NIU Wrestling Notes - Ohio 

DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team begins its regular season run-in this Friday when the Huskies head to Athens, Ohio to resume Mid-American Conference play with a dual at Ohio University.

Coming off two dual victories last weekend over SIUE and The Citadel, the Huskies (5-5, 0-2 MAC) will face their fifth ranked opponent of the season when they travel to face the No. 23-ranked Bobcats (6-3, 1-3 MAC) at 6 p.m. CT at the OU Convocation Center. The contest begins a stretch of six consecutive MAC duals for NIU to close the regular season.

NIU wrestling head coach Ryan Ludwig knows that in order for the Huskies to knock off a ranked opponent for the first time this season, their entire dual lineup must perform up to their potential at the same time.

“We’re doing great things in the wrestling room and in our lifestyles. Ohio is a very talented team and it should be a good hard-fought dual in typical MAC fashion,” Ludwig said this week. “We’re still looking to have all 10 of our guys fire on the same night in a dual, because when that happens, we’ll really come together as a team and show what we’re capable of and have the success we’re looking to have.”

The Huskies bring two ranked wrestlers into Friday’s two, while the Bobcats boast a trio of nationally touted grapplers. NIU will again be led by top-15 ranked 141-pounder Steve Bleise (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) and top-20 caliber 197-pounder Shawn Scott (Holly, Mich./Holly), while Ohio features No. 15 Cameron Kelly at 133 pounds, No. 11 Cody Walters at 174 pounds and No. 13 Phil Wellington at 197 pounds.

The marquee matchup of the dual will feature the bout touting ranked wrestlers against each other at 197 pounds between Scott and Wellington, who met previously this season in the finals at the Michigan State Open back in November with Wellington winning late. Trace Engelkes (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) also brings a 16-8 record off four consecutive wins into his contest with Walters at 174 pounds in another showcase showdown.

While the likes of Alijah Jeffery (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) and Austin Eicher (Fenton, Mich./Hartland) have been heating up with victories in recent weeks, the Huskies will also need the rest of their lineup to wrestle well on Friday night in order to beat the Bobcats, which NIU hasn’t been able to do since 2008.

NIU Probable Lineup
125: Alijah Jeffery (12-9)
133: Austin Eicher (13-9)
141: #15 Steve Bleise (19-6)
149: Gabe Morse (6-3)
157: Andrew Scott (6-11)
165: Shaun’Qae McMurtry (11-8)
174: Trace Engelkes (16-8)
184: Quinton Rosser (7-11)
197: #17 Shawn Scott (17-5)
285: Arthur Bunce (10-11)

--NIU--