EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern will close out the dual season this weekend with matches at Maryland on Friday and at Rutgers on Sunday. Friday's contest in College Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, and the match on Sunday will begin at 1 p.m. CT.
The road trip follows a stretch of eight home duals in the last ten for Chicago's Big Ten Team. Most recently, the 'Cats hosted Illinois at Welsh-Ryan Arena last Friday. Senior Jacob Berkowitz picked up his 20th win in a loss to the No. 11 Illini.
Maryland will enter Friday's match with an 0-7 record in the Big Ten, and a 2-12 mark overall. The Terrapins boast one ranked wrestler in Alfred Bannister, touted as No. 15 at 149 lbs. by Intermat.
On Sunday the Wildcats will face a Rutgers squad ranked No. 11 nationally, thanks to an 11-4 record on the season. All four losses have come against ranked opponents, including three in the top eight, all in the Big Ten.
Several NU wrestlers will be looking to cap off strong individual seasons. In addition to No. 20 Berkowitz at 197, redshirt junior Mitch Sliga is ranked No. 20 at 184, and redshirt sophomore Conan Jennings sits at No. 24 in the coaches' poll for heavyweight.
Led by Berkowitz with 20 victories on the season, Sliga and Jennings are close behind with 15 apiece, while redshirt sophomore Johnny Sebastian has added 14 in his debut season.
The road trip follows a stretch of eight home duals in the last ten for Chicago's Big Ten Team. Most recently, the 'Cats hosted Illinois at Welsh-Ryan Arena last Friday. Senior Jacob Berkowitz picked up his 20th win in a loss to the No. 11 Illini.
Maryland will enter Friday's match with an 0-7 record in the Big Ten, and a 2-12 mark overall. The Terrapins boast one ranked wrestler in Alfred Bannister, touted as No. 15 at 149 lbs. by Intermat.
On Sunday the Wildcats will face a Rutgers squad ranked No. 11 nationally, thanks to an 11-4 record on the season. All four losses have come against ranked opponents, including three in the top eight, all in the Big Ten.
Several NU wrestlers will be looking to cap off strong individual seasons. In addition to No. 20 Berkowitz at 197, redshirt junior Mitch Sliga is ranked No. 20 at 184, and redshirt sophomore Conan Jennings sits at No. 24 in the coaches' poll for heavyweight.
Led by Berkowitz with 20 victories on the season, Sliga and Jennings are close behind with 15 apiece, while redshirt sophomore Johnny Sebastian has added 14 in his debut season.