NIU wrestling: Huskies sending four to NCAA Championships at Madison Square Garden

DeKALB – The Northern Illinois wrestling team is sending four wrestlers to the Big Apple.

The Huskies are a part of the first NCAA Wrestling Championships to be held in the iconic Madison Square Garden, which begins at noon Thursday.

"It's a worldwide Mecca (of sports), so we're excited to be a part of it," Northern Illinois coach Ryan Ludwig said of wrestling at Madison Square Garden.

It is the first time that the Huskies have sent four wrestlers to the NCAA Championships since 2007. Coming into the MAC tournament as the No. 7 seed, Austin Eicher (133) won three straight matches to be crowned the conference champion and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.

Redshirt freshman Steve Bleise (141), senior Andrew Morse (157) and redshirt junior Shawn Scott (197) are also participating for the Huskies.

For Scott, it's the second consecutive year he's made the tournament. Last season, he was the lone member of the team to head to the NCAA Championships.

"It's a lot different. Last year was really nerve-wracking," Scott said. "Going into the tournament is bad because you know you have to fulfill those expectations. To share the moment with a group of guys is nice, because we've gone through the same thing all year. We can keep each other in a positive outlook on the tournament."

Last season, Scott lost his first two matches to be eliminated after the first day. Ludwig said he noticed a difference in Scott (27-8 this season) coming into Thursday's matches.

"He's definitely more focused," Ludwig said. "Last year, looking back at his performance, he was a tourist. This year, he's much more focused on the competition and leave all the festivities and distractions out of the picture."

Eicher (19-11 this season) said he's been talking with Scott about the experience and what to expect on the biggest stage.

"Everything sounds pretty cool right now," Eicher laughed.

Eicher was the only wrestler to be seeded No. 7 or lower to make his way through the MAC tournament. He pinned Ohio's Cameron Kelly in his first match, won via injury against Eastern Michigan's Shayne Wireman and won a thrilling 3-1 match over Central Michigan's Corey Keener in the first round of sudden victory.

"Put a number by your name, that doesn't mean anything," Ludwig said of Eicher's run in the tournament. "You go into the tournament and you wrestle matches."