After NIU’s best individual finish in 31 years, Ben Heizer will go down as one of the best – if not the best – wrestler in NIU history.

Heizer took second on Saturday in St. Louis at the NCAA championships. The NCAA wrestling championships are equivalent to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament – the most exciting sporting event known to man.

There are other wrestlers who we need to look at along with Heizer: Roy Conrad, Johnny Johnson and Scott Owen.

We’re going to lead with Conrad. All Conrad did was win the 177-pound crown in 1960. He is the only Huskie ever to be a national champ. He also was an alternate on the 1960 Olympic team.

Mike Korcek, NIU’s sports information director for the past 31 years, considers this fact historically.

“Conrad was a small college wrestler, and he was so good he entered the NCAA,” Korcek said. “By that aspect, I would not take anything away from Ben or anyone else, but looking at it in a historical perspective, I think you would have to go with Conrad [as the better wrestler].

“I don’t cover wrestling anymore. So I’m the old guard; I’m defending the record.”

The year Conrad won the honor, he only had 18 matches. Granted, he had a flawless record.

Wrestlers today have a much more grueling schedule as many of them double the number of matches Conrad had.

We have to remember he was the last and only national champ NIU ever has had.

Then there is Johnny Johnson. Johnson finished second, like Heizer, in the 190-pound weight class back in 1973.

Johnson had the second-highest placing ever at the Division I NCAA championships for the Huskies until Saturday.

However, these two wrestlers are in the past. Everyone knows athletes have become fine-tuned machines with the improved knowledge of strength training.

An assistant coach now, Owen has to be thrown into the mix as well. Owen presents a strong case for being known as the best at NIU.

First, he was a back-to-back All-American – as was Heizer. He was a dedicated worker who strived for perfection and had an outstanding overall record of 116-22 – good for the most wins in school history.

The most recent addition to this list is Heizer.

As you might have heard, Heizer took second in the 184-pound weight class Saturday on ESPN2. This was a season after he took sixth in the same weight class. He finished his career with a 92-19 record, despite wrestling in only nine matches his freshman year.

NIU coach Dave Grant opted for the historical approach like Korcek, but he didn’t forget to mention Conrad.

“Ben is definitely one of the top wrestlers in school history,” Grant said. “I think his credentials speak for that. But we did have a national champion [Conrad] here in 1960. I think in the last 30 years, Ben is one of the best. Scott Owen also has some pretty important credentials to be considered.”

There is no doubt that Heizer will be in NIU’s Hall of Fame in the near future.

“Is Heizer going to be in NIU’s Hall of Fame?” Korcek asked. “Heck yes!”

Today, athletes are stronger, faster and quicker.

They work to hone their skills year-round. This is not to say past athletes weren’t as passionate, but there are more facilities for current wrestlers.

Can you imagine how well Conrad and Johnson would do in today’s age of wrestling?

It’s the same debate of whether Wilt Chamberlain could play in today’s NBA.

That’s the beautiful thing about sports; debates can go on forever without ever having an actual answer.