Unlike last season, uncertainties have been abundant for the now No. 7 wrestling team.

Last season the Lions coasted through the dual meet season undefeated, with hardly a lineup move to speak of.

For the Lions, after being tabbed preseason No. 1, this season has been quite the opposite. Injuries, illnesses and academics have forced the coaching staff to toy with the lineup, looking for the best combination.

"It's almost like evalutions for the guys," Coach John Fritz said. "We're trying to find the right guys for the right weight classes."

The weight classes that will see the most movement will be the upper weights -- 167, 177 and 190 pounds.

Troy Minnich returned from a bout with mononucleosis and moved into the lineup at 167, forcing Matt Hardy to move up to 177. The move leaves the coaches with a decision whether or not to wrestle Mike Kraft at 190 or at 177, or possibly move Hardy to 190.

Kraft will wrestle at 190 this weekend --against Michigan State and No. 4 Michigan at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively, tomorrow in Rec Hall -- as he has done the past few weeks after being at 177 earlier in the season.

He will meet two of the better 190-pounders in the country in No. 5 Emilio Collins from Michigan State and Jehad Hamden of Michigan.

"This will give me a better idea of how I'll do at 190," Kraft said. "Last weekend I wrestled the No. 1 and No. 2 wrestlers in the country."

This weekend will also mark the first chance Lion fans will get to see both Hughes brothers, John and Russ, in action. Russ returns for his first action of the season after sitting out the early matches because of academics.

"He looks pretty good," Fritz said. "He still has to try out with (Tony) Bobulinski and that's not a sure thing."

Note:

-- Two Lion wrestlers have been invited to the NWCA All-Star Classic on Jan. 31 in Pittsburgh. Shawn Nelson will meet Oklahoma State's Tony Purler at 126 and Cary Kolat and T.J. Jaworsky, of North Carolina, will wrestle in a rematch of last year's 134-pound NCAA final.