Wrestling | January 9

CEDAR FALLS, IA—The Northern Illinois University Huskies wrestling squad won two of their three duals on the first day of the 2026 NWCA National Duals. The Huskies posted wins over Harvard (22-20) and Central Michigan (20-14) before falling to No. 8 South Dakota State (26-10) in the UNI-Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa.
 
Markel Baker (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) went undefeated in all three duals while Devon Dawson (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Goddard) and Charles Curtis (Canton, Ohio/Perry) went 2-0 in action.
 
"The guys are scrapping hard and battling through challenges," said NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig. "This is a great environment for the team to continue to grow. We need to head into tomorrow ready to go again."
 
In the Harvard dual, the Huskies won the first three matches as Blake West (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee), Baker, and Curtis put the Huskies up by 11. The Crimson of Harvard took the next three matches as they took a 13-11 lead. Tommy Bennett (Evergreen Park, Ill./Brother Rice) battled against Ben Smith before pinning him to regain the lead for NIU. Harvard claimed the bouts at 184 and 197 pounds, taking a two-point lead into the heavyweight bout. Dawson secured his first tech fall win of the season as the Huskies won 22-20.
 
Central Michigan took the opening bout at 125 in the second match of the dual for the Huskies before back-to-back wins by Baker and Curtis gave NIU a 7-3 lead. The Chippewas and Huskies traded the next four bouts before as Landen Johnson (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna) and Bennett collected wins. Caleb Roe (Arab, Ala./Arab) got a win at 184 before Dawson sealed the NIU victory at 20-14.
 
Baker got the first win for the Huskies at 133 pounds as he battled South Dakota State's Cale Seaton to a 4-2 decision. Lucan O'Brien (Lakewood, Ohio/St. Edwards) took on Logan Swensen, earning his first major decision win of the season. Brett Smith (Troy, Mo./Buchanan) took to the mat at 165 pounds, battling Jacob Herm. Smith had the final win of the bout for NIU, winning 11-8 as the Huskies fell 26-10 to the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State.
 
Baker, Curtis, Johnson, Dawson, Bennett, and Dominic Heim (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) took on ranked opponents in at least one bout this afternoon.
 
Action resumes for the Huskies on January 10 at 11 a.m. as they take on the Camels of Campbell University. Live stats and video links are available on NIUHuskies.com.
 
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