During a seven-hour bus ride to Kent, Ohio on Thursday, junior Josh Wooton and the NIU wrestling team passed the time watching movies and catching up on sleep.

But starting at 11 a.m. today, Wooton said the Huskies will be alert and ready to win their first MAC title in 20 years this weekend.

“We’re not too tense right now,” the Urbana, Ohio native said. “Everyone will probably get to bed early and get focused no matter what seeding they end up getting.”

The No. 23 Huskies will attempt to unseat defending champion Central Michigan at the 2004-05 MAC Championships beginning with the first session at 11 a.m. today. Individual weight class finals and total team scores will be decided after the 10 a.m. session on Saturday.

Each of the last three years, NIU has finished second to the No. 8 Chippewas, who have won seven of the last eight MAC titles.

The last time the Huskies won a conference championship was under Coach Don Flavin in 1985. Senior co-captain Sam Hiatt said the entire team will need to do well to win, not just a few individuals.

“Everyone needs to place in their weight class but it can be done,” Hiatt said. “I’m just going to treat it like any other match and not get too nervous or worked up.”

The Huskies will field their standard first team lineup, NIU coach Dave Grant said. Freshman Tyler Brusewitz will start at 184 pounds after missing the last three matches with a shoulder injury and senior Brandon Check will wrestle at 197 pounds.

The 133-pound Hiatt is one of four returning champions from last year; along with Buffalo’s Mark McKnight and Ohio’s Jake Percival and Jeremiah Beltran.

With the other six weight class spots vacated, NIU coach Dave Grant sees this year’s competition as wide open.

“There have been a lot of close matches this year,” Grant said. “No one has it for sure at any weight. The guy who comes ready to wrestle will be the guy who wins.”