CHAMPAIGN – Michigan's wrestlers have been dealing with adversity all season.

First it was the death of teammate Jeff Reese while trying to drop weight. Then athletic director Tom Goss threatened to drop the program before several changes were adopted by the NCAA on Jan. 13.

   Illinois senior Eric Siebert improved to 20-1 this season with a technical fall over Northwestern''s Josh Inch at 140 pounds, leading the No. 8 Illini to a 29-9 win over the Wildcats on Sunday in Evanston.

CHAMPAIGN – On the mat, this was about as close as a wrestling dual can get.

One match went to double overtime, two others into overtime. Three of the 10 bouts were decided by a single point. Two others by two points. And two more by four points.

CHAMPAIGN – New NCAA wrestling rules designed to curb crash weight-cutting are a welcome change, University of Illinois wrestlers said.

"I think the NCAA did the right thing," senior Jevon Herman, who competes in the 177-pound weight class, said Saturday. "It promotes a healthier atmosphere for losing weight."

Eric Siebert and Bill Zeman each went 4-0 with two pins Saturday as Illinois swept four meets at the Peach State Duals in Atlanta.

CHAMPAIGN – Joan Siebert's seen wrestling battles of epic proportions right in her own living room.

One day it was Barry Davis against Dan Gable. The next time around it might have been Mark Johnson versus another Olympian. Anytime Eric and Tony Siebert tangled, they were going for the gold.

Eric Siebert finished second in the 150-pound weight class and Jevon Herman second at 177 as the Illinois wrestling team finished second Tuesday in the 35th annual Midlands Invitational in Evanston.

Illinois senior Eric Siebert, wrestling at 150 pounds, pinned his first two opponents Monday at the 35th annual Midlands Invitational in Evanston.

Siebert, ranked second nationally and seeded second, pinned Nashan Vasquez of Cal State-Bakersfield in 1 minute, 35 seconds and Rob Serio of Eastern Illinois at 4:19.