Juniors Scott Owen and Ryan Egan will make their return to the NCAA championships after impressive performances at this weekend’s Mid-American Conference championship.

The rest of the NIU wrestling team was not as fortunate. The Huskies could only muster 33.5 points to take fifth out of the six teams competing.

Owen dominated the 157-pound weight class all season long, and at the MAC championships the story was no different.

After receiving a first-round bye, Owen defeated Kent State’s Mike Tolar by major decision,18-6.

The win vaulted Owen into the championship match against Ryan Smith of Ohio. Smith posed no problem for Owen, as the NIU grappler defeated him 15-5.

The MAC champion improved his overall record to 30-4 with a perfect 7-0 in MAC duals.

“Scott was outstanding this weekend,” NIU wrestling coach Dave Grant said. “He now has a chance to be seeded at the NCAA tournament.”

Egan also received a first-round bye but would be pushed to the limit against Buffalo’s Ryan Benley. The Huskie junior pulled out an overtime victory, 10-8, to put himself in the championship match.

In the 141-pound championship match, Egan found himself pitted against Jason Mester of Central Michigan. The nationally-ranked opponents wrestled tough with Mester coming out on top, 7-2.

Although Egan did win the MAC championship, the coaches selected him as one of eight other wrestlers to receive automatic berths to the NCAA championships.

Owen’s and Egan’s berths into the NCAA championships mark the 30th consecutive year NIU has had at least one wrestler reach the national competition.

Sophomore Marlon Felton also received a first-round bye but lost his first match to CMU’s Ahmad Sanders, 5-2. This loss pushed the young Huskie into wrestlebacks.

The sophomore bounced back to defeat UB’s Charlie Voorhees by pin fall. Felton then earned a third-place finish in the 125-pound weight bracket with a win over Ohio’s Mike Caruso.

The biggest surprise for the Huskies came from senior Pat Catarello, who only wrestled three matches all season.

The senior showed that the lack of matches made no difference to him and earned a fourth-place finish for the Huskies.

“I was pleased with Marlon and Pat getting to the placing rounds,” Grant said. “Pat was a pleasant surprise because he only weighs 180 pounds, but he stepped up for us and wrestled at 197.”

Sophomore Jon Lovrich and freshman Jamie Hey each lost close matches on Saturday to knock themselves out of the placing rounds.

“I would have liked to place more guys, but I was really happy with those four,” Grant said. “We just lost a lot of close matches and guys had a hard time Saturday.”

No one knows that better then senior David Potter.

After winning an overtime match against CMU’s Jeff Pangborn, the senior found himself in another tight overtime battle with Nick Magistrelli of KSU. The veteran Huskie was unable to pull out the victory losing, 2-1.