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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