Huskie wrestling loses to University of Northen Iowa

Publish Date:02/15/2010 By Patrick Tretina It wasn’t the reunion that NIU wrestling head coach Dave Grant had envisioned. NIU suffered a 36-0 pounding at the hands of Grant’s alma mater, University of Northern Iowa, Friday night. We just didn’t get it done,” Grant said. “From the start, we never got into a groove.” The Huskies opened the meet with a loss at the 133-pound weight class when NIU redshirt junior Tristen DeShazer fell 7-3 to the Panthers’ Ryan Jauch. DeShazer’s teammate, redshirt junior Vince Castillo, would grind out a tough match only to come up empty as he lost to UNI’s Charlie Ettelson. Things

Mike Greene NIU redshirt junior Tristen DeShazer on the bench after his defeat.

wouldn’t get any better for the Huskies.

NIU redshirt senior Dan Ruettiger wouldn’t fair well against Trent Washington, losing by major decision 14-6 at 149 pounds.

Even redshirt junior Bryan Deutsch would drop his match 21-5 by technical fall to UNI’s Tyson Reiner. Friday marked the first match Deutsch has dropped since Dec. 29. To add insult to injury, the loss also wipes away Deutsch’s eight-match winning streak.

The Huskies would drop their next six straight matches with John Odeen and Izzy Montemayor suffering one point defeats 3-2.

“We just didn’t bring it,” Grant said.

Friday's defeat marks NIU wrestling’s second straight loss dropping the team to 9-9 on the season with the final meet against MAC opponent Buffalo on Feb. 21.

“We [have to] pull it together and get right back into it for [Buffalo] next week,” Grant said.

Wrestling looks to build momentum as season ends

Publish Date:02/12/2010

By Patrick Tretina

An up and down season is nearing the end for the NIU wrestling team. Anticipation is building with the MAC tournament on the horizon, but the Huskies have another task in hand when Northern Iowa (7-12) comes to DeKalb tonight at 7 p.m. The Huskies (9-8, 1-3 MAC) return home after two road meets last weekend and are looking to build momentum with just two meets left before the tournament. “Our guys wrestled real hard in [practice] this week,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “We have been getting better and better with each week.” The Huskies are fresh off a 1-1 weekend where they took down Eastern Michigan and lost a close bout to sixth-ranked Central Michigan. Redshirt sophomore Bryan Deutsch looks to continue his impressive eight-match win streak at the 157-pound weight class and has a team-high 18-3 record on the season. Deutsch, who recently moved into the top 25 in the MAC, will square off against UNI’s redshirt senior Tyson Reiner who is working with a two match win streak of his own. Sophomore Izzy Montemayor has been impressive as of late coming off two straight pins with the exception of a loss by decision at the CMU meet. Montemayor will have a tough match ahead of him when he faces off against UNI’s Cruse Aarhus at the 125-pound weight class. Aarhus has won 10 straight with five coming by way of major decision. “Izzy had a close match with this guy last year,” Grant said. “It’s great opportunity for Izzy to wrestle a top 30 guy late in the season.” Grant, who is in his 14th season as head coach at NIU, will have a little extra incentive as his squad takes on his alma mater. “Traditionally they’re a good team that produces All-Americans,” Grant said. “It’s a great opportunity to have them here to use our home-court advantage.”

New Rudy, same story

Publish Date:02/11/2010

By Patrick Tretina

NIU wrestler Dan Ruettiger has always been proud of his hard work. Many just don’t realize it’s his family’s tradition. “His uncle is Rudy, you know,” said head coach Dave Grant. “Everyone calls him Rudy.” Grant is referring to Dan’s uncle, Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who was famously depicted by Sean Astin in the 1993 film “Rudy.” The younger Ruettiger was born into a family dominated by wrestling from the time he was a youngster. “Since I was little, wrestling has been a part of my life,” Ruettiger said. “My dad and four of his brothers wrestled and three of my mom’s brothers also wrestled, so I grew up around the sport.” The redshirt senior carries on the family tradition both with his nickname and impeccable work ethic, but doesn’t lean on the past to get by. “It’s not really a big deal to me,” Ruettiger said. “I am happy for my uncle, but I motivate myself.” Ruettiger quickly used his motivation to make a name for himself while wrestling for Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox. He earned four IHSA State Championship qualifiers and was named a high school All-American three times. After being redshirted to begin his freshman year, Ruettiger posted a 12-12 record at the 141-pound weight class. But Grant knew “Rudy” wouldn’t settle for a .500 season. “He made it all the way to the semi-finals his redshirt freshman year,” Grant said. “He beat the number one guy that year after having a rough year.” Ruettiger would go 10-5 his sophomore year before losing his starting position in early in his junior season. But much like his uncle, Ruettiger didn’t quit. He regained his position mid-season and posted his second consecutive 10-win season. “He was in wrestling shape mid-season,” Grant said. “Most guys would give up; Rudy was ready when his name was called, and he delivered.” Ruettiger’s final season at NIU was shaping out to be another uphill battle when he lost the Nov. 6th Wrestle Offs to teammate Steve Zimmerman. “I bring 100 percent,” Ruettiger said. “I don’t want to sell myself short and have any regrets after this season is over.” That work ethic paid off early in the season, when Zimmerman went down with an injury and Ruettiger’s named was called once again to regain his starting spot. “He’s got such a courageous attitude,” Grant said. “Once again, he kept at it.” Rudy has since kept his starting spot and hasn’t looked back, posting a 13-12 record with a team high four pins and eight wins by decision. “Dan’s a tremendous example of what is important in wrestling,” said assistant head coach Ryan Ludwig. “He’s got guts and that’s what it’s all about.” As Ruettiger’s NIU wrestling career nears an end, he took time to reflect on the last four years. “My road to becoming an NIU wrestler has been an emotional roller coaster ride,” he said. “I have had plenty of ups and downs. I have won some big tournaments, been a part of championship teams, and at times, I have questioned if I want to continue putting myself through the constant grind of this sport. But I did not want to quit and I don’t have any regrets. I want to finish off by accomplishing the goals I set for myself.”

NIU splits weekend meets with victory over Eastern Michigan and loss to No. 6 Central Michigan

Publish Date:02/08/2010

By Patrick Tretina

NIU wrestling was busy this weekend with two MAC road match-ups. The Huskies kicked off the weekend with a 21-15 win over Eastern Michigan Friday evening. “We got out to a pretty good start at 125 [pounds],” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “Our guys came out and they competed hard.” NIU sophomore Izzy Montemayor stormed out of the gate with a speedy pin of Eastern Michigan’s Greg Egbert in 3:24, marking his second straight victory by pin. “Izzy has been wrestling well lately,” Grant said. “He is really starting to come into his own.” The Huskies would drop the next match but follow up with four straight wins by redshirt juniors Vince Castillo and Bryan Deutsch. Castillo would extend his personal win streak to five by defeating EMU’s Corey Phillips at the 141-pound weight class while Deutsch would push his own win streak to seven with a victory over the Eagles’ Aaron Sulzer at 157-pounds. NIU’s redshirt sophomore Scott Penny would clinch the win for NIU with a dominate 11-4 decision over Josh Lewis. “We grinded out some good matches,” Grant said. On Sunday, the Huskies would make the trek from EMU to face off against No. 6 Central Michigan. Once again, Deutsch would get the team off on the right foot by dominating CMU’s Donnie Corby 6-1, extending his streak to eight. Zach Benzio would pick up right where Deutsch left off with a reversal in the third period to steal the win from the Chippewas’ Dillon Kern 9-8 at the 184-pound weight class. After early success, things got ugly quick for NIU as they lost the remainder of their bouts to fall to CMU 29-6. The Huskies’ loss to No. 6 Central Michigan put a blemish on what Grant otherwise considered a successful weekend. “It was a really good performance by our guys.” Grant said. “We were battling and that’s what you want to do this time of year.”

Huskies battle tough opponents as conference draws to a close

Publish Date:02/05/2010

By Patrick Tretina

A classic David versus Goliath matchup is on tap for the Huskies this weekend. NIU wrestling faces its final road test when it challenges MAC counterparts Eastern and Central Michigan this Friday and Sunday, respectfully. “This is a big weekend for us,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “With two MAC [meets], it’s going to have a big effect on the rankings.” Eastern Michigan is coming off a nice win against rival Buffalo placing them firmly in third place in the MAC standings heading into this weekend. But the Huskies’ biggest challenge will be Central Michigan, who is ranked No. 6 in the nation, holding an impressive 11-2 record with recent victories over No. 25 Old Dominion and No. 15 Virginia Tech. The Chippewas have six top 15-ranked wrestlers on their roster as well. Despite the tall task in hand, Grant remains confident. “We‘re not worried about that,” Grant said. “Our guys looked good this week.” The Huskies are riding a big win of their own. NIU is fresh off a 42-0 pounding of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville last Friday. Although the Huskies may not possess six ranked wrestlers, redshirt juniors Bryan Deutsch and Vince Castillo have performed well lately. Deutsch brings his impressive six-match winning streak to the table this weekend, facing off against Eastern Michigan’s Aaron Sulzer and Central Michigan’s No. 14 Steve Brown at the 157-pound weight class. Deutsch also grabbed runner-up for the MAC Wrestler of The Week with his 6-point rally to nab a 7-3 decision over Steve Ross of SIUE last Friday. Castillo was scratched from the lineup at the SIUE meet but will be back in action to test his four match win streak against Eastern Michigan’s Mike LeHolm (14-5) and Central Michigan’s Conor Beebe (15-6). “Our guys are focused and ready to take care of business,” Grant said. The Huskies are in the final stretch of their season and this weekend could determine who they face at the MAC tournament March 6-7.