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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.

The men’s freestyle portion of the 2025 16U and Junior National Championships from Fargo, North Dakota is in the books. You can check out Jason Bryant’s Fargo Guide to track the long history of success in the FargoDome and how it correlates to winning at the collegiate and Senior levels. So that means you shouldn’t be surprised to see the wrestlers who found the podium yesterday to be the same ones challenging for the top eight at the NCAA Championships. And with the way that high school wrestlers have trained and are getting better than in past generations - we won’t wait very long for them to contend. Below are the wrestlers who earned All-American honors and have committed to wrestle at the next level. They are listed by their future home, along with their placement and weight. If there is no “Class of” listed then that particular wrestler is from the Class of 2025. Air Force Fifth Place - Arment Waltenbaugh: 165 lbs (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2026 American Sixth Place - Reagan Milheim: 157 lbs (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2026 Arizona State Champion - Rylan Seacrist: 113 lbs (Ohio) - Class of 2026 Third Place - Gabe Delgado: 157 lbs (Nevada) Eighth Place - Israel Ibarra: 165 lbs (Arizona) Brown Sixth Place - Maximus Norman: 175 lbs (Tennessee) Cal Poly Fourth Place - Levi Bussey: 215 lbs (California) Cornell Runner-Up - Isaiah Cortez: 132 lbs (California) Sixth Place - Elijah Cortez: 138 lbs (California) Harvard Fifth Place: Robert Kucharczk: 190 lbs (Florida) Illinois Runner-Up - Nicholas Garcia: 126 lbs (Illinois) - Class of 2026 Runner-Up - Wyatt Medlin: 157 lbs (Illinois) - Class of 2026 Fourth Place - Jaxon Penovich: 190 lbs (Illinois) - Class of 2026 Seventh Place - Josh Hoffer: 215 lbs (Illinois) - Class of 2026 Iowa Third Place - Michael Mocco: 285 lbs (Florida) - Class of 2026 Iowa State Runner-Up - Coby Merrill: 285 lbs (California) - Class of 2026 Seventh Place: TJ Koester: 132 lbs (Iowa) Kent State Eighth Place: Silas Stits: 157 lbs (Indiana) Lehigh Fifth Place - Dean Bechtold: 285 lbs (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2026 Little Rock Third Place - Jake Miller: 144 lbs (Oklahoma) - Class of 2026 Sixth Place - Justyce Zuniga: 132 lbs (Washington) - Class of 2026 Michigan Champion - Moses Mendoza: 132 lbs (California) - Class of 2026 Fifth Place - Haakon Peterson: 144 lbs (Wisconsin) - Class of 2026 Minnesota Third Place - Tyler Dekraker: 138 lbs (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2026 Third Place - Michael White: 190 lbs (Indiana) - Class of 2026 Missouri Champion - Antonio Mills: 126 lbs (Georgia) - Class of 2026 Champion - David Gleason: 157 lbs (Missouri) Fifth Place - Cash Cooley: 215 lbs (Texas) - Class of 2026 NC State Third Place - Kai Calcutt: 215 lbs (Illinois) - Class of 2026 Eighth Place - Lander Bosh: 126 lbs (Utah) - Class of 2026 Nebraska Champion - Cade Ziola: 215 lbs (Nebraska) Sixth Place - Davis Parrow: 150 lbs (Minnesota) - Class of 2026 North Carolina Sixth Place - Jacob Levy: 285 lbs (Florida) Seventh Place - Lincoln Jipp: 175 lbs (Iowa) - Class of 2026 Northern Iowa Champion - Logan Paradice: 150 lbs (Georgia) Third Place - Waylon Cressell: 175 lbs (Indiana) - Class of 2026 Fifth Place - Maximus Brady: 138 lbs (Florida) Northwestern Sixth Place - Alex Smith: 215 lbs (Florida) Seventh Place - Travyn Boger: 285 (Utah) - Class of 2026 Oklahoma Fourth Place - Mikey Ruiz: 126 lbs (Texas) - Class of 2026 Runner-Up - Dallas Russell: 150 lbs (Georgia) - Class of 2026 Runner-Up - Mason Ontiveros: 175 lbs (California) - Class of 2026 Oklahoma State Champion - Jordyn Raney: 138 lbs (Kentucky) - Class of 2026 Champion - Rocklin Zinklin: 120 lbs (California) - Class of 2026 Champion - Dreshaun Ross: 285 lbs (Iowa) - Class of 2026 Runner-Up - Kellen Wolbert: 138 lbs (Wisconsin) - Class of 2026 Oregon State Fifth Place - Manny Saldate: 132 lbs (Nevada) Penn Fourth Place - Liam Carlin: 165 lbs (Connecticut) Penn State Fourth Place - Sam Herring: 138 lbs (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2026 Princeton Third Place - Matthew Martino: 150 lbs (Idaho) Fourth Place - Mark Effendian: 285 lbs (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2026 Purdue Seventh Place - Isaiah Schaefer: 138 lbs (Indiana) Rutgers Sixth Place - Alex Reyes: 190 lbs (New Jersey) - Class of 2026 South Dakota State Runner-Up - Jarrett Wasden: 190 lbs (Minnesota) Eighth Place - Conlan Carlson: 150 lbs (Minnesota) Eighth Place - Keenan Sheridan: 175 lbs (South Dakota) Eighth Place - Micah Hach: 285 lbs (South Dakota) Stanford Third Place - Jarrett Smith: 113 lbs (Michigan) - Class of 2026 Fourth Place - Zeno Moore: 157 lbs (Florida) - Class of 2026 Seventh Place - Siraj Sidhu: 126 lbs (California) - Class of 2026 Virginia Tech Fifth Place - Alex Rozas: 120 lbs (Louisiana) - Class of 2026 West Virginia Fourth Place - Mason Jakob: 120 lbs (Tennessee) - Class of 2026 Wisconsin Fourth Place - Eli Leonard: 175 lbs (Wisconsin) - Class of 2026 Wisconsin-Parkside Runner-Up - Sullivan Ramos: 165 lbs (Wisconsin) Wyoming Seventh Place - John Murphy: 190 lbs (Minnesota)

Thousands of high school wrestlers in Fargo this week will compete for stop signs and national championships. One already has his hardware from Fargo and is aiming even higher. In between rounds of men’s freestyle competition at the 16U and Junior National Championships was the delayed Final X wrestle-off between world champion Vito Arujau and rising high school senior Jax Forrest. Arujau’s status as a returning world medalist allowed him to delay their Final X series from June 14th to July 14th from Fargo, North Dakota. Forrest swept the two matches 4-3 in the first and 7-2 in the second. Back in 2022, Forrest was a U17 World silver medalist and earlier this year he won the Senior Pan-American Championships. With Forrest on the squad, the 2025 Senior World Team will feature seven first-time world team members. Forrest and PJ Duke will wrestle at the World Championships before ever stepping onto a collegiate mat. Match one saw Arujau strike first with a takedown off of a picture-esque sweep single. With under a minute remaining in the opening stanza, Arujau looked poised to add onto his lead; however, Forrest scrambled out of a Arujau attack and into a takedown of his own. Early in the second period, action took the pair over to the edge of the mat. Arujau nearly had a second takedown but settled for a step-out point to lead, 3-2. Despite some quality action, 3-2 is how the score would remain until the final seconds of the bout. With under :30 seconds remaining, fresh off of a reshot, Arujau got in on a low leg attack. Forrest slipped free of the attack and put pressure on Arujau near the edge. Once Arujau shifted his weight to stay in bounds, Forrest spun around and scored the winning takedown with :05 seconds left in the bout. He would hold on to win, 4-3. Forrest set the tone in the second match with an early takedown and immediately transitioned into a turn for a quick 4-0 lead. Arujau was able to get a late takedown but was never able to seriously threaten Forrest.

Last week, the coaching carousel continued to turn as two-time NCAA finalist Sammy Sasso was hired by Lehigh and two-time national champion Teyon Ware took over at Northern Colorado. With Ware moving on, Oklahoma will have an opening on their staff. That vacancy should garner plenty of interest with a relatively new coaching staff and a talented, young Sooners team. In addition to the Oklahoma opening, there are still plenty of good opportunities from an assistant standpoint. We also have one head coaching vacancy with Campbell’s job open. Now that we’ve gotten some movement, I think the coaching carousel will only pick up steam. Also, we’re less than a week away from action getting underway in Fargo. Fargo provides an excellent opportunity for networking, so some coaching deals could be struck in the FargoDome (or perhaps the Bison Turf). Coaching Changes Army West Point: Troy Nickerson (Head Coach) Binghamton: Brevin Cassella (Assistant Coach) Brown: Tyler Grayson (Assistant Coach) Kent State: Josh Moore (Head Coach) Lehigh: Sammy Sasso (Assistant Coach) Mercyhurst: Jimmy Overhiser (Head Coach) Missouri: Keegan O’Toole (Assistant Coach) NC State: Malik McDonald (Assistant Coach) North Dakota State: Willie Miklus (Assistant Coach) Northern Colorado: Teyon Ware (Head Coach) Oklahoma State: Kevin Ward (Assistant Coach) Penn: Matt Valenti (Head Coach) Princeton: Ryan Wolfe (Assistant Coach) Purdue: Matt Ramos (Assistant Coach) RTC/Club Lee Roper (Cowboy RTC) Open Appalachian State: Assistant Coach Bellarmine: Assistant Coach Campbell: Head Coach Drexel: Assistant Coach George Mason: Assistant Coach Kent State: Assistant Coach Little Rock: Assistant Coach Maryland: Assistant Coach Michigan State: Assistant Coach Northern Iowa: Assistant Coach Oklahoma: Assistant Coach Penn: Assistant Coach