Wrestling | February 20

DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team closed out its dual meet schedule on Sunday afternoon with a 35-3 victory over the SIUE Cougars at the NIU Convocation Center.
 
Prior to the dual, NIU honored its three seniors for Senior Day – Mason Kauffman (Stratford, Wis./Stratford/Eastern Michigan), Brit Wilson (Mexico, Mo./Mexico) and Tristin Guaman (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling). Wilson earned his 31^st career win by fall at 184 pounds over SIUE's Sergio Villalobos. Kauffman took down his opponent Keven Gschwendtner in each period at 174 in his 7-4 victory. Guaman dropped a hard-fought 4-1 match at 197.
 
"Brit had a dominant pin, which in his final match at home was extremely rewarding," said head coach Ryan Ludwig. "Mason Kauffman wrestled very well against a high-quality opponent and really got to his attacks. Tristin Guaman, as an undersized 197-pounder, has been toeing the line for us all season as a team guy and we appreciate his efforts."
 
Bryce West (Solon, Iowa/Solon) kicked off the dual with a 5-2 win at 125 pounds. His brother Drew West (Solon, Iowa/Solon) followed with a 15-1 major decision victory at 133 to give NIU a 7-0 lead. SIUE forfeited the 141-pound bout which put the Huskies ahead 13-0. Anthony Cheloni (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) scored six of his eight points in the third period as he defeated Caleb Tyus 8-4 at 149.
 
Anthony Gibson (Westfield, Mich./John Glenn) earned the Huskies' second major decision victory of the day, winning at 157 pounds 14-2.  Junior Izzak Olejnik (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield) led Cardeionte Wilson 4-1 after the first period, then earned a reversal at the start of the second period to go up 6-1. He won the bout 7-2 to put NIU ahead 23-0. Terrese Aaron (Mexico, Mo.) earned the final win of the dual for the Huskies at 285 pounds. Aaron took down Colton McKiernan twice in the third period to come away with a 4-2 victory.
 
"I thought the energy was great today and the energy in the building was awesome," Ludwig said. "I thought our guys wrestled really hard from top to bottom so I was proud of that effort. We're looking to continue to build on this momentum and put our best out there at the MAC Championships."
 
NIU is next in action at the Mid-American Conference Championships to be held at Ohio March 4-5.
 
NIU 35, SIUE 3
125: Bryce West (NIU) dec. Austin Macias (SIUE), 5-2
133: Drew West (NIU) maj. dec. Aaron Schulist (SIUE), 15-1
141: Jaivon Jones (NIU) won by forfeit
149: Anthony Cheloni (NIU) dec. Caleb Tyus (SIUE), 8-4
157: Anthony Gibson (NIU) maj. dec. Max Kristoff (SIUE), 14-2
165: Izzak Olejnik (NIU) dec. Cardeionte Wilson (SIUE), 7-2
174: Mason Kauffman (NIU) dec. Kevin Gschwendtner (SIUE), 7-4
184: Brit Wilson (NIU) over Sergio Villalobos (SIUE) by fall, 3:45
197: Austin Andres (SIUE) dec. Tristin Guaman (NIU), 4-1
285: Terrese Aaron (NIU) dec. Colton McKiernan (SIUE), 4-2
 
Extra Match (285): Aric Bohn (SIUE) dec. Colin Jagielski (NIU), 8-4
 
--NIU--