Wrestling | February 18

DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team closes out its dual-meet schedule this Sunday when it hosts the SIUE Cougars at 4 p.m. at the NIU Convocation Center for "Beauty and the Beast" with NIU Gymnastics. The dual was originally scheduled for 12 p.m. but was moved Friday after California Baptist had to cancel its scheduled duals due to COVID-19 concerns.
 
NIU will honor its three seniors – Tristin Guaman (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling), Mason Kauffman (Stratford, Wis./Stratford/Eastern Michigan) and Brit Wilson (Mexico, Mo./Mexico) – prior to Sunday's dual for Senior Day.
 
Kauffman and Wilson enter Sunday's dual as the number-one ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes in the Mid-American Conference, as the MAC released its February individual and team rankings on Thursday. Wilson, the two-time defending MAC Champion at 184 pounds, has won each of his last three matches and is 21-3 on the year. He is also ranked 15^th in the NCAA Coaches Rankings. Kauffman tops the MAC at 174 pounds, winning all four of his MAC dual matches. Last Sunday, Kauffman defeated #23 Troy Fisher of Northwestern 5-4 to avenge a loss earlier this season. He is #24 in the NCAA Coaches Rankings.
 
NIU's third top-ranked MAC wrestler is junior Izaak Olejnik (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield) at 165 pounds. Olejnik is 20-4 on the year and has won six of his last seven matches. He was ranked 15^th in the latest NCAA Coaches rankings. As a team NIU was fourth in the MAC rankings, moving up three spots from the January rankings.
 
Following Sunday's dual, NIU starts its preparation for the 2022 MAC Championships hosted at Ohio March 4-5.
 
--NIU--