rapids, Minn... Son of Mark and Janine Lowe... Intends to major in business... Enjoys volunteering as a coach with Coon Rapids' Mat Bandits wrestling club.

ANDREW MORSE
Alto, Mich.
Lowell HS
152 LBS.

High School: Holds a 141-7 record in three seasons at Lowell High School... Ranked fifth in the nation at 152 by WIN Magazine and 95th nationally by InterMat... Took the Michigan state title at 145 pounds in 2011 after taking third as a freshman and second as a sophomore... Won the conference title at his weight class each of the first three seasons with the Red Arrows... Won three district and regional titles in three seasons... Named all-conference, all-area and all-state each of his first three seasons at LHS... Was team co-captain and co-MVP as a junior with twin brother Gabriel... Member of the National Honor Society... Named to LHS' Honor Roll every semester.

Personal: Born July 25, 1993, in Grand Rapids, Mich... Son of Roger and Laura Morse... Twin brother of Gabriel Morse... Older brother, Jackson, wrestles at Illinois... Father was an athlete all four years at Western Michigan.

GABRIEL MORSE
Alto, Mich.
Lowell HS
145 LBS.

High School: Has accumulated a 121-10 record through three seasons at Lowell High School... Took first in the Michigan state championships at 140 as a junior... Took seventh place at state in 2010... Won the conference title at 140 all three years... Finished in the top four at district and regionals - including a first place showing as a junior - each of his first three seasons... Three-time all-conference and all-area pick... Two-time all-state selection... Was team co-captain and co-MVP as a junior with twin brother Andrew... Member of the Red Arrows' 2008-09 state championship team.

Personal: Born July 25, 1993, in Grand Rapids, Mich... Son of Roger and Laura Morse... Twin brother of Andrew Morse... Older brother, Jackson, wrestles at Illinois... Father was an athlete all four years at Western Michigan.