EVANSTON, Ill. — First-year wrestlers Ryan Deakin (149) and Sebastian Rivera (125) were named two of the top 30 rookie grapplers in the nation by TheOpenMat.com on Tuesday.
 
Deakin, who was named to the First Team, finished with a 32-7 record, including 10 major decisions and nine pins. Rivera was named to the Second Team and finished his first season as an All-American after finishing in sixth place at the NCAA Championships.
 
The duo combined for 63 wins in the 2017-18 campaign, the most for a Northwestern rookie pair since Jack Griffin and Mike Funk combined for 70 wins in the 1986-87 season.
 
In lauding Deakin, the publication writes that "the Wildcat did not suffer a single loss to a wrestler who had not already been an All-American and only Justin Oliver (Central Michigan) beat him in 2017-18 but did not stand on the podium in Cleveland. Of those who beat Deakin, only Oliver and Matt Kolodzik (Princeton) return. Expect to see Deakin battling for a high finish in 2019."
 
Deakin and Rivera were both integral parts of a Northwestern season that saw five wins in the Big Ten, surpassing NU's total in conference wins from the previous three campaigns combined. The 'Cats were slotted 17th as a team in the final NWCA/USA TODAY Coaches' Poll of the season.
 
Chicago's Big Ten Team returns all five of its NCAA Qualifiers in 2018-19, including Deakin and Rivera.
 

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