After a little more than a month off, the North Idaho College wrestling team will hit the ground running toward the NJCAA tournament the last weekend of February in Spokane.

NIC returns to action tonight against Highline Community College in Des Moines (Wash.) at 7 p.m.

NIC remained the top-ranked team in the NJCAA when the latest poll was released on Jan. 6, and will have Terrance McKinney (141 pounds), Jeremy Golding (149) and V.J. Guilio (197) as the No. 1 wrestler in their respective weight classes entering the weekend.

Nico Moreno (157) is third in the nation. Derrick Booth, who wrestled at 165 before the holiday break, will move up to 174. Carlos Lozoya, who wrestled at 133, is out of the lineup and will redshirt the rest of the season, leaving Zach Mahaney of Alamosa (Colo.) and Marcus Crone of Yelm (Wash.) to compete for that spot in the lineup.

"We'll kind of see who emerges from this weekend," NIC coach Pat Whitcomb said. "It should be a good battle to see who comes out of there."

NIC continues the road trip at Southwestern Oregon on Friday and at No. 4 Clackamas on Saturday in Oregon City (Ore.) before concluding the trip with the Clackamas Open on Sunday.

"Clackamas just won the national duals and beat (No. 2) Northwest (Wyo.)," Whitcomb said. "It should be a good one."

NIC women, men conclude homestand this weekend: The NIC women's and men's basketball teams will conclude a five-game Scenic West Athletic Conference homestand this weekend, starting tonight against Colorado Northwestern.

The NIC women (16-4, 2-3 SWAC) will face the Spartans (5-13, 0-5) at 5:30 tonight at Rolly Williams Court, followed by the men's game at 7:30.

The Cardinal men enter the game 15-5, 2-3, with Colorado Northwestern at 6-13, 0-5.

Utah State-Eastern, which beat both NIC teams in the conference opener in overtime, travel to Coeur d'Alene on Saturday afternoon.

Games are available via webcast at www.nicathletics.com.