Photo by: John Konstantaras/Northwestern Athletics
59th Annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships Scheduled For December 29-30
12/8/2023 10:00:00 AM | Wrestling, Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
Tickets available for two-day event at NOW Arena
EVANSTON, Ill. (December 8, 2023) – The Ken Kraft Midlands Championships will return to the NOW Arena in suburban Hoffmann Estates, Ill., December 29-30. For a second consecutive year, the 59th edition of the most prestigious non-conference wrestling tournament will feature both men's and women's divisions.
BUY YOUR MIDLANDS TICKETS TODAY
Joining the women's field will be 42 men's programs. Eight Big Ten Conference institutions will be represented, a group that includes host and reigning men's team champion Northwestern, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.
READ MORE ON THE LEGENDARY KEN KRAFT
ATHLETE REGISTRATION
To preregister and pay for both men's ($125/athlete) and women's ($60/athlete) participants, click here.
SUITE RENTALS
A select number of suites are available for rental at NOW Arena. For more information or to purchase, contact Tim Cysewski (wrestling@northwestern.edu).
MEDIA REQUESTS
Media is welcome to attend this year's Midlands Championships. Credential requests for all reporters, videographers, and photographers can be sent to the tournament's media coordinator Ryan Haley (ryan.haley@northwestern.edu).
HALL OF FAME
Libertyville High School head coach Dale Eggert, a 14-time Midlands participant, will be inducted into the Midlands Championships Hall of Fame on December 30 ahead of the final session. Longtime Midlands administrator and current Hall of Famer Jack Leese, who passed away earlier in the year, will also be honored.
Full list of participating teams at #Midlands59 (as of 12/8/23):
Men's Division:
BUY YOUR MIDLANDS TICKETS TODAY
Joining the women's field will be 42 men's programs. Eight Big Ten Conference institutions will be represented, a group that includes host and reigning men's team champion Northwestern, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.
READ MORE ON THE LEGENDARY KEN KRAFT
A full schedule for both days of the 59th Annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships can be found below:
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29
- 9:30 a.m. – First Session (10 Mats) – (Championship Rounds 1 & 2, Wrestlebacks)
- 7:00 p.m. – Second Session (10 Mats) – (Quarterfinals, Wrestlebacks)
- 11:00 a.m. – Third Session (8 Mats) – (Semis, consolation, 7th place match, women's division begins)
- 6:05 p.m. – Fourth Session (4 Mats) – (1st, 3rd, 5th place matches–men's and women's divisions)
- Awards ceremony to conclude at 9:00 p.m.
- Midlands Hall of Fame Inductions will be prior to the final session
ATHLETE REGISTRATION
To preregister and pay for both men's ($125/athlete) and women's ($60/athlete) participants, click here.
SUITE RENTALS
A select number of suites are available for rental at NOW Arena. For more information or to purchase, contact Tim Cysewski (wrestling@northwestern.edu).
MEDIA REQUESTS
Media is welcome to attend this year's Midlands Championships. Credential requests for all reporters, videographers, and photographers can be sent to the tournament's media coordinator Ryan Haley (ryan.haley@northwestern.edu).
HALL OF FAME
Libertyville High School head coach Dale Eggert, a 14-time Midlands participant, will be inducted into the Midlands Championships Hall of Fame on December 30 ahead of the final session. Longtime Midlands administrator and current Hall of Famer Jack Leese, who passed away earlier in the year, will also be honored.
Full list of participating teams at #Midlands59 (as of 12/8/23):
Men's Division:
- Air Force Academy
- Arizona State
- Bloomsburg
- Buffalo
- California Baptist
- Cal Poly
- Campbell
- Central Michigan
- Cleveland State
- Franklin & Marshall
- George Mason
- Harper College
- Harvard
- Illinois
- Johnson & Wales
- Lehigh
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Missouri
- Morton College
- North Central College
- Northern Illinois
- Northwestern
- Ohio
- Ohio State
- Omega Training Center
- Oregon State
- Penn
- Pittsburgh
- Purdue
- Princeton
- Rutgers
- Sage Hecox
- SIUE
- Thomas Moore
- Triton College
- University of Chicago
- Virginia
- Virginia Tech
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Albion College
- Aurora
- Lindenwood
- McKendree
- Morton College
- North Central College
- Northern Michigan
- Presbyterian
- Wisconsin-Stevens Point
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