CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Following three duals and two tournaments on the road, the Illini return home on Friday, January 5, and Sunday, January 7, for their first two home duals of the season. On Friday, the Illini host No. 20 Nebraska as part of the 'Great Escape' promotion. The dual begins at 8 p.m. central time and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network. Two days later, the Illini host in-state rival Northwestern at 1 p.m. for 'Takedown Cancer' Day and can be streamed with a subscription to BTN Plus or FloWrestling.
| Illinois Probables |
|
Nebraska Probables |
|
| Wt. Class |
Wrestler |
Record |
Wrestler |
Record |
| 125 |
#15 Travis Piotrowski (So.) |
10-2 |
Mitchell Maginnis (Sr.)
-OR- Kris Williams (So.) |
14-5
7-3 |
| 133 |
#20 Dylan Duncan (r-Fr.) |
8-4 |
Brian Peska (Jr.)
Zak Hensley (Jr.) |
6-5
7-4 |
| 141 |
Mike Carr (r-Fr.) |
4-3 |
#8 Chad Red Jr. |
11-4 |
| 149 |
Eric Barone (r-So.) |
6-6 |
#8 Colton McCrystal (Sr.) |
9-2 |
| 157 |
#13 Kyle Langenderfer (r-Sr.) |
5-5 |
#9 Tyler Berger (Jr.) |
10-4 |
| 165 |
#2 Isaiah Martinez (r-Sr.) |
3-0 |
#10 Isaiah White (So.)
Johnny Blankenship (r-Fr.) |
3-1
18-7 |
| 174 |
David Riojas (Fr.) |
2-5 |
Beau Breske (r-Fr.) |
7-3 |
| 184 |
#12 Emery Parker (r-Jr.) |
11-1 |
#6 Taylor Venz (r-Fr.) |
13-2 |
| 197 |
Andre Lee (r-Jr.) |
6-6 |
Eric Schultz (r-Fr.) |
7-5 |
| HWT |
Deuce Rachal (r-Jr.) |
7-7 |
David Jensen (So.) |
6-6 |
| Illinois Probables |
|
Northwestern Probables |
|
| Wt. Class |
Wrestler |
Record |
Wrestler |
Record |
| 125 |
#15 Travis Piotrowski (So.) |
10-2 |
#12 Sebastian Rivera (r-Fr.)
-OR- Dylan Utterback (Fr.) |
16-1
1-6 |
| 133 |
#20 Dylan Duncan (r-Fr.) |
8-4 |
Colin Valdiviez (Fr.) |
12-7 |
| 141 |
Mike Carr (r-Fr.) |
4-3 |
Alec McKenna (r-So.) |
10-9 |
| 149 |
Eric Barone (r-So.) |
6-6 |
#9 Ryan Deakin (r-Fr.) |
20-3 |
| 157 |
#13 Kyle Langenderfer (r-Sr.) |
5-5 |
Shayne Oster (So.) |
9-9 |
| 165 |
#2 Isaiah Martinez (r-Sr.) |
3-0 |
Michael Sepke (Gr.) |
9-10 |
| 174 |
David Riojas (Fr.) |
2-5 |
Johnny Sebastian (r-Jr.) |
16-7 |
| 184 |
#12 Emery Parker (r-Jr.) |
11-1 |
Mitch Sliga (r-Sr.) |
13-6 |
| 197 |
Andre Lee (r-Jr.) |
6-6 |
Zack Chakonis (r-So.)
-OR- Regis Durbin (r-Jr.) |
9-9
2-6 |
| HWT |
Deuce Rachal (r-Jr.) |
7-7 |
#19 Conan Jennings (r-Jr.) |
14-6 |
Quick Hits
*Emery Parker became the 11th Illini to win a Midlands title, going 5-0 last weekend in Hoffman Estates to win the 184-pound championship. Parker defeated two-time All-American Nate Jackson, 8-2, in the title bout.
*Isaiah Martinez currently ranks 24th on Illinois' all-time wins list with 101 career wins. Recording his 100th win at Fresno State on November 17, Martinez is two wins behind Griff Powell (103) and four wins behind a trio of Illini -- Kevin Puebla (105), current Illini assistant coach Mike Poeta (105) and John Dergo (105) -- for 20th place.
*Isaiah Martinez has won each of his three matches this season by tech fall, outscoring his three opponents 75-29. Of his 101 career victories, 42 have come by tech fall.
*Five Illini enter the weekend ranked according to InterMat's latest polls: #2 Isaiah Martinez (165), #12 Emery Parker (184), #13 Kyle Langenderfer (157), #15 Travis Piotrowski (125) and #20 Dylan Duncan (133).
*The Illini are 7-1 in home openers under head coach Jim Heffernan, and have won each of its last three openers at Huff Hall. Last year the Illini defeated #13 Michigan, 34-6.
*Illinois enters Friday's dual with a seven-match winning streak at Huff Hall that dates back to Feb. 7, 2015 against Northwestern. The Illini went a perfect 5-0 at home last season.
*Friday marks the 10th annual 'Great Escape' promotion for the Illini. Featuring a youth clinic and wrestling masks this year, the Illini are 4-5 in the previous nine contests including a 34-6 win over Michigan last year.
*Illinois holds a six-match winning streak against its in-state rival Northwestern, dating back to 2012. Last year, the Orange and Blue defeated the Wildcats, 28-15, at Welsh Ryan Arena.
Illini Host 'Great Escape' Friday, 'Takedown Cancer' Sunday
Friday's dual against Nebraska will mark the 10th annual 'Great Escape' promotion, as the Orange and Blue host a youth clinic and provide fans with a variety of giveaways. The youth clinic begins at 6:30 p.m. for all kids eighth grade and younger. In addition to the clinic, all fans can receive an Illini-themed wrestling mask by being one of the first 500 people through the door. Free pizza, a men's basketball ticket raffle and a post-match autograph session round out the rest of Friday's promotions. On Sunday, the Illini will host 'Takedown Cancer' Day. Fans are encouraged to wear pink, while pink Illinois t-shirts will be tossed out by Illini starters during introductions.
Series History
Nebraska: NEB leads 6-3
Illinois will be looking to snap a four-match losing streak against Nebraska since the Huskers joined the Big Ten. Nebraska most recently beat the Illini in Lincoln in 2015 by a score of 30-10 on February 5.
Northwestern: ILL leads 47-32-2
Illinois has dominated its Land of Lincoln brethren during the last six years, winning the six contests by an average of 13 points. Last season, the Illini defeated the Wildcats in Evanston by a score of 28-15. Two years ago, at Huff Hall, Brooks Black pinned Conan Jennings at heavyweight to win it for the Illini, 25-24.
Illini to Watch
184: #12 Emery Parker
Fresh off his Midlands title, Emery Parker will look to continue his six-match winning streak this weekend as he battles some of the Big Ten's best at 184 pounds. Leading the team with 11 wins on the season, Parker draws Nebraska's highest-ranked wrestler on Friday night in No. 6 Taylor Venz. Venz is in his first season in the Husker lineup after going 28-4 during his redshirt season and placed third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite at the beginning of December. On Sunday, Parker will be matched against Northwestern's Mitch Sliga who enters the weekend 13-6 on the season and is ranked 24th by TrackWrestling.
165: #2 Isaiah Martinez
After missing Midlands due to illness, the two-time NCAA champion will face his toughest test to date this season on Friday against No. 10 Isaiah White. White transferred from Notre Dame College after winning the NCAA Division II National Title last season with a 28-2 overall record. White currently holds a 13-2 record this season, including 4-0 in duals, and placed third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last month. Martinez is 3-0 on the season with road wins at No. 5 Missouri, Fresno State and No. 7 Iowa. The Fresno State victory marked the 100th of Martinez's career.
133/141: #20 Dylan Duncan/Mike Carr
Two of the newest Illini to the lineup this season, Duncan and Carr both begin their collegiate careers after successful stints in high school. Coming off a fifth-place finish at Midlands, Duncan was a two-time IHSA state champion at Montini Catholic and ranked as the No. 46 recruit nationally. A South Fayette, Pennsylvania product, Carr went undefeated (89-0) in his final two seasons at South Fayette High School on his way to claiming two PIAA state titles. Both of the redshirt freshmen will wrestle at home against Big Ten competition for the first time after each won their Big Ten debuts at Iowa on December 1.
Illini Notables
Tech Support
Isaiah Martinez has boosted the Illini in each of its three duals with a tech fall in all three contests. In the three victories, Martinez owns a 75-29 advantage in points scored and leads the team with 15 dual team points. Martinez owns 42 tech falls in his career, his most common victory of the 101 career wins.
Emery Parker Wins Midlands title
184-pounder Emery Parker became just the 11th Illini ever to win a Midlands championship. The Illini redshirt junior compiled a perfect 5-0 record en route to the crown, capped off by a 8-2 decision against two-time All-American Nate Jackson in the finale. The individual title was the 13th overall in Illinois history at the 55-year holiday tournament, and the third by a 184-pounder.
Heffernan, Johnson Inducted into Midlands Hall of Fame
Current head coach Jim Heffernan and former Illini head coach Mark Johnson were inducted into the Ken Kraft Midlands Hall of Fame on Saturday, December 30. The two head coaches are responsible for all four Illini team titles at the Midlands tournaments and 12 of the 13 individual championships.
Up Next
After the two home duals this weekend, the Illini head back out on the road for dual against No. 14 Minnesota on Sunday, January 14. The dual begins at 1 p.m. central time and can be streamed on BTN Plus and FloWrestling.
For complete coverage of Fighting Illini wrestling, go to FIGHTINILLINI.com and follow @IlliniWrestling on Twitter and Instagram.
