DEKALB, Ill.– The Northern Illinois University wrestling team comes back home after a two-dual road trip to take on Big 12 opponent North Dakota State University.  Action begins on Sunday, January 28 at 2:00 p.m. inside the NIU Convocation Center. 
 
"It always feels nice to be back home in DeKalb, Illinois," said NIU head wrestling coach Ryan Ludwig.  "The guys have the comforts of their own wrestling room, and their beds. Our guys are very happy to be off the road after a long road trip last weekend and we are looking to compete hard in front of our home crowd."
 
The Huskies will wrestle North Dakota State alongside the NIU gymnastics team as a part of the Beauty and the Beast Event.  Both events will be going on simultaneously with the gymnastics team taking on Mid-American Conference Rival Central Michigan. 
 
"It is really cool and fun especially for the spectators," said Ludwig.  "We just need to stay in our realm, our wrestling mat and we focus on that.  In terms of an event for fans to come out and check things out, with gymnastics and wrestling going on, there is always something interesting going on.  I think it will be a lot of  fun for people to come out to."
 
The Huskies are meeting the Bison for the fifth time and the first time since 2013 where the Huskies fell, 16-21, in a highly-contested bout. 
 
"[They] are a tough program," said NIU head wrestling coach Ryan Ludwig.  "Those kids know how to compete hard and we feel strongly and the same way about our guys. It should be a great day for a dual and some good matches."
 
Max Ihry leads the Huskies into the Beauty and the Beast dual (Naperville, Ill. Waubonsee Valley) at 197.  The Huskie redshirt-freshman posted two wins last weekend against Jared Langley of Eastern Michigan, and Gabe Dzuro of Ohio.  Ihry is 6-13 this season including three dual wins. 
 
"We were really proud of the efforts of Max Ihry last weekend," said Ludwig.  "He put together two nice matches.  He had a great mentality out there and Max has been making strides this week by getting some extra work in and believing in the process and getting better every week."
 
At 157, Caden McWhirter (Prattville, Ala./Prattville) faces off against No. 9 Clay Ream.  The Huskie redshirt sophomore is 4-7 this season while Ream is 16-3. Another ranked matchup comes at 165 where redshirt junior Andrew Scott (Holly Mich./Holly) or freshman Jose Acosta (Manitowoc, Wis./Lincoln) faceoff against No. 17 Nick Fogerty.  Scott is 5-11 and Acosta is 4-6 this season while Fogerty is 24-7.
 
"They are bringing down some ranked individuals and we look at those as opportunities," said Ludwig.  "Those are the kind of guys that we want to be beating and competing with them on a weekly basis so we can get numbers by our names. We are looking forward to those challenges."
 
Live stats will be available via track wrestling as a well as live streaming will be available on Huskie All-Access.  Fans can also follow the Huskie grapplers on Twitter @NIUWrestling during the Beauty and the Beast dual and throughout the entire 2017-18 season. 
 
Below are the probable lineups for the Huskies and the Bison:
 
NIU Huskies (2-6 0-4)
125 - Brock Hudkins (12-6) or Kirk Johansen (3-4)
133 - Alijah Jeffery (14-9)
141 - Anthony Rubino (1-16)
149 - Nolan Baker (0-4) or Zack Velasquez (2-9)
157 - Caden McWhirter (4-6)
165 -  Andrew Scott (5-11) or Jose Acosta (4-6)
174 - Quinton Rosser (9-12)
184 - Bryce Gorman (6-6) or Michael Aldrich (7-11) 
197 -  Max Ihry (6-13)
285 - Caleb Gossett (12-10) or Ross Sealby (3-8)
 
North Dakota State Bison (5-8)
 
125 - Paul Bianchi (19-10)
133 - Cam Sykora (15-7)
141 - McGwire Midkiff (8-11) or Nico Colunga (8-7)
149 - Kyle Gilva (18-9) 
157 - No. 9 Clay Ream (17-3) 
165 - No. 17 Nick Fogarty (24-8)
174 - Dylan Urbach (1-5)
184 - Cole Witzig (2-8) or Nick Knutson (4-8)
197 -Cordell Eaton (14-10)
285 -Dan Stibral (15-11)
  
–NIU–