Kicking off their season in two dual matches at UW–Whitewater, wrestling enjoyed an easy win before suffering a lopsided loss to a ranked opponent.

Aided by three forfeits, the Maroons took down Wheaton 36–12, losing only three individual match-ups. The story was reversed against the hosts, as Chicago won only two bouts in eight-ranked UW–Whitewater’s 30–6 victory.

Returning from a UAA championship at 165 pounds last winter, third-year Troy Carlson wrestled up at the 174 pound class but enjoyed the same degree of success. Against Wheaton, Carlson won 9–3, then took down UW–Whitewater’s Reid Dickerson 9–5. He was the only Maroon to win two bouts on the night.

Chicago’s other UAA champion, 197-pound fourth-year Justin Lucas, took a forfeit win against the Thunder before a close 4–3 loss in the UW–Whitewater match.

After a season in which an injury gave him limited appearances, 285-pound fourth-year Tom Nero won his first match by forfeit and was edged 3–2 by UW–Whitewater’s Jon Schmidt.

The Maroons rookies were split on the night. First-years Ben Jarso and Chris Canty took victories against Wheaton at 133 and 157 pounds, but Stephen Hanzlik took at 7–4 loss. In the UW–Whitewater match, head coach Leo Kocher used his stronger lineup against the powerhouse Warhawks–no first-years saw action.