EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern wrestling returns to tournament action this week as the 'Cats prepare for the 61st Annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships. The event, which will be hosted on campus for the first time since 2016, will take place Monday and Tuesday inside Ryan Fieldhouse.
The Midlands Championships will begin with Session I at 9:30 a.m. CT on Monday, then continue with the second session, featuring quarterfinals and wrestlebacks, at 7 p.m. CT that evening. Tuesday's action will commence at 9:30 a.m. with semifinals and consolation matches, and conclude with the final session and awards ceremony, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT.
This year's Midlands field includes at least five Big Ten foes, offering Northwestern an early look at conference rivals. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Rutgers will all send wrestlers to compete in the event. Also in attendance will be last year's team champions, Stanford, who will look to defend the team title.
Northwestern enters the tournament coming off its second dual victory of the season after defeating Lock Haven, 19-13, at home on December 19. Six 'Cats picked up individual victories in the dual, including a ranked win for Eddie Enright at 174 lbs and the first wins inside Welsh-Ryan for transfers Sean Spidle (133 lbs) and J.D. Perez (184 lbs). Following the event, four Northwestern wrestlers featured in the latest InterMat poll: No. 22 Dedrick Navarro (125 lbs), No. 24 Spidle (133 lbs), No. 28 Billy Dekraker (141 lbs) and No. 27 Enright (174 lbs).
Full brackets for the 2025 Midlands Championships will be available on FloWrestling closer to the event start, and the tournament will be streamed on B1G+.
UP NEXT
After wrapping up action at the Midlands, the Wildcats will gear up for their Big Ten dual schedule, set to begin on Friday, January 9, when they host Maryland at Welsh-Ryan Arena. First whistle is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and action will be streamed on B1G+.
The Midlands Championships will begin with Session I at 9:30 a.m. CT on Monday, then continue with the second session, featuring quarterfinals and wrestlebacks, at 7 p.m. CT that evening. Tuesday's action will commence at 9:30 a.m. with semifinals and consolation matches, and conclude with the final session and awards ceremony, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT.
This year's Midlands field includes at least five Big Ten foes, offering Northwestern an early look at conference rivals. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Rutgers will all send wrestlers to compete in the event. Also in attendance will be last year's team champions, Stanford, who will look to defend the team title.
Northwestern enters the tournament coming off its second dual victory of the season after defeating Lock Haven, 19-13, at home on December 19. Six 'Cats picked up individual victories in the dual, including a ranked win for Eddie Enright at 174 lbs and the first wins inside Welsh-Ryan for transfers Sean Spidle (133 lbs) and J.D. Perez (184 lbs). Following the event, four Northwestern wrestlers featured in the latest InterMat poll: No. 22 Dedrick Navarro (125 lbs), No. 24 Spidle (133 lbs), No. 28 Billy Dekraker (141 lbs) and No. 27 Enright (174 lbs).
Full brackets for the 2025 Midlands Championships will be available on FloWrestling closer to the event start, and the tournament will be streamed on B1G+.
UP NEXT
After wrapping up action at the Midlands, the Wildcats will gear up for their Big Ten dual schedule, set to begin on Friday, January 9, when they host Maryland at Welsh-Ryan Arena. First whistle is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and action will be streamed on B1G+.