ST. LOUIS – Northern Illinois University All-American Brit Wilson became the first NIU wrester to place at the NCAA Championships since 2004 after taking sixth at the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the Enterprise Center on Saturday.
 
"Brit battled against two incredible opponents today and came out on the short end," NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig said. "We think he had an incredible tournament, and he went out on his own terms. He was attacking and that's what you want to do. You lay it all out there and let the chips fall where they may."
 
The Mexico, Mo. native suffered a 6-2 setback to Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen in the consolation quarterfinal match. After falling behind 2-1 in the first period, Wilson tied the match with an escape midway through the second period. However, Keckeisen scored a takedown with 32 seconds left in the second. The UNI 184-pounder then scored an escape and the riding time point to win the match.
 
Wilson then moved onto the fifth-place match against Dakota Geer of Oklahoma State. Wilson was aggressive, taking his shots early and came close to getting a takedown in the first period, but was not able to complete it. Geer, who started the second period on bottom, took a 4-0 lead after an escape and three-point nearfall. Wilson suffered a takedown early in the third period and was unable to recover, falling to Geer, 6-0, with the riding time point going to the Cowboy.
 
The Huskie junior is the first Huskie to place at the NCAAs since Ben Heizer, who took second in 2004 at 184. Heizer also finished sixth at 184 in the 2003 NCAA Championships.
 
"We're incredibly proud of the tournament that he had, to break through on that All-American podium and create this new era here of Huskie wrestling," Ludwig said. "He continues to embody what we talk to the guys about every day. You couldn't ask for a better leader and more deserving guy than Brit."
 
2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships Results for NIU
 
133 – Bryce West (NIU)
Preliminary Rd 1: Cole Rhone (Bloomsburg) dec. Bryce West (NIU), 13-10
Preliminary Rd 2: Jordan Hamden (Michigan State) tech fall. Bryce West (NIU), 19-3, 6:14
 
149 – Anthony Cheloni (NIU)
Champ. Round 1: Johnathan Millner (App. State) dec. Anthony Cheloni (NIU), 7-3
Consolation Rd 1: Anthony Cheloni (NIU) dec. Mike Van Brill (Rutgers), 8-4
Consolation Rd 2: Legend Lamer (Cal Poly) dec. Anthony Cheloni (NIU), 3-2
 
165 - Izzak Olejnik (NIU)
Champ. Round 1: Izzak Olejnik (NIU) dec. Dan Braunagel (Illinois), 6-1
Champ. Round 2: Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) dec. Izzak Olejnik (NIU), SV-1 6-4
Consolation Rd 2: Izzak Olejnik (NIU) dec. Austin Yant (Northern Iowa) SV-1, 8-6
Consolation Rd 3: Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State) dec. Izzak Olejnik (NIU), 7-3
 
174 – Mason Kauffman (NIU)
Champ. Round 1: Austin Murphy (Campbell) dec. Mason Kauffman (NIU), 3-2
Consolation Rd 1: Mason Kauffman (NIU) dec. Cody Howard (Virginia Tech), 3-1, SV-1
Consolation Rd 2: Logan Massa (Michigan) maj. dec. Mason Kauffman (NIU), 14-2
 
184 – Brit Wilson (NIU)
Champ. Round 1: Brit Wilson (NIU) dec. DeAndre Nassar (Cleveland St.), 9-4
Champ. Round 2: Brit Wilson (NIU) dec. Charles Small (Hofstra), 5-2
Quarterfinals: Trent Hidlay (N.C. State) dec. Brit Wilson (NIU), 3-1
Consolation Rd 2: Brit Wilson (NIU) fall Devin Kane (North Carolina), :02
Consolation Rd 3: Brit Wilson (NIU) dec. Lou Deprez (Binghamton), 7-1
Consolation Quarterfinals: Parker Keckeisen (UNI) dec. Brit Wilson (NIU), 6-2
Fifth-Place Match: Dakota Geer (Oklahoma State) dec. Brit Wilson (NIU), 6-0
 
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