Thanks to T.C. Dantzler, the NIU wrestling program will have a competitor in the NCAA Championships for a 20th consecutive season.

Dantzler started strong at Saturday’s NCAA West Regional Championships with a 13-0 shutout, followed by a 6-1 decision. Then came the showdown with No. 1-seeded Curt Bennethum of Northern Iowa. The No. 2-seeded Dantzler posted a solid 15-9 triumph to earn a return trip to the NCAA meet.

Last year as a freshman, Dantzler won his first match before running into the No. 3-seed and ultimately losing in a third tourney match.

“T.C. wrestled very well,” NIU coach Ed Vatch said. “He’s red-hot right now and I think that makes him a contender at nationals. The guy he beat, just beat the No. 1-rated guy in the country before the regional, so T.C. can be in the thick of things.”

But, Vatch still isn’t convinced that Dantzler should be making the trip alone. Because two other Huskies, Jim Kossakowski (167) and Geno Marino (118), notched second-place finishes, while Lonnie Morris recorded a fourth-place showing in the 177-pound weight class.

“I don’t know what else Jim could’ve done,” Vatch said. “He finished third last year, moved up a weight, was seeded third, but finished second in a close battle.

“Lonnie deserves a pat on the back as well. He came in with one of the least impressive records, but took a fourth-place, showing what someone can do with heart. Hopefully things will keep working out for T.C.”