On March 8, the NIU athletics department discovered that Huskie wrestler Bill Lowney had been arrested for criminal sexual assault.

Lowney allegedly assaulted a fellow student in November. The grand jury issued a warrant for his arrest on Feb. 27. He turned himself in to Kane County officials on March 4. Lowney then was transferred to DeKalb County Jail. He was released on a $20,000 bond.

Lowney remains free on the bond that allowed him to travel to Mt. Pleasant, Mich., for the MAC Championships and Wisconsin to visit his family.

About 10 minutes from Mt. Pleasant, Mich., Huskie coach Dave Grant received a phone call from Associate Athletic Director Robert Collins telling Grant that Lowney would not be able to hit the mat for the Huskies, Grant said.

Lowney, the defending MAC champion, declined to comment.

Lowney’s teammate, senior sport management major Scott Owen said the wrestling team does not know the whole story.

“Hopefully [Lowney] will be OK, and everything will work out,” Owen said.

Lowney had a 9-7 record this season, down from 22-11 last season, and was going to be the fourth seed in the MAC Championships.