CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini wrestling travels upstate for its second dual of the season and first in over a month Friday as they are set to match up against Northern Illinois on Friday, December 7 at 7 p.m. CT at the NIU Convocation Center. Illini wrestlers will also compete unattached this weekend at the UNI Open hosted by Northern Iowa at the UNI Dome on Saturday, December 8 beginning at 9 a.m. CT.
*Rankings from FloWrestling
Quick Hits
*The Fighting Illini travel upstate to DeKalb for their second dual of the season and first in over a month as Illinois will take on Northern Illinois at the NIU Convocation Center Friday at 7 PM CT.
*Illinois enters the dual 0-1 on the season, with its only dual result thus far a 30-8 loss vs. No. 10 Missouri, while Northern Illinois sits at 2-3 coming off a 20-14 loss to Indiana on Dec. 1.
*The Illini are 19-9 in the all-time series against the Huskies, winning the last matchup 25-12 at Huff Hall on Jan. 22, 2017.
*Last time out, four Illini wrestlers placed and the team finished 15th of 43 teams at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas. Junior Travis Piotrowski (125) and redshirt sophomore Mike Carr (141) placed sixth. Redshirt junior Eric Barone (157) placed seventh, and redshirt junior Joey Gunther (165) took eighth place.
*Barone recorded his first two career victories against ranked opponents in Vegas, upsetting No. 5 Ke-Shawn Hayes of Ohio State (Dec. 2-1) and No. 17 Hunter Willits of Oregon State (Dec. 4-0).
*Redshirt senior Emery Parker returns after missing the Cliff Keen Invite. Redshirt junior Carver James makes his first start of the season at 174-pounds.
*Six Illini are now ranked in the latest FloWrestling rankings, as Eric Barone joins the rankings for the first time this season : No. 2 Emery Parker (184), No. 7 Mike Carr (141), No. 11 Travis Piotrowski (125), No. 13 Eric Barone (157), No. 14 Joey Gunther (165) and No. 16 Dylan Duncan (133).
*The next action for the Illini will be at the end of the month at the Midlands Tournament at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, Ill. on Dec. 29-30.
Sizing Up The Huskies
Northern Illinois enters Friday's dual with a 2-3 record on the season. The Huskies return home after being defeated last week by Indiana, 20-14, in Bloomington. Redshirt freshman Brit Wilson leads NIU into the matchup against Illinois. Wilson is 5-0 this season and is ranked No. 15 by FloWrestling and No. 17 by Trackwrestling. Illinois is 19-9 all-time against NIU, winning the last meeting at Huff 25-12 on Jan. 22, 2017.
Last Time Out
Last weekend at the Cliff Keen Invite in Las Vegas, four Illini wrestlers placed as UI placed 15th out of 43 competing teams. Junior Travis Piotrowski (125) and redshirt sophomore Mike Carr (141) each placed sixth in Vegas. Redshirt junior Eric Barone placed seventh at the tournament in the 157-pound bracket, and redshirt junior Joey Gunther finished eighth at 165-pounds.
Season-High Six Illini Ranked Nationally
No. 16 Illinois now has a season-high six wrestlers in the national rankings after Eric Barone earned a spot in this week's rankings. In FloWrestling's Dec. 3 rankings, Travis Piotrowski ranks No. 11 at 125-pounds, and Dylan Duncan comes in at No. 16. No. 7 Mike Carr represents UI at 141-pounds, while Barone enters the 157-pound rankings at No. 12. Joey Gunther ranks 15th at 165-pounds, and Emery Parker maintains his hold on the No. 2 ranking at 184-pounds.
Illini to Watch
184: Emery Parker
Parker is back in action Friday night for the dual at Northern Illinois. His last time, Parker cruised to the 184-pound title at the Lindenwood Open on Nov. 17, going 5-0 on the day. Parker is 6-0 on the season and ranked No. 2 in the country at 184-pounds across five different national rankings.
157: Eric Barone
Barone entered the national rankings for the first time this season after picking up two wins over ranked opponents at the Cliff Keen Invite this weekend. He first defeated No. 5 Ke-Shawn Hayes in a 2-1 decision in the round of 16 on Friday, and then defeated No. 17 Hunter Willits of Oregon State in the 157-pound seventh-place match on Saturday. Barone is currently 8-5 in his 2018 campaign.
125: Travis Piotrowski
Piotrowski enters his first dual action of the season for the Illini on Friday night. He made his season debut in Vegas this past weekend, going 4-3 and placing sixth, which tied Carr for the best individual finish on the team. Piotrowski defeated ranked opponents No. 20 Cole Verner (Dec., 9-7 and No. 13 Devin Schroder (Dec. 5-3) at the tournament.
Up Next
Illinois returns to action at the end of the month at the annual Midlands tournament in Hoffman Estates, Ill at the Sears Center on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30. Tournament competition begins at 9 a.m. CT on both days.
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