CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois wrestling will wrestle two matches in a weekend for the first time since the beginning of the New Year, as the Illini travel to Indiana for a 6 p.m. dual on Friday, and then return home to host No. 19 Rutgers on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on BTN Plus and FloWrestling via subscription. Sunday's home dual will be International Day at Huff Hall.
| Illinois Probables |
|
Indiana Probables |
|
| Wt. Class |
Wrestler |
Record |
Wrestler |
Record |
| 125 |
#18 Travis Piotrowski (So.) |
12-5 |
Elijah Oliver (Jr.) |
17-6 |
| 133 |
Dylan Duncan (r-Fr.) |
13-5 |
Garrett Pepple (r-So.) |
12-13 |
| 141 |
Mike Carr (r-Fr.) |
11-4 |
#13 Cole Weaver (r-Jr.) |
22-6 |
| 149 |
Eric Barone (r-So.) |
6-11 |
Alejandro Raya (Fr.)
-OR- Davey Tunon (r-Fr.) |
7-5
10-13 |
| 157 |
Kyle Langenderfer (r-Sr.) |
8-7 |
Austin Holmes (r-Fr.) |
9-12 |
| 165 |
#2 Isaiah Martinez (r-Sr.) |
8-0 |
Dillon Hoey (Fr.) |
8-12 |
| 174 |
David Riojas (Fr.) |
2-10 |
#18 Devin Skatzka (r-So.) |
19-7 |
| 184 |
#6 Emery Parker (r-Jr.) |
16-1 |
Norman Conley (r-So.) |
11-14 |
| 197 |
Andre Lee (r-Jr.) |
8-9 |
Jake Kleimola (r-Fr.)
-OR- Spencer Irick (r-Fr.) |
0-8
2-9 |
| HWT |
Deuce Rachal (r-Jr.) |
8-11 |
Fletcher Miller (r-Jr.) |
14-7 |
| Illinois Probables |
|
Rutgers Probables |
|
| Wt. Class |
Wrestler |
Record |
Wrestler |
Record |
| 125 |
#18 Travis Piotrowski (So.) |
12-5 |
#1 Nick Suriano (So.) |
19-0 |
| 133 |
Dylan Duncan (r-Fr.) |
13-5 |
#20 Scott DelVecchio (r-Sr.) |
13-3 |
| 141 |
Mike Carr (r-Fr.) |
11-4 |
Michael Van Brill (r-Fr.) |
11-8 |
| 149 |
Eric Barone (r-So.) |
6-11 |
#12 Eleazar DeLuca (r-Sr.) |
8-7 |
| 157 |
Kyle Langenderfer (r-Sr.) |
6-11 |
#17 John Van Brill (r-Jr.) |
9-4 |
| 165 |
#2 Isaiah Martinez (r-Sr.) |
8-0 |
#11 Richie Lewis (r-Sr.) |
9-3 |
| 174 |
David Riojas (Fr.) |
2-10 |
Joe Grello (r-Fr.) |
11-6 |
| 184 |
#6 Emery Parker (r-Jr.) |
16-1 |
#12 Nicholas Gravina (r-Jr.) |
10-5 |
| 197 |
Andre Lee (r-Jr.) |
8-9 |
Kevin Mulligan (r-Fr.)
-OR-Anthony Messner (r-Sr.) |
9-9
0-4 |
| HWT |
Deuce Rachal (r-Jr.) |
8-11 |
Razohnn Gross (Sr.) |
13-9 |
Quick Hits
*Illinois enters the weekend leading Indiana 47-41-1 in the all-time series, while Rutgers and the Illini have split their only two meetings.
*Illinois enters Friday's dual against Indiana winners in four of their last five dual matches, beating No. 20 Nebraska and No. 24 Purdue along the way.
*The Illini enter Sunday winners of ten straight duals at Huff Hall dating back to a 25-24 win against Northwestern on February 7, 2016. The longest streak in program history is 11 straight, accomplished twice between 1999 and 2006.
*Emery Parker Has won 11 straight matches dating back to December 1 at Iowa. During the 11-match winning streak, Parker has outscored his opponents 109-51, and has two wins over top-10 wrestlers.
*Isaiah Martinez has won each of his eight matches to start the season, seven coming by either tech fall or fall. The redshirt senior is outscoring his opponents 147-48 in the eight matches and leads the Illini with 39 dual points.
*Isaiah Martinez is tied for 18th on Illinois' all-time wins list with 106 career victories. Martinez is tied with former Illini Jackson Morse (2010-15) and Jon Llewellyn (1988-91).
*Illini freshman 141-pounder Mike Carr is starting to gain notoriety after a pair of wins over ranked opponents this month. On a five-match winning streak, FloWrestling moved Carr into its rankings last week, jumping up to No. 12.
Match Notes
Series History
The Illini and Hoosiers will be meeting for the 90th time on Friday, while Sunday's match against Rutgers will mark just the third meeting the two schools. Against Indiana, the Illini hold a 47-41-1 advantage in the all-time series and have won five straight in the series dating back to 2011. Coach Heffernan is 18-3 all-time against the Hoosiers. Rutgers and the Orange and Blue had never met prior to the 2015 season, the Illini taking the 2015 series debut and Rutgers earning a close 19-17 win in Piscataway last season.
Scouting the Hoosiers
Still in search of their first conference win of the season, Indiana will give Illinois solid tests at 141 pounds and 174 pounds. At 141 pounds, No. 13 Cole Weaver is 22-6 during his redshirt junior season and leads the team in wins. The other ranked wrestler, Devin Skatzka trails Weaver by just two wins (19-7) and owns an 8-2 mark in dual action.
Scouting the Scarlet Knights
Despite being 1-4 in the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights offer ranked wrestlers at six of their 10 weight classes. Headlining their lineup is top-ranked, and undefeated, Nick Suriano at 125 pounds. In 10 duals this season, Suriano has tallied 44 team points. 165-pounder Richie Lewis ranks 11th nationally, while Scott Delvecchio (133), Eleazar DeLuca (149), John Van Brill (157) and Nicholas Gravina (184) are also ranked. Coming off dual losses to No. 18 Nebraska and No. 1 Penn State last weekend, Rutgers will wrestle at Northwestern on Friday before coming to Champaign.
Matches to Watch
141 Pounds: Mike Carr vs. #13 Cole Weaver (IND):
Holding a five-match winning streak, Carr will get another chance to prove he's a rising talent in the weight class on Friday night. Wrestling the 13th-ranked grappler in Cole Weaver, Carr will be facing his fifth ranked foe in 16 matches this season. Weaver is 4-3 on the season against ranked opponents and is coming off an overtime victory against No. 13 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska).
165 Pounds: #2 Isaiah Martinez vs. #11 Richie Lewis (RUT):
Just Martinez's second match against a ranked opponent this season, Martinez will wrestle fellow Team USA U-23 Worlds teammate, and 11th-ranked, Richie Lewis. Lewis won the U-23 World title at the weight class below Martinez back in November and is sporting a 9-3 record entering the weekend. Martinez's lone ranked win of the season came on January 14 at Minnesota when the three-time NCAA Finalist defeated #9 Nick Wanzek, 8-4.
184 Pounds: #6 Emery Parker vs. #12 Nicholas Gravina (RUT)
Having met two times previously, Parker and Gravina are increasingly familiar with one another after two tightly-contested matches in the last two seasons that have both gone Parker's way. After Parker defeated Gravina 8-6 in sudden victory last January in Piscataway, the two battled again this season in the Midlands semifinal. With no takedowns on either side, Parker's escape after a Gravina injury timeout proved to be the difference. Meeting for the first time in Champaign, the 2017 Midlands champion will look for a third straight win over the Scarlet Knight who enters 9-5 on the season.
Illini Notes
Last Time Out
The Illini picked up their fourth Big Ten win in five tries, defeating Maryland 25-18 on January 28. Illinois picked up bonus points in all six of their victories, highlighted by a pin from Kyle Langenderfer at 157 pounds. The 10th straight win at Huff Hall moves the Illini one win away from tying the all-time mark of 11 set two times between 1999 and 2006.
Home Cooking
The Illini have won 10 straight home duals, the longest streak under head coach Jim Heffernan, and the longest in Illini history since former Illini head coach Mark Johnson led the Orange and Blue to 11 straight from February 8, 2004 to January 20, 2006. The 10 straight victories dates back to a February 7, 2016 match against Northwestern where the Illini defeated the Wildcats, 25-24. In the nine matches, Illinois has defeated a pair of ranked foes, No. 13 Michigan (1/20/17) and No. 20 Nebraska (1/5/18).
Parker's Win Streak Continues
Earning his first tech fall of the season against Maryland, Parker has now won 11 straight contests dating back to December 1 at Iowa. Outscoring his opponents 109-51 during the 11-match stretch, Parker has defeated three ranked opponents in the process. Parker's 16 wins this season lead the team, while his 29 dual team points is second only to Isaiah Martinez (39).
Tech Support
Isaiah Martinez has boosted the Illini in each of its eight duals with tech falls in six of the eight contests, with one of the other decisions coming by fall. In the eight victories, Martinez owns a 147-48 advantage in points scored, and leads the team with 39 dual team points. Martinez owns 45 tech falls in his career, his most common victory of the 106 career wins.
Carr Making Moves
Having won four of his five Big Ten matches, redshirt freshman Mike Carr is gaining national attention for his first-year surge. Last week, FloWrestling placed him into their top-20 at 141 pounds, moving him all the way up to No. 12. 11-4 on the season, Carr won the Greyhound Open last Sunday in Indianapolis, Indiana with four wins on the day.
Up Next
The Illini will wrap up the 2017-18 regular season with a home dual against No. 20 Wisconsin on Sunday, February 11 at 1 p.m. Prior to the match, Coach Heffernan and staff will honor four seniors: Isaiah Martinez, Kyle Langenderfer, Isaac Reinemann and Brock Ervin.
For complete coverage of Fighting Illini wrestling, go to FIGHTINILLINI.com and follow @IlliniWrestling on Twitter and Instagram.
