NIU wrestling found out Monday that it will participate in next year’s National Duals for the first time in school history, but assistant coach Scott Owen will not join them.

As the Huskies’ career leader in victories and a two-time All-American, Owen will head to West Virginia University to train for the 2008 Olympics.

Owen and seven other wrestlers will train full-time under 2004 U.S. Olympic coach Zeke Jones. Owen will resign from his assistant coaching duties on May 15.

“It’s great to be invited, and it shows that someone believes in my abilities,” Owen said. “I’ve always known I can wrestle at the Olympic level, and it’ll be an honor to train with coach Zeke Jones.”

The Huskies will join the top 16 teams in the nation participating at the 2006 National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa from Jan. 14-15.

“What’s so prestigious about it is we’re competing as a team in the brackets,” Grant said. “It’s a coaching highlight of my career for me personally, and I know the guys are excited. It’s definitely going to help with recruiting, too.”

NIU is coming off a 14-4 season in which it sent four wrestlers to the 2005 NCAA Championships in St. Louis and finished 22nd in the nation.