Northern Illinois Huskies wrestling
# Northern Illinois Huskies wrestling

The Northern Illinois Huskies wrestling team represents Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Illinois. NIU wrestling started competing in 1931 and currently competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). NIU wrestling has produced two NCAA Champions, three NAIA Champions, and currently holds a 51-year streak (1972–present) of sending at least one NCAA qualifier to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The Huskies are coached by Ryan Ludwig.

## Championships

### Conference Championships

* 1985 – Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship.

### Individual NCAA National Champions

| Year | Name | Weight Class |
| - | - | - |
| 1960 | Roy Conrad | 177 |
| 1965 | Neal McDonald | HWT |

### Individual NAIA National Champions

| Year | Name | Weight Class |
| - | - | - |
| 1958 | Dale Tessler | 177 |
| 1961 | Ray Guzak | 167 |
| 1961 | Roy Conrad | 177 |

### Individual Conference Champions

| Year | Name | Weight Class | Conference |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1975 | Mark Tiffany | 190 | MAC |
| 1976 | Tony Flippo | 142 | MAC |
| 1977 | Scott Soderholm | 134 | MAC |
| 1977 | Phil Gulsvig | 177 | MAC |
| 1977 | Mark Tiffany | 190 | MAC |
| 1977 | Dean Schultz | HWT | MAC |
| 1979 | Dave Larimer | 126 | MAC |
| 1979 | Mike Pheanis | 158 | MAC |
| 1981 | Mike Pheanis | 158 | MAC |
| 1982 | Gene Vatch | 158 | MAC |
| 1983 | Ernie Vatch | 167 | MAC |
| 1984 | Bruce Swierczewski | 142 | MAC |
| 1984 | Gene Vatch | 158 | MAC |
| 1985 | Nate Allison | 126 | MAC |
| 1985 | Bruce Swierczewski | 142 | MAC |
| 1985 | Gene Vatch | 158 | MAC |
| 1985 | John Major | 177 | MAC |
| 1997 | Jeremy Goeden | 190 | MAC |
| 1998 | Jeremy Goeden | 190 | MAC |
| Year | Name | Weight Class | Conference |
| 2000 | Dave Potter | 184 | MAC |
| 2001 | Scott Owen | 157 | MAC |
| 2002 | Scott Owen | 157 | MAC |
| 2002 | Bill Lowney | 174 | MAC |
| 2002 | Ben Heizer | 184 | MAC |
| 2003 | Sam Hiatt | 133 | MAC |
| 2003 | Scott Owen | 157 | MAC |
| 2003 | Ben Heizer | 184 | MAC |
| 2004 | Sam Hiatt | 133 | MAC |
| 2004 | Ben Heizer | 184 | MAC |
| 2005 | Josh Wooton | 141 | MAC |
| 2006 | Josh Wooton | 141 | MAC |
| 2006 | Johnny Galloway | 165 | MAC |
| 2007 | Pat Castillo | 125 | MAC |
| 2008 | Pat Castillo | 133 | MAC |
| 2008 | Pat McLeMore | 141 | MAC |
| 2009 | Bryan Deutsch | 157 | MAC |
| 2011 | Brad Dieckhaus | 184 | MAC |
| 2012 | Austin Eicher | 133 | MAC |
| 2020 | Brit Wilson | 184 | MAC |
| 2021 | Brit Wilson | 184 | MAC |

## NCAA Wrestling Championships qualifiers

NIU has sent 123 wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, including a current 51-year streak of sending at least one qualifier.

| Year | Name | Weight Class |
| - | - | - |
| 1960 | Roy Conrad | 177 |
| 1969 | Wes Caine | 123 |
| 1972 | Larry Johnson | 158 |
| 1973 | Johnny Johnson | 190 |
| 1974 | Larry Johnson | 150 |
| 1975 | Lonnie Parker | 126 |
| 1975 | Mark Tiffany | 190 |
| 1976 | Scott Soderholm | 134 |
| 1976 | Tony Flippo | 142 |
| 1976 | Dan Fiorini | 167 |
| 1976 | Mark Tiffany | 190 |
| 1977 | Scott Soderholm | 134 |
| 1977 | Phil Gulsvig | 177 |
| 1977 | Mark Tiffany | 190 |
| 1977 | Dean Schultz | HWT |
| 1978 | Lonnie Parker | 126 |
| 1978 | Ken Kraft | 142 |
| 1979 | Dave Larimer | 126 |
| 1979 | Mike Pheanis | 158 |
| 1980 | Dan Fiorini | 167 |
| 1981 | Mark Verr | 118 |
| 1981 | Mike Pheanis | 158 |
| 1982 | Gene Vatch | 158 |
| 1983 | Gene Vatch | 158 |
| 1983 | Ernie Vatch | 167 |
| 1983 | Joe Morrow | 177 |
| 1984 | Bruce Swierczewski | 142 |
| 1984 | Gene Vatch | 158 |
| 1985 | Nate Allison | 126 |
| 1985 | Phil Rembert | 134 |
| 1985 | Bruce Swierczewski | 142 |
| 1985 | Gene Vatch | 158 |
| 1985 | Ernie Vatch | 167 |
| 1985 | John Major | 177 |
| 1986 | Nate Allison | 134 |
| 1986 | Mike Green | 158 |
| 1986 | John Major | 177 |
| 1987 | Tino Gonzalez | 126 |
| 1987 | Nate Allison | 142 |
| 1988 | Anton Kossakowski | 177 |
| 1989 | Anton Kossakowski | 177 |
| 1990 | T.C. Dantzler | 158 |
| 1990 | Joe Madonia | 177 |
| 1991 | T.C. Dantzler | 158 |
| 1992 | T.C. Dantzler | 158 |
| 1993 | T.C. Dantzler | 158 |
| 1993 | Jim Kossakowski | 167 |
| 1994 | Shannon Gregory | 118 |
| 1994 | Jason Solomon | 126 |
| 1994 | James Spillman | 150 |
| 1995 | Jason Solomon | 126 |
| 1995 | Ben Lehrfeld | 177 |
| 1995 | Demond Rodez | 190 |
| 1996 | Jason Solomon | 134 |
| 1996 | Demond Rodez | 190 |
| Year | Name | Weight Class |
| 1997 | Jeremy Goeden | 190 |
| 1998 | Ryan Egan | 126 |
| 1998 | Jeremy Goeden | 190 |
| 1999 | Ryan Egan | 133 |
| 1999 | Scott Owen | 141 |
| 2000 | Alexis Rivera | 125 |
| 2000 | Tom LeCuyer | 141 |
| 2000 | David Potter | 184 |
| 2001 | Ryan Egan | 141 |
| 2001 | Scott Owen | 157 |
| 2002 | Marlon Felton | 125 |
| 2002 | Scott Owen | 157 |
| 2002 | Bill Lowney | 174 |
| 2002 | Ben Heizer | 184 |
| 2003 | Sam Hiatt | 133 |
| 2003 | Josh Wooton | 141 |
| 2003 | Scott Owen | 157 |
| 2003 | Ben Heizer | 184 |
| 2004 | Sam Hiatt | 133 |
| 2004 | Josh Wooton | 149 |
| 2004 | Ben Heizer | 184 |
| 2005 | Sam Hiatt | 133 |
| 2005 | Josh Wooton | 141 |
| 2005 | Mike Grimes | 149 |
| 2005 | Johnny Galloway | 165 |
| 2006 | Pat Castillo | 125 |
| 2006 | Josh Wooton | 141 |
| 2006 | Johnny Galloway | 165 |
| 2007 | Pat Castillo | 125 |
| 2007 | Johnny Galloway | 165 |
| 2007 | Danny Burk | 174 |
| 2007 | Duke Burk | 184 |
| 2008 | Pat Castillo | 133 |
| 2008 | Pat McLemore | 141 |
| 2008 | Duke Burk | 174 |
| 2009 | Tristen DaShazer | 133 |
| 2009 | Bryan Deutsch | 157 |
| 2010 | Bryan Deutsch | 157 |
| 2011 | Bryan Deutsch | 157 |
| 2011 | Brad Dieckhaus | 184 |
| 2012 | Kevin Fanta | 141 |
| 2012 | Brad Dieckhaus | 184 |
| 2013 | Matt Mougin | 174 |
| 2014 | Nick Smith | 133 |
| 2014 | Rob Jillard | 149 |
| 2015 | Shawn Scott | 197 |
| 2016 | Austin Eicher | 133 |
| 2016 | Steve Bleise | 141 |
| 2016 | Andrew Morse | 157 |
| 2016 | Shawn Scott | 197 |
| 2017 | Brock Hudkins | 125 |
| 2017 | Steve Bleise | 149 |
| 2017 | Shaun'Qae McMurtry | 165 |
| 2017 | Trace Engelkes | 174 |
| 2017 | Shawn Scott | 197 |
| 2018 | Brock Hudkins | 125 |
| 2018 | Bryce Gorman | 184 |
| 2019 | Bryce West | 125 |
| 2019 | Brit Wilson | 174 |
| 2020 | Gage Braun | 197 |
| 2020 | Max Ihry | 285 |
| 2020 | Izzak Olejnik | 165 |
| 2020 | Brit Wilson | 184 |
| 2021 | Anthony Cheloni | 149 |
| 2021 | Mason Kauffman | 174 |
| 2021 | Izzak Olejnik | 165 |
| 2021 | Bryce West | 133 |
| 2021 | Brit Wilson | 184 |
| 2022 | Izzak Olejnik | 165 |
| 2022 | Brit Wilson | 184 |
| 2022 | Mason Kauffman | 174 |

## All-Americans

NIU wrestling has had 16 All-Americans in program history.

| Year | Name | Weight Class |
| - | - | - |
| 1961 | Bill Kontos | 130 |
| 1964 | Mel Schmidt | 177 |
| 1965 | Bob Furlan | 147 |
| 1965 | Mel Schmidt | 177 |
| 1966 | Bob Furlan | 147 |
| 1969 | Wes Caine | 123 |
| 1972 | Larry Johnson | 158 |
| 1973 | Johnny Johnson | 190 |
| 1975 | Mark Tiffany | 190 |
| 1997 | Jeremy Goeden | 190 |
| 1998 | Jeremy Goeden | 190 |
| 2002 | Scott Owen | 157 |
| 2003 | Scott Owen | 157 |
| 2003 | Ben Heizer | 184 |
| 2004 | Ben Heizer | 184 |
| 2021 | Brit Wilson | 184 |

## Coaching staff

NIU wrestling head coach Ryan Ludwig, who took over the position starting in the 2011–12 season, is a three-time NAIA All-American and a national finalist at 157 pounds.

* Ryan Ludwig – Head Coach
* Dominick Moyer – Assistant Coach
* Ty Prazma – Assistant Coach
