Photo Gallery 

Updated Brackets (Day One) | Team Scores | Championships Central

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Illini wrapped up the first day of the 2015 Big Ten Championships with No. 1 Isaiah Martinez clinching a spot in Sunday's 157-pound championship match. In addition to Martinez, the Illini their other nine wrestlers all scheduled to wrestle tomorrow, including six in the consolation semifinals.

Martinez will wrestle for his first career Big Ten championship after defeating Doug Welch (PUR), 11-6 in the championship semifinal. Martinez will face No. 2 Dylan Ness (MINN) in tomorrow's championship bout. Martinez and Ness have never faced each other, as Ness was sick with the flu when the Illini and Gophers faced off earlier this season.

No. 2 Jesse Delgado's quest for a three-peat fell short as No. 3 Nathan Tomasello (OSU) upset the two-time defending champ, 3-2, in the 125-pound championship semifinal. Delgado moves into the consolation semifinals where he will face Tim Lambert (NEB) with a chance to go to the third-place match on the line.

No. 6 Zane Richards (133) also advanced to the consolation semifinals, cruising to wins over Geoffrey Alexander (MD), 8-3, and Eric Montoya (NEB), 10-3. He will face Cory Clark (IOWA) tomorrow for the right to wrestle for third. Richards is 1-1 against Clark this season, winning the last matchup between the two, 6-5.

Kyle Langenderfer (149) joined Delgado and Richards in the consolation semis, upsetting No. 8 Rylan Lubeck (WIS), 5-3, and sneaking past Brandon Nelsen (PUR), 11-9, in sudden victory. Langenderfer will face No. 3 Hunter Stieber (OSU) for a shot at a bronze medal. It will be the first career matchup between the two wrestlers.

No. 5 Jackson Morse (165) made it four Illini in the consolation semifinals, posting shutouts against Justin Alexander (MD), 11-0, and Austin Wilson (NEB), 4-0. Morse's win over Wilson was the 100th of his career, making him just the 21st wrestler in school history to reach triple digits. Morse will face No. 3 Taylor Walsh (IND) for the third time this season, aiming for his first win against the Hoosier grappler.

No. 5 Zac Brunson (174) also advanced to the final six wrestlers in his weight class, edging Phil Bakuckas (RUTG), 8-7, and Taylor Massa (MICH), 3-2. No. 3 Mike Evans (IOWA) awaits Brunson tomorrow, whom he lost to, 2-1, at in the Midlands Championships earlier this season.

No. 11 Jeff Koepke (197) was the last of the Illinois contingent to reach the consolation semifinals, tallying wins against Hayden Hrymack (RUTG), 2-0, and winning by medical default against Alex Polizzi (NW). Koepke is slated to face No. 4 Scott Schiller (MINN) in his opening bout tomorrow. Koepke will be looking for revenge from a 14-4 loss to the Gopher grappler earlier this season.

No. 7 Nikko Reyes (184) and No, 10 Brooks Black will be wrestling for seventh place after finishing 1-1 in session two. Reyes faces Kenny Courts (OSU), while Black draws Stephen Myers (MD) for the second time this weekend. No. 4 Steven Rodrigues (141) faces George Fisher (MICH) in the ninth-place match.

"Tomorrow is a huge day for us," said head coach Jim Heffernan. "We have some big matches that are going to have an impact on the team standings and our seeding for nationals. We have to come out with some fire and be ready to wrestle."

The Illini are in fifth place with 79.0 points after the conclusion of the second session. They are just 7.5 points back of Minnesota in third.

The final day of action gets underway tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET with session three. The finals of the championships will begin at 3 p.m. ET and will air live on Big Ten Network.

Team Standings Through Day One
1. Ohio State 102.5

2. Iowa 101.0

3. Minnesota 86.5

 4. Michigan 80.5

5. Illinois 79.0

6. Penn State 78.5
7. Nebraska 70.5

8. Wisconsin 64.5
9. Northwestern 56.5

10. Purdue 33.5

11. Rutgers 18.5

12. Michigan State 12.5

 13. Indiana 11.5

14. Maryland 9.5