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NIU Wrestling Prepared for NCAA Championships

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team is geared up and ready to start the 2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships, hosted by the University of Missouri at the Scottrade Center March 16-18. NIU recently extended the program's streak—now 46 years—of sending wrestlers to NCAAs after a record breaking performance at the MAC Championships.
 
The Huskies are bringing their largest roster to NCAAs since 1985, when they qualified six after winning the Mid-American Conference Championship. Competing for Northern Illinois this weekend will be three-time NCAA qualifier, Shawn Scott (Holly, Mich./Holly) at 197-pounds; NCAA returning qualifier, Steve Bleise (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) at 149-pounds; redshirt senior and MAC runner-up, Trace Engelkes (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) at 174-pounds; redshirt senior, Shaun'Qae McMurtry (Lockport, Ill./Nebraska) at 165-pounds; and true freshman, Brock Hudkins (Danville, Ind./Danville) at 125-pounds.
 
"We are proud to have five representatives at the NCAA Championships. These guys have put in a tremendous amount of work and focus," said head wrestling coach Ryan Ludwig. "Now it's time to take it to the next level starting when the whistle blows tomorrow."
 
At 197-pounds, Shawn Scott (Holly, Mich./Holly) will head into his third and final NCAA Championships as the No. 11 seed. Scott is coming off of a fourth-place finish at the MAC Championships where he improved his record to 24-7. The Huskie is set to face Benjamin Honis of Cornell who holds a 27-13 record and placed third at the EIWA Championships.
 
Returning NCAA qualifier, Steve Bleise (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea), will face a familiar opponent in the first round of the tournament as the No. 14 seed. Bleise will square off against Michael Hayes of Old Dominion at 149-pounds. Bleise was victorious over Hayes at the MAC Championships in an enthralling overtime tie-breaker dual that ended in a 9-7 decision in favor of the Huskie.
 
At 174-pounds, Trace Engelkes (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) is also ranked—grabbing the No. 15 seed—and will wrestle Jonathan Schleifer from Princeton. Schleifer holds a 27-13 record and went 4-2 on his way to a sixth-place finish at the EIWA Championships.
 
Brock Hudkins (Danville, Ind./Danville) and Shaun'Qae McMurtry (Lockport, Ill./Nebraska) qualified for their first trip to NCAAs and are unranked at 125 and 164, respectively. Hudkins (18-10) will face the No. 5 seed Tim Lambert (28-6) of Nebraska while McMurtry (10-10) is matched up with the undefeated No. 1 seed Isaiah Martinez (27-0) from Illinois.
 
"The NCAA Championships experience is second to none. Whether it's our guys who've been here before or are on their first trip, they are prepared," said Ludwig. "They've put in the work and now it's about competing at our best and focusing on scoring points."
 
ESPN will have complete coverage of the three-day event. Below is the media schedule for the Championships:
 
Thursday, March 16
Session 1: 1 am on ESPNU/ESPN3
Session 2: 6 pm on ESPN/ESPN3
 
Friday, March 17
Session 3: 10 am on ESPNU/ESPN3
Session 4: 7 pm on ESPN/ESPN3
 
Saturday, March 18
Session 5: 10 am on ESPNU/ESPN3
Session 6: 7 pm on ESPN3 
 
Be sure to follow the Huskies on Twitter @NIUWrestling and Instagram @niu_wrestling, for up-to-date results during the Championships.
 
-NIU-  
 
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Players Mentioned

Steve Bleise

Steve Bleise

Redshirt Sophomore
Trace Engelkes

Trace Engelkes

Redshirt Senior
Shaun

Shaun'Qae McMurtry

Redshirt Senior
Shawn Scott

Shawn Scott

Redshirt Senior
Brock Hudkins

Brock Hudkins

Freshman

Players Mentioned

Steve Bleise

Steve Bleise

Redshirt Sophomore
Trace Engelkes

Trace Engelkes

Redshirt Senior
Shaun

Shaun'Qae McMurtry

Redshirt Senior
Shawn Scott

Shawn Scott

Redshirt Senior
Brock Hudkins

Brock Hudkins

Freshman