NIU wrestling took home two Mid-American Conference titles Saturday with redshirt junior Markel Baker winning at 133-pounds and graduate student Devon Dawson claiming victory at 285-pounds.
“We are always proud of the way these guys represent NIU Wrestling,” NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig said via NIU Athletics. “They train hard, they live right, and they wrestle to score points. We love these guys and we are incredibly happy for Baker and Dawson who won MAC Titles.”
MAC CHAMPS
After a first round bye at 133 pounds, Baker followed it up with a quarterfinal 4-1 win by decision over Central Michigan redshirt junior Andrew Austin.
In the semifinal, Baker defeated Lock Haven graduate student Gable Strickland 7-0 by decision, before taking a 2-1 decision in the championship over Rider University graduate student Will Betancourt.
With his MAC title, Baker earned a bid to the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career.
At 285 pounds, Dawson won the first-round 11-2 by majority decision over Ohio University sophomore Wyatt Schmitt. In the quarterfinal he defeated Lock Haven redshirt junior Kade Sottolano 4-2 by decision.
Just 31 seconds into the semifinal matchup, Dawson defeated Bloomsburg University junior Mason Rebuck to advance to the championship.
In the championship matchup, Dawson won by decision 12-8 on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville redshirt junior Bryson Buhk, also clinching a berth in the NCAA tournament.
This is the third year in a row that the Huskies have sent at least two wrestlers to the NCAA championships and extends its streak to 55 years of having a wrestler qualify for the national championship.
NOTABLE FINISHES
At 125 pounds, redshirt senior Blake West was unable to defend his title, receiving a first round bye before falling in the quarterfinals to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville sophomore Drew Davis in a 4-1 sudden victory.
West then won three bouts in a row in the consolation bracket to put him in the third place matchup against Bloomsburg University graduate student Jace Schafer, where he lost by fall 5:37 into the match.
With his first win in the consolation round, West broke the record for the most wins as a Huskie with 117, ending the MAC championships with 119 wins all-time.
Redshirt freshman Charles Curtis took third at 141pounds, winning his first round matchup via majority decision 11-3 over Ohio University sophomore Kolten Barker.
In the quarterfinal, Curtis defeated SIUE graduate student Ben Lunn by majority decision 14-3. Curtis lost in the semifinal, before bouncing back and winning the consolation semifinal by defeating George Mason University freshman Tate Hisey.
In the 3rd place match, he defeated Edinboro University junior Jacob Brenneman 4-2 via decision.
At 165 pounds Brett Smith received a first-round bye, following it with a quarterfinal victory via a 5-1 decision over George Mason University graduate student Drew Dickson.
In the semifinal, Smith defeated Clarion University redshirt junior Alejandro Herrera-Rondon in by decision 5-2 in the first sudden victory.
In the final, Smith fell to Kent State University junior Chirstopher Earnst, giving Smith a second place finish.
NEXT UP
The Huskies continue their postseason on March 19 at the NCAA Championships in Cleveland. Ohio.
