The DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Northern Illinois University (NIU) are proud to be hosting the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Wrestling Finals for its 21st year. The economic impact for the area is estimated to be more than $400,000. They anticipate more than 5,000 visitors will attend this two-day event.
The 2019 IESA State Wrestling Finals will be held at the Convocation Center on the campus of Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, on Friday and Saturday, March 8th & 9th. Admission doors for spectators open at 10:30 a.m. on Friday and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. Daily admission fees: K-8 and senior citizens – $5.00; Adults – $10.00. Advanced ticket sales will be available through Ticketmaster beginning Monday, March 4th. More information can be found on the www.iesa.org wrestling page or on the Convocation Center website www.niuconvo.com.
Wrestlers in grades fifth through eighth from across the state will be competing individually and in team competition in a new, two-class format. There will be a total of 608 wrestlers at the finals compared to 456 under the old format. There are 232 different schools that are involved in this state event. The IESA State Wrestling Finals came to NIU and the Chick Evans Field House in 1999 and moved to the Convocation Center in 2003. DeKalb County and Northern Illinois University have a long history of cheering on and supporting student-athletes and consider it an honor and a privilege to have hosted this event for so many years.
*Story provided by the Dekalb County Online