Northern Illinois edges Kent State 19-17 in DeKalb
Charles Curtis’ 16-4 major decision and a string of late decisions gave the Huskies a two-point Mid-American Conference victory over the Golden Flashes on Jan. 23, 2026.
DEKALB, Ill. — Northern Illinois held off Kent State 19-17 on Jan. 23, 2026, securing a narrow Mid-American Conference dual meet victory at Victor E. Court.
The margin came from Charles Curtis’ 16-4 major decision at 141 pounds, which produced four team points and provided the cushion the Huskies needed in a tight finish.
Kent State responded with two bonus wins that tightened the score late. Ethan Barr pinned Tommy Bennett at 174, and Blake Schaffer closed his match at 197 by technical fall, combining for a multi-point swing that brought the Golden Flashes back into contention.
The dual featured several one-point decisions and sudden-victory finishes. Brett Smith’s match at 165 went to sudden victory, where he secured the win with a takedown 33 seconds into the first overtime period to finish 4-1. Reese Stephen’s 3-2 victory at 157 turned on a third-period takedown at the 0:26 mark that produced the final margin.
Northern Illinois opened the night with wins from ranked wrestlers, including No. 29 Blake West at 125 and No. 33 Markel Baker at 133, and No. 20 Devon Dawson closed out the dual at 285 with a sudden-victory takedown to seal the result. The Huskies’ string of late decisions and bonus-free scoring in multiple weight classes allowed them to absorb Kent State’s bonus points and hold a two-point lead at the final whistle.
The match narrative swung several times: Kent State won four of the first five bouts to start, but Northern Illinois rallied to win five straight bouts down the stretch, producing the 19-17 final. The result kept the Huskies unbeaten in conference play for the night and marked a closely contested MAC meeting between the programs.
Northern Illinois (7-5, 3-0 MAC in conference reports for the night) and Kent State (5-5, 1-3 MAC in conference reports for the night) will carry momentum and focus on their upcoming conference schedules after the tight dual.