Although the record of the NIU wrestling team isn’t overwhelming (1-6) so far, some of the competition has been.

And the schedule doesn’t get any easier as the Huskies travel to Champaign this weekend to take on Big Ten foes Illinois and Purdue.

The one thing that doesn’t show up in the statistics is the experience that the wrestlers gain against this top competition, especially in the cases of three young Huskies: sophomores, Courtney Pitter and Bill Walsh and freshman Shannon Gregory.

Being young grapplers is not the only thing this trio has in common, they also share an apartment. “It’s fun living with guys on the team,” Gregory said. “We have a wrestling mat in our dining room and we’ll go at it sometimes.”

“We get along great,” Walsh said. “Everyone of us pushes each other to strive for the best.”

All three wrestlers placed in the state tournament during their prep days, but they acknowledge that wrestling at the college level is a lot more competitive. “At the college level, everyone is a good wrestler, but in high school you come across a fish every so often,” Pitter (Conant) said.

Coach Ed Vatch considers Pitter one of his top wrestlers and says he has a good shot to make it to Nationals. “We don’t get down after a loss,” Pitter said. “We know we’ve got a tough schedule this year and we have three or four ranked teams ahead.”

Walsh, a state champion and a runner-up for Mt. Carmel, has bounced back from last season’s academic ineligibility.

Gregory, who placed third in state at Geneseo, redshirted last season. “I use to wrestle with my (older) brother in high school, so he made me practice harder. We use to wrestle each other so hard, it was like we were fighting,” Gregory continued. “I want to go to Nationals and place,” Gregory said. “They might be high goals but it’s something to strive for.”

For now the Huskies must focus on Fighting Illini and Boilermakers. And if that’s not enough, NIU travels to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Sunday.

“Illinois and Purdue are always tough. Edwardsville has a good team also,” Vatch said. “It’s good experience for our younger wrestlers. We’d like to get on the winning track and gear up for Nationals.”