CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini begin their 2016-17 campaign with a trip to St. Louis, Missouri for the Maryville Kaufman Brand Open on Saturday, November 12. The tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. central time at Westminster High School, features 24 schools, including No. 5 Missouri, Northern Illinois, Purdue and Virginia.
Illinois Probables
125 Francis Edelen, Travis Piotrowski, Jake Silzer
133 Zane Richards
141 Mousa Jodeh
149 Brock Ervin, Eric Barone
157 Kyle Langenderfer, Nick Gasbarro
174 Zac Brunson, Xavier Montalvo
184 Emery Parker, Danny Hicks
197 Andre Lee
HWT Duece Rachal
Quick Hits
*Five Illini enter the 2016-17 season ranked in their respective weight classes according to WIN Magazine: #2 Zane Richards (133), #1 Isaiah Martinez (165), #8 Zac Brunson (174), #9 Brooks Black (HWT) and #18 Andre Lee (197). The team checks in at #10 in the Tournament Power Index.
*Seniors Richards and Brunson represented the Illini at last weekend's NWCA All-Star Classic by earning two decision victories. Illinois' all-time record in the event improves to 12-8.
*A Two-time NCAA and Big Ten champion at 157-pounds, Martinez will move up to 165 pounds this season and will look to become the first Illini to win Big Ten and NCAA titles at two weight classes.
*Three Illini are approaching the school's top-25 career wins list: Richards (82), Brunson (75) and Martinez (67) each will aim to surpass former Illini Tony Dallago, Kirk Azinger and Seth Brady who are tied for 25th with 91 wins. Alex Tirapelle holds the school record with 128 wins.
*Martinez needs just seven matches to qualify for the Illinois career win-percentage rankings. His current career win-percentage of 0.985 would pass former Illini Matt Lackey's 0.896 school record.
*Brunson returns for his senior season after his career-high 9 pins led the team and ranked in the top-10 in the NCAA
*Black finished the 2015-16 season with three wins over ranked opponents at Big Ten and NCAA Championships, highlighted by an upset of #6 Denzel Dejournette (Appalachian State) in the first round of NCAA Championships.
*Lee (197) is ranked for the first time in his career, checking in at No. 18 in the WIN Magazine preseason poll.
Fighting Illini Headlines
Martinez. Kennedy Set for World Trials
Current Illinois wrestler Isaiah Martinez and former Illini Jimmy Kennedy will compete for a spot on the USA World team on Friday, November 11 at the Bill Farrell International Open in the 70kg men's freestyle division. Those who advance will compete as part of Team USA at the Non-Olympic Weight Wrestling World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, December 10-11.
Richards, Brunson Win at All-Star Classic
Fighting Illini wrestlers earned a sweep of their two matches at the 51st annual All-Star Classic in Cleveland, Ohio, as seniors Zane Richards (133) and Zac Brunson (174) each earned decisions. Richards defeated Nebraska's Eric Montoya by a decision of 9-7, while Brunson took down Ethan Ramos of North Carolina by decision, 5-4. The two victories improve the all-time mark by Illinois wrestlers at the Classic to 12-8.
Grapplers Ranked 10th in Preseason Poll
WIN Magazine tabbed Coach Jim Heffernan's Fighting Illini at No. 10 to begin the season. In addition to the team ranking, five Illini starters are mentioned amongst the top-20 in their respective weight classes. Reigning Big Ten and NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez leads the group with a No. 1 ranking at 165 pounds, while No. 2 Richards (133), No. 8 Zac Brunson (174) and No. 9 Brooks Black (HWT) each rank in the top-10. Andre Lee makes his WIN Magazine debut at No. 18.
Former Head Coach Mark Johnson Honored by Varsity "I"
The Varsity "I" Association also will induct Mark Johnson as an honorary member for his long-standing loyalty, service and contributions to Illinois athletics. Retiring in 2009, Johnson is the most successful wrestling coach in program history, coaching seven individual national champions and 45 All-Americans, as well as winning the 2005 Big Ten team title.
Lindsey Durlacher Enters Greco-Roman Hall of Champions
Former Fighting Illini wrestling Lindsey Durlacher was inducted into the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions on Saturday, October 22. Durlacher was a two-time All-American at Illinois and a bronze medalist.
