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Wrestlers to host Michigan State for Friday meet

December 2, 2010

NIU Huskie wrestlingNIU’s wrestling team welcomes Michigan State to the Convocation Center Friday, Dec. 3, for its annual Showcase Meet. The first match begins at 7 p.m.

“We’ve got some big match-ups where ranked guys will be wrestling each other. This is the one meet a year that we bring in an opponent, usually a Big Ten team, and it’s lights-camera-action,” NIU head coach Dave Grant said.

“It’s before high schools start wrestling. So it gives them an opportunity to get high school wrestlers motivated about college wrestling. I remember when I was in high school, coming to college matches. It was very inspiring to me.”

Friday is Team/Club Night at NIU. Wrestling teams and clubs receive $1 admission for groups 10 or more. Interested groups should call (815) 753-8042 to order. Students 18 and younger with ID, as well as fans with ticket stubs from the Nov. 27 women’s basketball or Nov. 29 men’s basketball game also receive $1 admission. The first 100 fans will receive free T-shirts, and all fans are welcome to stay after the meet for an autograph session with the 2010-11 Huskie wrestling team.

This is the second meeting between the two schools and the first-ever in DeKalb. The Huskies dropped a 28-6 decision to the Spartans last year at the Spartan Duals in East Lansing, Mich.

The Huskies (1-2) enter Friday’s match after a solid outing at the Hoosier Duals. Northern Illinois defeated Old Dominion, 16-14, but were edged out by UNC-Greensboro and Indiana with each dual coming down to the final matches.

Redshirt freshmen Nick Smith (Ida, Mich./Ida) and Matt Mougin (Columbus Junction, Iowa/Columbus Community) each went 2-1 on the day as did Brad Dieckhaus (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell Central), and seniors Tristen DeShazer (Wichita, Kan./West) and Bryan Deutsch (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City).

Deutsch and Dieckhaus’ performances through the early part of the season have allowed the two to move up in the national polls. InterMat Wrestling currently ranks Deutsch No. 19 at 157, while WrestlingReport.com has Dieckhaus ranked No. 28 at 184 in its poll.

Friday night’s match can be seen live online via Huskie All-Access at NIUHuskies.com. All-Access subscribers pay just $6.95 a month or $49.95 a year to receive all NIU radio and game broadcasts as well as feature shows.

For more information on NIU wrestling and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.