Constant pressure.

That is what NIU’s 20th-ranked 141-pound Josh Wooton applied to Jason Mester, the nation’s top-ranked wrestler.

Wooton, a redshirt freshman, showed no signs of jitters as he dictated the match.

“I am in 10 times better shape than he was,” Wooton said. “We work so hard here at Northern, and it really pays off for us.”

The 20th-ranked Wooton used an aggressive style on the mat that helped him earn an 8-3 decision over the top-ranked Mester.

Coach Dave Grant, who was motioning for the crowd to get up as the seconds ticked off in the Wooton match, said that the momentum shifted after Wooton’s win.

“Having a chance to see a freshman beat the No. 1 ranked kid in the country, exciting things like that are what helps you beat the 14th-ranked team in the country,” Grant said.

After the match, a cell phone came down from the crowd and went into Wooton’s hands. He made a call to Urbana, Ohio, to talk to his St. Paris Graham High School coach, Jeff Jordan.

“He’s probably one of the biggest parts of my success,” Wooton said. “He worked with me all through junior high and high school. I work at his camps over the summer. I called him to let him know I just beat the No. 1 kid in the country.”

Even after defeating the No. 1 grappler in the nation, Wooton is not content with himself and is striving for bigger and better things.

“I lost to the Kent State kid [Simmons] in double overtime when I was sick,” Wooton said. “They ranked Simmons ahead of me after that; I’m third, Mester was first. I want to win the MAC and try to kick the crap out of Simmons.”