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We started our All-Quarter Century feature by looking at a prominent Big Ten program, and today, we’re circling back to the B1G to look at another. Illinois. Illinois is a program that has seen a lot of star power come through Champaign in the last 25 years. Our first team contains six different NCAA champions - including one we saw in action just a few months ago. In the early part of the time observed, Illinois captured a Big Ten title and had a couple other near misses. With some momentum from 2025 and talented recruiting classes on the horizon, they could get back in the B1G title hunt sooner rather than later. While a lot of the first team was relatively easy to figure out there were overall some tough decisions and omissions. First and foremost, at 157/165. 157 has been a great weight for the Illini with three national finalists wrestling there since 2001. Throw in the fact that Isaiah Martinez wrestled at 157 and 165 there were some difficult choices to make. Martinez has to be on the first team. The decision came between Mike Poeta (157) and Matt Lackey (165). Martinez would go one weight and someone excellent would be bumped to the second team. Another decision came at 133 lbs. Big Ten champion and All-American Mark Jayne wasn’t on one of the top three teams. You could probably make an argument that he might be worthy of a second-team selection, as Zane Richards and BJ Futrell all had very strong careers, but a case could be made for Jayne. Wrestlers considered for the three teams had to compete from 2001 to 2025. For the wrestlers early in this timeframe, their entire collegiate body of work was considered. Only collegiate results were taken into consideration. Even if a wrestler was successful at multiple weights, they were only selected for one weight - typically, it was based on the strongest possible first team. After the three All-Century teams, there are some fun facts about Cornell’s results over the past 25 years. Here are the programs we’ve already covered Cornell Lehigh Minnesota Missouri NC State First Team 125 lbs - Jesse Delgado: Gilroy, California - 3x AA (1,1,7), 2x NCAA champion, 2x Big Ten champion 133 lbs - Lucas Byrd: Cincinnati, Ohio* - 3x AA (1,5,5), 2025 NCAA champion, 2025 Big Ten champion 141 lbs - Jimmy Kennedy: Ingleside, Illinois - 3x AA (5,5,4), 2008 Big Ten runner-up, NCAA #2 seed 149 lbs - Adam Tirapelle: Clovis, California - 3x AA (1,2,3), 2001 NCAA champion, 2000 Big Ten champion 157 lbs - Isaiah Martinez: Lemoore, California - 4x AA (2,2,1,1), 2x NCAA champion, 4x Big Ten champion 165 lbs - Matt Lackey: Moline, Illinois - 3x AA (1,2,3), 2003 NCAA champion, 2x Big Ten champion 174 lbs - Jordan Blanton: Richmond, Illinois - 3x AA (7,4,5), 2010 Big Ten 3rd place 184 lbs - Pete Friedl: Orland Park, Illinois - 3x AA (3,4,7), 2005 Big Ten champion, 2x Big Ten finalist 197 lbs - Pat Quirk: Hinsdale, Illinois - 2x AA (2,8), 2001 Big Ten champion 285 lbs - John Lockhart: Mahomet, Illinois - 3x AA (3,1,7), 2001 NCAA champion, 2001 Big Ten runner-up Second Team 125 lbs - Kyle Ott: Huber Heights, Ohio - 2x AA (2,2), 2x Big Ten runner-up, NCAA #3 seed 133 lbs - Zane Richards: Carbondale, Illinois - 2x AA (7,4), 2016 Big Ten runner-up, NCAA #3 seed 141 lbs - Dylan Duncan: Winfield, Illinois - 1x AA (5), 4x national qualifier, 2018 Big Ten 3rd place 149 lbs - Eric Terrezas: Wheaton, Illinois - 2x national qualifier 157 lbs - Mike Poeta: Highwood, Illinois - 3x AA (2,2,3), 2x Big Ten champion, 2x NCAA #2 seed 165 lbs - Conrad Polz: Orland Park, Illinois - 2x AA (5,8), 2013 Big Ten runner-up 174 lbs - John Dergo: Morris, Illinois - 1x AA (5), 2010 Big Ten champion, NCAA #2 seed 184 lbs - Brian Glynn: Orland Park, Illinois - 2x AA (3,6), 2005 Big Ten runner-up 197 lbs - Tyrone Byrd: Clinton, Illinois - 4x national qualifier, 2006 Big Ten runner-up 285 lbs - John Wise: Pittsfield, Illinois - 1x AA (7), 2009 Big Ten 3rd place Third Team 125 lbs - Gabe Flores: Madera, California - 3x national qualifier, NCAA Round of 12 finisher, 2008 Big Ten 3rd place 133 lbs - BJ Futrell: Park Forest, Illinois - 2x AA (6,8), 2012 Big Ten 3rd place, NCAA #4 seed 141 lbs - Steven Rodriguez: Mount Kisco, New York - 1x AA (5), 3x national qualifier, 2016 Big Ten 3rd place 149 lbs - Kannon Webster*: Toulon, Illinois - 2025 national qualifier, NCAA Round of 12 finisher, 2025 Big Ten runner-up 157 lbs - Alex Tirapelle: Clovis, California - 2x AA (4,2), 2x Big Ten champion, 2x NCAA #1 seed 165 lbs - Jackson Morse, Alto, Michigan: 1x AA (4) 174 lbs - Zac Brunson: Eugene, Oregon: 1x AA (6), NCAA Round of 12 finisher, 2016 Big Ten runner-up 184 lbs - Emery Parker: Wadsworth, Illinois: 2x AA (5,3), 2019 Big Ten 3rd place 197 lbs - Mario Gonzalez: Aurora, Illinois: 3x NCAA Round of 12 finisher, 2012 Big Ten champion 285 lbs - Luke Luffman: Urbana, Illinois: 4x national qualifier, NCAA Round of 12 finisher Fun Facts During this quarter-century, six Illinois wrestlers have combined to win eight NCAA titles Illinois wrestlers have made the national finals 17 times during this time span Coming into the 2000’s Illinois had never produced a two-time national champion - now they have two (Delgado, Martinez) Illinois has finished in the top ten at the NCAA Championships ten times since 2001. The 2001 team’s fifth-place finish is the highest and features the most team points (89). Illinois has put wrestlers on the NCAA podium 54 times since 2001, plus an NWCA First Team All-American in 2020 5 Illini wrestlers earned All-American honors in both 2004 and 2005 - the highest total during this span In 2018, Isaiah Martinez became the first Illinois wrestler to win the Big Ten four times and earn All-American honors four times Isaiah Martinez’s 2015 national title made him the first freshman to finish the season undefeated since Cael Sanderson in 1999 The 2005 Illinois team captured its only Big Ten team title during this quarter century They finished second in the Big Ten on three other occasions Despite winning the 2005 Big Ten title, the team’s high point total at that event came in 2001 (130.5 points) The 2001 team had a pair of NCAA champions (Ad. Tirapelle and Lockhart), one of only three times in team history they’ve had multiple champs and the only time in the period observed. 13 Illinois wrestlers have combined to win 20 Big Ten titles in the past 25 years Illini wrestlers have been seeded #1 at the NCAA Tournament 9 times in this quarter century, with Isaiah Martinez having four times himself Illinois has been led by three different head coaches this quarter century: Mark Johnson, Jim Heffernan, and Mike Poeta The top-five wrestlers on the school’s all-time wins list all wrestled in this era (Al. Tirapelle, Ad. Tirapelle, Friedl, Kennedy, Lockhart) Nine of the ten first-team members were at least three-time All-Americans Illinois has been able to ink the #1 overall recruit once during this quarter century (Poeta/2004) Since 2001, 11 California natives have won NCAA titles. Three of them (Ad. Tirapelle, Delgado, Martinez) wore the block I for Illinois.