With a 2013 record of 25-17, redshirt junior wrestler Matt Mougin, who wrestled at the 174 pound weight class for the Huskies, comes in at No. 4 on the Northern Star’s top 10 list of NIU athletes.

Mougin, a Columbus Junction, Iowa, native finished fifth at the MAC championships at 174 pounds, which earned him a an automatic berth into the NCAA wrestling championships.

Mougin took full advantage of that berth, going 3-2. In the first round Mougin upset the 11th-seeded Blake Stauffer of Arizona State, 4-2, and he also picked up two wins in the consolation bracket against Virginia Tech’s Austin Gabel and the University of Pennsylvania’s Ian Korb. Mougin just missed out on All-American status with his top 12 finish. To be an All-American wrestlers have to finish in the top eight of the weight class.

Mougin said being so close to All-American status is what is pushing him as he heads into his senior season.

“Yeah, that really kind of stung a little bit,” Mougin said. “Being so close to All-American, not being able to be one of the first ones to do it in a while here in our program, and to be the first one to be an All-American in a while here–that’s gonna push me even harder to do better next year, to get on that podium.”