Most siblings bicker. However, not all of them throw each other against walls and punch each other in the head.

Freshman Andy Hiatt and junior Sam Hiatt are teamed together on the NIU wrestling team, and a third brother may be on his way to NIU.

With the Hiatts, practices can get intense.

“They practice with each other all the time,” NIU coach Dave Grant said. “It gets pretty ugly in there. Those guys start throwing each other into the wall and punching each other in the head. When they lock horns, they take it pretty seriously.”

They also take a certain business-like demeanor into their matches. Sam, the 13th-ranked 133-pounder, has a 17-6 record on the season. He had a 50-20 record in his first two seasons combined.

Andy, a freshman who redshirted last season, is 19-8 in the 141-pound weight class.

“I think Sam has helped Andy a great deal,” Grant said. “The brother thing is huge because brothers always try to outdo each other and push each other. I think with Sam there guiding the way for Andy, having a big brother just trying to tell you what to do and follow by my example, it’s been big. It’s almost like Andy isn’t a freshman. Sam has really picked him up.”

Andy could not agree more with Grant.

“He’s helped me a lot, with me being younger than him,” Andy said. “He’s helped a lot and shows me a lot of things. Him beating on me helps.”

Max Hiatt, a state-ranked junior at DeKalb High School, may follow in his older brothers’ shoes and come to NIU.

“I’ll probably go [to NIU], but it depends on what goes on with recruiting and how I do next year,” said Max, who is the state’s sixth-ranked 119 pounder.

One of the things the Hiatts are known for is their work ethic.

If you go to practice and you see people working far and beyond, it’s probably the Hiatts, Grant said.

Even though Sam grew up with Andy, it doesn’t mean he is looking for his younger brother as a roommate.

“I don’t think that I could live with him,” Sam said. “We get into fights every once in a while, like at practice, but when it’s all done, I give him a ride home. Things are OK after that. We don’t really talk about it afterward.”

One memory that stands out for both Hiatts is when they both were crowned state champions during Sam’s senior year in high school and Andy’s sophomore season.

At the end of this season, they hope they will be on the podium at the NCAA Championships, once again being crowned champions together.