All the hard work that the NIU wrestling squad put in last season has paid off this season.

Though the Huskies were picked to finish third in the MAC, behind Central Michigan and Ohio, it was the only MAC team to get national attention, by way of a top 25 ranking. The Huskies are ranked 25th in the latest preseason poll.

“It’s nice and it helps with recruits,” coach Dave Grant said of the ranking. “That is not where we want to be, though. We want to be in the Top 10, being in the Top 25 isn’t any pressure.”

Grant and the Huskies open up on Nov. 9 and 10 when they take part in the Michigan Open in East Lansing, Mich.

NIU is going to have a tough time early in the season.

Marlon Felton (125 pounds) and Bill Lowney (174 pounds), both of whom qualified for the NCAA Championships last season, will be ineligible for the first semester this season. They will be back in time for the conference season.

Both players’ ineligibility stems from the fact that they switched majors this year. They were both juniors last season. Based on an NCAA rule, it requires that student-athletes must have 75 percent of their classes completed that go toward their graduation.

“It has nothing to do with their schoolwork,” Grant said. “Both are in good-standing and have great GPAs.”

Bryce Hasseman, who went up in weight-class from 165 pounds, will fill in for Lowney while he is gone. Felton most likely will have his void filled by Matt Kucala.

This team is returning five wrestlers from last season’s NCAA Championships: Scott Owen, Ben Heizer, Lowney, Felton and Hasseman (alternate). The Huskie squad should have valuable experience for this season.

Many of the Huskies also are ranked in the nation for their weight classes.

Scott Owen, who was an All-American last season, returns after being awarded a sixth-year of eligibility. He currently is ranked third nationally in the 157-pound weight class.

Even though Lowney isn’t eligible to start the season, he is still ranked as high as 17th.

184-pounder Heizer is ranked as high as sixth in his weight class.

Grant and his wrestlers can’t wait for the season to begin.

“We are looking forward to the MAC competition,” Grant said. “We want to be the best and play the best. We are up for that challenge.”