Northwestern Wrestling Faces Tough Weekend, Falls to Northern Illinois and No. 11 Illinois

Evanston, IL – Northwestern’s wrestling team concluded its regular season with a pair of losses, falling to Northern Illinois 28-9 on Friday and No. 11 Illinois 44-3 on Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats finished the season with a 3-9 overall record and a 1-7 mark in Huge Ten competition.

Injuries Hamper Wildcats

Northwestern’s struggles were compounded by a growing injury list, sidelining several key wrestlers. Redshirt senior Sean Spidle (133-pounder) and redshirt freshman Eddie Enright (174-pounder) missed Sunday’s match against Illinois due to injury. Sam Cartella, a 2025 national qualifier at 149 pounds, is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery following an injury sustained in January The Daily Northwestern.

Friday’s Match Against Northern Illinois

Against Northern Illinois, Northwestern forfeited two matches and sent out backups for three others. Despite winning three individual matches, the Wildcats couldn’t overcome the disadvantage, losing 28-9. The Huskies finished the weekend with a 9-6 record and a 4-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference.

Sunday’s Match Against No. 11 Illinois

The match against No. 11 Illinois proved even more challenging, with Northwestern falling 44-3. The Fighting Illini improved to 12-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats were without several starters, further hindering their performance.

Bright Spots for Northwestern

Despite the losses, redshirt freshman Ty Wilson’s debut at 157 pounds was a positive note for the Wildcats. Wilson had previously torn his ACL in April and was expected to miss the entire season The Daily Northwestern.

Looking Ahead

Northwestern will now look towards the future, hoping to regain its footing and improve its performance next season. The team will need to address its injury issues and develop its younger wrestlers to compete at a higher level in the Big Ten.