MANHEIM, Pa. – Fighting Illini 133-pound wrestler Zane Richards has been selected to compete in the 51st annual National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic. Held in Cleveland, Ohio on November 5, the NWCA All-Star Classic will pit Richards against Nebraska senior Eric Montoya. The Classic will be broadcasted live in its entirety on ESPNU at 6 p.m. central time.
Richards is returning for his senior season after becoming one of the best in his weight class as a junior. The Carbondale, Illinois native began the season with 23 consecutive wins on his way to his first All-America honor and a runner-up finish. The 2016 Big Ten runner-up at 133 pounds, Richards touted a 9-0 dual record and was second on the team with 71 dual points. With 82 career wins, Richards is only 11 victories shy of moving into Illinois' top-25 career win list.
Richards will be wrestling Montoya for the fifth time in his collegiate career, with the Illini grappler holding a 3-1 advantage in the previous four matchups. Richards won the most recent matchup, defeating Montoya 5-1 in the semifinal round at 2016 Big Ten Championships.
Richards will mark the 20th appearance in the event for the Orange and Blue. Holding an all-time record of 10-8, the Illini were last represented in 2012 when Jesse Delgado (125), B.J. Futrell (141) and Jordan Blanton (174) all competed at the event. This is the second straight season an Illini wrestler has been selected to compete at the All-Star Classic after Isaiah Martinez was invited last season but did not compete.
The NWCA All-Star Classic kicks off the collegiate wrestling season as a showcase of the premiere collegiate wrestlers in the country, and has been the opening event for the wrestling season since 2004 when it was switched from its former post-season event status. This will be the second year that the Classic will be broadcasted on an ESPN network.
Officially Announced Matchups
125:
133: Zane Richards, Sr. (Illinois) vs. Eric Montoya, Sr. (Nebraska)
141:
149:
157:
165: Isaac Jordan, Sr. (Wisconsin) vs. Daniel Lewis, So. (Missouri)
174:
184: Gabe Dean, Sr. (Cornell) vs. Myles Martin, So. (Ohio State)
197: Brett Pfarr, Sr. (Minnesota) vs. Brett Harner, Sr. (Princeton)
285: Ty Walz, Sr. (Virginia Tech) vs. Connor Medbery, Sr. (Wisconsin)
