NIU’s wrestling season is just around the corner with the Tombstone Open at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

“In the early part of the season, I just kind of lay back and let the guys teach themselves,” Huskie head coach Ed Vatch said. “I let the assistants and volunteers handle the bulk of the load. It’s such a long year, if I’m in there harping at them all the time, they’ll get tired of me.”

A new assistant joining the squad this season is Craig Sterr, a three-time NCAA qualifier at 118 pounds during his stay at Eastern Illinois.

“In the past, it seemed as if our assistants were bigger guys and watched the bigger guys more than the lighter ones,” Vatch said. “He’s (Sterr) going to make a big difference with the little guys. The guys feel that already. He’s a good representation to our kids.

“Greg Evans has been helping us out the last couple of years. He works for Com Ed (Commonwealth Edison) and volunteers his time to us. He’ll come in halfway through practice and then stay after to help anybody who wants to stay and work on technique. He’s been a great example for all our guys.”

T.C. Dantzler will return this season from shoulder surgery that forced him to miss last season.

“When he took second in state his senior year, I thought he was pound-for-pound the best wrestler there,” Vatch said. “He’ll be at 150 pounds, 158, we’ve even talked about putting him at 167. He’s that good that he can bounce around to three different weight classes and have success at all of them.”

Sean Kagel and Mike Kewis, both from McHenry Johnsburg High School, are a couple of new faces that Vatch likes having in his gym.

“They both took a third downstate and both have exceptional opportunities to start here—Lewis at 118 and Kagel at 126,” Vatch said. “They’re two very dedicated kids, hard workers. I can see both of them having success.”

Some familiar faces that will not be seen this year are those of Ted Anderson, Tino Gonzales and Anton Kossakowski. Anderson, who wrestled at 167 pounds last year as a sophomore and was an alternate for the national championship, not only left the team but NIU as well. He transferred to Louisiana to concentrate on academics and medical school, Vatch said.

Gonzales decided to sit this season out. Kossakowski, a national championship qualifier the last two years, is academically ineligible for the fall semester.

Vatch is content with this season’s schedule.

“I think it’s the best one we’ve had,” he said. “We wrestle Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Northern Iowa and Purdue. I hope it will pay off. I think it will.

“You don’t get into this game and go through all the drudgery, pain, aggravation and all the committments you have to make and be in it for success,” Vatch said. “If you’re in wrestling just for a good time, I don’t know where you’re going to find it.”