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    NIU reflects on season at annual banquet

    DEKALB, Ill.-- The Northern Illinois University wrestling team celebrated their 2010-11 season at its annual awards banquet. NIU head coach Dave Grant and his staff reflected on the accomplishments of the past year and handed out several awards.

    Vince Castillo (Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) won the Upperclassman Academic Award. Castillo has earned Academic All-MAC honors for the second-straight season, posting a 3.51 GPA as a kinesiology major. He finished the season with a record of 9-16 while wrestling at 149.

    Castillo also earned the Will McDermott Most Dedicated Award. He finished his career with a record of 44-33. Castillo has battled to see the mat all five years he’s been a Huskie, earning a full-time starting spot this year after moving up to 149 pounds from the 141 this year.

    Sam Bennett (Anderson, Ind./Anderson Highland) received the Freshman Academic Award with a GPA of 3.3. Bennett compiled a record of 10-3 in fresh/soph matches while wrestling at 157 in his first season as a Huskie.

    Tristen DeShazer (Wichita, Kan./West) and Dakota Greenhaw (Monett, Mo./Monett) were both awarded the Four-Year Huskie Award for their four-year commitment to the program. DeShazer finished his career with a record of 57-42 with 33 pins, a superior accomplishment. He also placed third at the MAC Championships twice and earned a trip to the NCAA National Championships with his third-place finish in 2009.

    Greenhaw finished his career as a Huskie with a 27-42 record. Greenhaw fell one match short of making it to the NCAA Championships at this year’s MAC Championships in a bracket loaded with four nationally-ranked opponents.

    Nick Smith (Ida, Mich./Ida) took home the Outstanding Freshman award with an extraordinary first season as a Huskie. Smith finished the season with a team best 22-9 record with a dual meet mark of 10-4. Smith finished second on the team in pins with seven and a team-high six victories by major decision.

    Brad Dieckhaus (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell Central) earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award for his accomplishments on the mat this season. After being sidelined with an injury last year, the redshirt junior finished with a record of 15-8, including a 10-5 dual record and a team best 4-1 record in the MAC while wrestling at 184. His biggest accomplishment of the year was undoubtedly his first-place finish at the 2011 MAC Championships, solidifying a bid to the NCAA Championships where he won one match.

    Bryan Deutsch (Columbia City, Ind/Columbia City) was awarded with the Most Valuable Wrestler Bruce Swierczeski Award. Deutsch finished the season with a record of 21-10 with an 11-5 dual record and 3-2 in the MAC while wrestling at 157. Deutsch placed second at this year’s MAC Championships, qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the third-straight year, a remarkable accomplishment. This year, Deutsch won two matches at the NCAA Championships, finishing his career an impressive career record of 74-42.

    Six seniors were also honored at this year’s awards banquet, including Pat McLemore (Hinckley, Ohio/Padua Franciscan), who finished with a career as a Huskie with a record of 36-24 with one MAC Championship at 141 pounds and a trip to the NCAA Championships, Zach Taylor (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem), who finished his career as a Huskie with a record of 5-14, Castillo, DeShazer, Deutsch, and Greenhaw.

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