With a spotlight, three camera setups, instant replay and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert in the building, NIU wrestling coach Dave Grant is excited for the team’s first dual meet of the season.

“We’ve worked hard on promoting this showcase,” Grant said. “We want to make it a premier event. We feel we do this better than most college programs. It’s something that these guys can go back and look at in years to come and have great memories.”

The No. 22-ranked NIU wrestling squad will face in-state rival No. 11 Northwestern at 7 p.m. today at the Convocation Center. After dropping a 21-13 decision to the Wildcats last year in Evanston, junior Mike Grimes is anxious to return the favor.

“This is a rematch from last year when they got the better of us,” the 149-pounder said. “Now it’s our turn. We’re going to have a lot of fans and Dennis Hastert in the house. The ball’s in our court. We know we are capable of beating them.”

The showcase meet will feature Hastert, who was a wrestling coach for 16 years at Yorkville High School from 1965-1980. His team won the state title in 1976. But even after all these years, Hastert still has wrestling in his blood.

“As a former wrestler and coach, I know how much hard work and dedication goes into making a wrestling program successful,” Hastert said in a press release. “Coach Grant has continued the winning tradition in wrestling at Northern Illinois. His program and the student-athletes need and deserve the support of friends in the community so the sport can continue to prosper at NIU and across our nation.”

In last year’s meeting, Northwestern led from the opening match and managed to hold on to the victory with five of the 10 matches being decided by two points or less. The final score this year looks to be even tighter, as both sides are nationally ranked and have a good number of top 20 wrestlers in their starting lineups.

Northwestern has seven of its 10 starters ranked, highlighted by No. 2-ranked Jake Herbert at 174 pounds. Thanks to strong individual showings at the season-opening Pointer Open and Kaufman Brand Open, NIU also fields five top 20-ranked wrestlers with four in the 125, 133, 141 and 149-pound weight classes.

“It will be a tight one,” Grant said. “Our team is pretty gritty. We’re physically in good shape. We want to bring it down to a dogfight when we face them.”

Despite winning all his matches and two tournament titles to open the season, 184-pound freshman Duke Burk will be redshirted this year and will not be in the starting lineup. Grimes, ranked No. 6 in the country at 149 pounds, agrees with Grant’s decision to redshirt Burk.

“The next couple years, this team is going to be extremely tough,” Grimes said. “The season is long and you get a lot of wear and tear. I really wanted to see him in the lineup, but it’s better to hold him out while he’s still raw.”

BOX OF STARTING LINEUP

Probable Starting Lineup

125: No. 16 Pat Castillo – So.

133: No. 19 Andy Hiatt – Jr.

141: No. 10 Josh Wooton – Sr.

149: No. 6 Mike Grimes – Jr.

157: Aaron Owen – So.

165: Johnny Galloway – Jr.

174: No. 14 Danny Burk – So.

184: Nick McClone – Fr.

197: Derek Hunsinger – So.

Heavyweight: Joe Sapp – Jr.