Contact: Sam Fretto, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Jan. 15, 2026)- Coming off their eighth-place finish at the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) National Duals, the North Central College men's wrestling team hosted the Elmhurst University Bluejays inside Gregory Arena for a midweek College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin dual. The Cardinals prevailed over the Bluejays in the Battle of the Birds, defeating Elmhurst 44-3 Thursday night. 

The night kicked off on a high note for Elmhurst, winning their only match of the night as Alejandro Cordova defeated Joey Sikorsky in a high-scoring 15-10 decision in the 125-pound match. 

The Cardinals bounced back in the 133-pound match as No. 1-ranked Ethan Spacht took on Donovin Fields and ended the match in a pinfall in 1:42. Spacht picked up his 13th pin of the season and 27th victory overall, as he moved to 27-1. Aboo Assaf followed up Spacht's pin with a pinfall victory of his own in the 141-pound match to take a 12-3 Cardinals' lead. Assaf collected the pin on Ulises Rosas in 2:22, his fastest of the season. 

The following bout saw Tyler Starr and Ryan Hinger go to battle in the 149-pound matchup. Starr earned a 16-6 major decision over Hinger, widening the gap for North Central. Dan Ward, wrestling in the 157-pound match, gave the Cardinals a second consecutive major decision, defeating Nasser Hammouche 17-8. 

In the 165-pound bout, Mekhi Cave outlasted Nicholas Asllani in a low-scoring 4-2 decision, and Jake Luce scored North Central's third pinfall of the night in the 174-pound weight class over Corey Bradley in 4:15. Leading the Bluejays, 29-3, PT Schoolman picked up his first win of the season at 184 pounds, defeating Mataeo Blessing in a 5-3 decision. 

Trailing 6-2 in the 197-pound match, AJ Frescura rallied back against Connor Kelly with an escape, a takedown, and a four-point nearfall to take a 10-6 lead. With control over Kelly, Frescura forced a pinfall at the 6:10 mark in the match. Will Erbeck wrapped up the dominant night for North Central in the 285-pound bout with a pinfall over Mike Milovich in 7:00. 

The Cardinals won nine of the 10 matches against the Bluejays, with five wins coming by way of pinfall as they increased their CCIW dual win streak to 62. 

North Central returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they travel to Elmhurst, Ill., for the Al Hanke Invitational hosted by Elmhurst University.