The Illinois Elementary School Association Board of Directors last month extended Northern Illinois University’s contract to host the Illinois Elementary School Association Boys Wrestling State Championship.

Our bureau and other local partners have been working with Steve Endsley, executive director of the IESA, to re-sign the state wrestling finals event. We’ve been in conversations for months as the current contract to host the event at the NIU Convocation Center expires at the end of the 2013 wrestling season.

This contract extension will keep the state finals at the Convocation Center for an additional five years through 2018.