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  • Photo: Tony Rotundo

    Photo: Tony Rotundo

    Ten Years of: Illinois Wrestling (2013-22)

    2x NCAA Champion Jesse Delgado (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)


    Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our "Ten Years of…" feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is...Illinois!

    For past teams:

    Air Force

    American

    Appalachian State

    Arizona State

    Army West Point

    Binghamton

    Bloomsburg

    Brown

    Bucknell

    Buffalo

    Cal Poly

    Campbell

    Central Michigan

    Chattanooga

    Clarion

    Cleveland State

    Columbia

    Cornell

    CSU Bakersfield

    Davidson

    Drexel

    Duke

    Edinboro

    Franklin & Marshall

    Gardner-Webb

    George Mason

    Harvard

    Hofstra

    NCAA Qualifiers (66)

    2022


    125 - Justin Cardani (#27); 133 - Lucas Byrd (#7); 184 - Zac Braunagel (#9); 285 - Luke Luffman (#14)


    2021

    133 - Lucas Byrd (#7); 141 - Dylan Duncan (#14); 165 - Danny Braunagel (#15); 184 - Zac Braunagel (#19); 285 - Luke Luffman (#16)


    2020

    125 - Justin Cardani (#21); 133 - Travis Piotrowski (#7); 141 - Dylan Duncan (#19); 157 - Eric Barone (#26); 165 - Danny Braunagel (#15); 174 - Joey Gunther (#17); 184 - Zac Braunagel (#15); 285 - Luke Luffman


    2019

    125 - Travis Piotrowski (#11); 133 - Dylan Duncan (#30); 141 - Mike Carr (#6); 157 - Eric Barone (#15); 165 - Joey Gunther (#26); 184 - Emery Parker (#4)


    2018

    125 - Travis Piotrowski; 133 - Dylan Duncan; 141 - Mike Carr (#11); 165 - Isaiah Martinez (#1); 184 - Emery Parker (#10)


    2017

    125 - Travis Piotrowski; 133 - Zane Richards (#8); 149 - Eric Barone; 157 - Kyle Langendefer; 165 - Isaiah Martinez (#1); 174 - Zac Brunson (#10); 184 - Emery Parker (#11)


    2016

    133 - Zane Richards (#3); 157 - Isaiah Martinez (#1); 165 - Steven Rodrigues (#6); 174 - Zac Brunson (#5); 184 - Jeff Koepke; 285 - Brooks Black


    2015

    125 - Jesse Delgado; 133 - Zane Richards (#5); 141 - Steven Rodrigues; 149 - Kyle Langenderfer; 157 - Isaiah Martinez (#1); 165 - Jackson Morse (#9); 174 - Zac Brunson (#11); 184 - Nikko Reyes; 197 - Jeff Koepke; 285 - Brooks Black

    2014

    125 - Jesse Delgado (#1); 133 - Zane Richards (#14); 141 - Steven Rodrigues; 157 - Zac Brunson (#16); 165 - Jackson Morse (#12); 174 - Tony Dallago; 184 - Nikko Reyes; 197 - Mario Gonzalez


    2013

    125 - Jesse Delgado (#2); 133 - Daryl Thomas; 149 - Caleb Ervin; 165 - Conrad Polz (#7); 174 - Jordan Blanton (#7); 184 - Tony Dallago; 197 - Mario Gonzalez


    NCAA Champions

    Isaiah Martinez: 2015 (157); 2016 (157)

    Jesse Delgado: 2013 (125); 2014 (125)


    NCAA All-Americans

    Lucas Byrd (2022 - 5th; 2021 - 5th)

    Dylan Duncan (2021 - 5th)

    Emery Parker (2019 - 5th; 2018 - 3rd)

    Isaiah Martinez (2018 - 2nd; 2017 - 2nd; 2016 - 1st; 2015 - 1st)

    Zane Richards (2017 - 7th; 2016 - 4th)

    Zac Brunson (2017 - 6th)

    Steven Rodrigues (2016 - 5th)

    Jackson Morse (2015 - 4th)

    Conrad Polz (2013 - 5th)

    Jordan Blanton (2013 - 7th)


    NWCA All-Americans

    Travis Piotrowski (133 - 1st Team)


    NCAA Round of 12 Finishers

    Zac Braunagel - 184 (2022)

    Mike Carr - 141 (2018)

    Emery Parker - 184 (2017)

    Brooks Black - 285 (2016)

    Zac Brunson - 174 (2015)

    Tony Dallago - 174 (2014)

    Mario Gonzalez - 197 (2013, 2014)


    Big Ten Champions

    2018: Isaiah Martinez (165)

    2017: Isaiah Martinez (165)

    2016: Isaiah Martinez (157)

    2015: Isaiah Martinez (157)

    2014: Jesse Delgado (125)

    2013: Jesse Delgado (125)


    Big Ten Runner's-Up

    2018: Mike Carr (141)

    2016: Zane Richards (133); Zac Brunson (174)

    2013: Conrad Polz (165)


    Dual Record

    2021-22: 3-7

    2021: 5-3

    2019-20: 10-4

    2018-19: 2-9

    2017-18: 7-4

    2016-17: 9-3

    2015-16: 13-5

    2014-15: 13-5

    2013-14: 11-8

    2012-13: 7-6-1


    Big Ten Tournament Placement

    2021-22: 11th

    2021: 11th

    2019-20: 11th

    2018-19: 11th

    2017-18: 8th

    2016-17: 6th

    2015-16: 7th

    2014-15: 6th

    2013-14: 6th

    2012-13: 5th


    NCAA Tournament Team Placement

    2021-22: 25th

    2021: 18th

    2019-20: No Tournament

    2018-19: 26th

    2017-18: 13th-tie

    2016-17: 11th

    2015-16: 10th-tie

    2014-15: 12th

    2013-14: 13th

    2012-13: 9th


    Head Coaching History

    Mike Poeta (2021-Present)

    Jim Heffernan (2009-2021)


    Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22)

    125 - Jesse Delgado: 4x NCAA Qualifier (#1, #2, and #4 seeds); 2x NCAA Champion; 3x All-American (1st, 1st, 7th); 2x Big Ten Champion

    133 - Lucas Byrd: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#7 seed x2); 2x All-American (5th x2); 2021 Big Ten Third Place

    141 - Steven Rodrigues: 3x NCAA Qualifier (#6 seed); 2016 All-American (5th); 2016 Big Ten Third Place

    149 - Kyle Langenderfer: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2015 Big Ten Third Place

    157 - Isaiah Martinez: 4x NCAA Finalist (1st 2x; 2nd 2x); 4x Big Ten Champion; 4x NCAA #1 seed

    165 - Conrad Polz: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#7 and #9 seeds); 2x All-American (5th, 8th); 2013 Big Ten Runner-Up

    174 - Jordan Blanton: 4x NCAA Qualifier (#7 x2 and #10 seeds); 3x All-American (4th, 5th, 7th); 2010 Big Ten Third Place

    184 - Emery Parker: 3x NCAA Qualifier (#4, #10, and #11 seeds); 2x All-American (3rd, 5th); 2019 Big Ten Third Place

    197 - Mario Gonzalez: 3x NCAA Qualifier (#7 seed); 2x NCAA Round of 12 finisher; 2013 Big Ten Third Place

    285 - Luke Luffman: 3x NCAA Qualifier (#14 and #16 seeds)


    Recruiting

    Big Boarder's Per Year


    2022: #235 Kole Brower (IL)

    2021: #29 Maximo Renteria (CA); #129 Dylan Connell (IL); #293 Caden Ernd (IL); #299 Joey Braunagel (IL)

    2020: #70 Luke Odom (IL); #88 Danny Pucino (IL); #134 E'Lan Heard (IL)

    2019: #25 Lucas Byrd (OH); #41 Luke Luffman (IL)

    2017: #42 Justin Mejia (CA)

    2016: #40 Dylan Duncan (IL); #55 Mike Carr (PA); #59 Travis Piotrowski (IL)

    2015: #19 Xavier Montalvo (IL); #90 Eric Barone (IL); #124 Carver James (IL)

    2014: #12 Jered Cortez (IL); #79 Brock Ervin (KY)

    2013: #5 Isaiah Martinez (CA); #9 Brooks Black (PA); #62 Kyle Langenderfer (IL)


    International Accolades (Active Team Members and Alumni)

    Isaiah Martinez - 2017 U23 Freestyle World Team Member (5th Place)

    Luke Luffman - 2021 Junior Greco-Roman World Team Member (14th Place)

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