DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team plays host to No. 16 Northern Iowa in its only home match of the season at the Convocation Center on Friday.
 
"It's nice to be off the road for a week," said NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig. "We look forward to the challenge Friday night."
 
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will not be permitted to attend Friday's home match, which begins at 7 p.m. It will be shown via NIUTube on NIUHuskies.com, the Huskie all-access channel. Subscriptions are available for purchase on a daily, monthly or annual basis and provides access to all home NIU Athletics events streamed on the website for the purchase period.
 
This is the first meeting between NIU (6-2, 5-2) and Northern Iowa since a 23-17 setback in Cedar Falls, Iowa Jan. 8, 2017 and the first visit to DeKalb by the Panthers since 2016, a 24-12 setback for the Huskies.
 
NIU comes into Friday night's action winner of four of its last five, including a sweep at the MAC Quad hosted SIUE last weekend. The Huskies defeated Clarion, Buffalo and SIUE with Bryce West, Izzak Olejnik, Mason Kauffman, Brit Wilson and Max Ihry each going 3-0 on the afternoon.
 
Wilson and Olejnik, ranked sixth and 20th by Intermat, respectively, have paced the Huskies throughout the 2021 campaign. Wilson is 8-0 on the season, with two victories by pin and three major decision victories.
 
Olejnik is right behind him with a 7-1 mark, his lone loss coming to Keegan O'toole of Missouri. He has scored bonus points for the Huskies in six of his bouts with three fall victories and three by major decision.
 
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