Wrestling | February 22

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.—Closing out the regular season with a road victory, the Northern Illinois University Huskies wrestling program (7-3, 6-1 MAC) defeated the SIU Edwardsville Cougars (7-8, 4-3 MAC), 19-12. The Huskies finish the regular season on a five-match winning streak.
 
Blake West (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) and Markel Baker (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) went undefeated in MAC duals this season, each boasting a 7-0 record.
 
"The guys have had a solid regular season, and it was good to close it out with a team win," noted NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig. "We have our sights set on postseason and the opportunities that lie ahead at the MAC Championships. We will get right back to work so we can be at our best."
 
West, who is ranked in several national polls with his highest being WrestleStat at 11, started the Huskies off with a 3-0 decision over Drew Davis in the opening 125 pounds bout.

Baker sits at No. 33 in the WrestleStat poll and posted a 3-2 decision over Marcel Lopez, in a gritty match at 133 pounds.
 
At 141 pounds, Jacob Brya (St. Johns, Mich./St. Johns) posted a 14-0 major decision over Porter Matecki in the only bout on the night that featured bonus points. This was Brya's third major decision win on the season.
 
Collin Arch (Palmyra, Mo./Palmyra) got his third MAC win of the season at 149 pounds, taking down Alex Peralta in a 5-0 decision for his first shutout win.
 
Brett Smith (Troy, Mo./Buchanan) went to sudden victory at 165 pounds after tying the bout at one. Smith got the 4-1 decision in sudden victory to snap a losing skid.
 
Tommy Bennett (Evergreen Park, Ill./Brother Rice) had the final Huskies victory on the night at 174 pounds. Bennett got a late third period takedown to claim an 8-5 decision over Luke Odom.
 
Landen Johnson (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna), who is ranked No. 31 in WrestleStat, fell in a 10-5 decision to Eric Almarinez at 157 pounds. Damarion Ross (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) battled Deron Pulliam at 184 pounds, falling in a 9-3 decision.
 
Sean Carroll (Overland Park, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas) took on Nick Nosler at 197 pounds, dropping a 4-1 decision. In the heavyweight bout, Jacob Christensen (Durham, Calif./Durham) saw his match against Bryson Buhk go to sudden victory, falling 4-1 in the final bout on the night.
 
The Huskies will be in action at the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championships, March 7-8. Action will take place in Trenton, New Jersey as Rider University serves as the host institution.
 
Results
 
125: Blake West* (NIU) def. Drew Davis (SIUE), Dec 3-0
133: Markel Baker* (NIU) def. Marcel Lopez (SIUE), Dec 3-2
141: Jacob Brya (NIU) def. Porter Matecki (SIUE), MD 14-0
149: Collin Arch (NIU) def. Alec Peralta (SIUE), Dec 5-0
157: Eric Almarinez (SIUE) def. Landen Johnson* (NIU), Dec 10-5
165: Brett Smith (NIU) def. Bradley Gillum (SIUE), SV-1, 4-1
174: Tommy Bennett (NIU) def. Luke Odom (SIUE), Dec 8-5
184: Deron Pulliam (SIUE) def. Damarion Ross (NIU), Dec 9-3
197: Nick Nosler (SIUE) def. Sean Carroll (NIU), Dec 4-1
285: Bryson Buhk (SIUE) over Jacob Christensen (NIU), SV-1 4-1
 
*Denotes National Ranking