DEKALB, Ill.—The Northern Illinois University wrestling team opens its dual schedule at the Hoosier Duals in Bloomington, Indiana on Saturday.  Action begins with the NIU wrestling team facing-off versus Indiana at 9 a.m. and followed up by Cleveland State at 10:30 a.m. 
 
"We are looking forward to our first dual meet competition," said NIU head wrestling coach Ryan Ludwig.   "It should give us a pretty good idea of where our dual meet squad is at and coming together for the first time as a team, the open tournaments are nice get those matches in but it is also kind of interesting to see what happens with those dual meets starting.  We are looking forward to it."
 
The Hoosiers welcome the Huskies to the University Gym along with Cleveland State and Southern Illinois at Edwardsville.  The Huskies are 6-0 all-time versus Cleveland State with its last win coming last season when the Huskies defeated the Vikings, 36-9, in Cleveland. 
 
"Every match with those guys is a scrap," said Ludwig.  "They got a lot of tough talented kids there in the state of Ohio and they are getting a lot better every year." 
 
The Huskies are 2-10 all-time versus the Indiana Hoosiers.  The Huskies last win versus Indiana came in 2012 when NIU won, 19-13.
 
"Indiana is a tough team," said Ludwig.  "There are some nationally ranked individuals on the squad so looking forward to individual match ups up and down the lineup as well as the team factor." 
 
Redshirt- sophomore Caden McWhirter (Prattville, Ala./ Prattville) is making his 2017 mat debut on Saturday. McWhirter wrestled to a 18-14 record last year at 157.
 
"Caden is a leader for us, a quiet leader, he just kind of keeps his mouth shut and goes about his business," said Ludwig.  [He is a] very hard worker, loves wrestling, and he is a tough competitor. He was nicked up earlier in the year and we just want to make sure we get it right and making sure he is getting ready for the long haul.  We are fired up to get him out there. "  
 
Sophomore Brock Hudkins (Danville, Ind./Danville) is coming into this weekend ranked No. 20 by Intermat Wrestling. Freshman Bryce Thurston (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) is the lone freshman starting for the Huskies this weekend.  Coach Ludwig has high praise for his freshman. 
 
"We love Bryce," said Ludwig. "It is going to be up in the air between Bryce Thurston and Anthony Rubino at 141.  Bryce has been a great addition to the squad and we are looking to get both of those guys work in the meet, but Bryce is capable of anything, he can throw some big points up there."
 
All Huskie wrestlers will need to contribute this weekend for team to be successful. 
 
"We are going to need all 10 guys on deck," said Ludwig.  "To do the things, we need to do this weekend, we need everybody to pull their weight."
 
Follow the Huskie grapplers on iuhoosiers.com and on Twitter @NIUWrestling for the Hoosier Duals and throughout the 2017-18 campaign.
 
Below are the wrestlers competing at the Hoosier Duals
 
125: Brock Hudkins
133: Alijah Jeffery
141: Anthony Rubino or Bryce Thurston
149: Zack Velasquez
157: Caden McWhirter
165: Andrew Scott
174: Michael Aldrich or Quinton Rosser
184: Bryce Gorman
197: Max Ihry
285: Caleb Gossett or Ross Sealby
 
--NIU--