CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini wrestling team is set to travel to Hoffman Estates, Ill. for the 58th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championship on Dec. 29-30. There will be 35 men's programs competing this year, eight of them are from the Big Ten.
Three Illini have already been crowned individual champions at tournaments this season. First redshirt-junior Zac Braunagel (197 lbs.) won at the MSU Open, the first meet of the season, on Nov. 5. The following week, Nov. 12, both redshirt-sophomores Lucas Byrd (133 lbs.) and Edmond Ruth (174 lbs.) topped their podiums at the Tiger-Style Invite.
SCHEDULES:
Wednesday, Dec. 29
- 9:30 a.m. – First Session (10 mats. Championship Rounds 1 and 2, Wrestlebacks)
- 7 p.m. – Second Session (10 mats. Quarterfinals and Wrestlebacks) Â
Thursday, Dec. 30
- 11 a.m. – Third Session (10 mats. Semi-Finals, Consolation, seventh place match)
- 6 p.m. – Fourth Session (4 mats. First, third and fifth place matches)
- Awards ceremonies to follow.
NOTES:
- This is Illinois first meet since the home opener at the State Farm Center on Dec. 3.
- Redshirt-junior Danny Braunagel went 2-0 in the last meet, one of two Illini to do so (Edmond Ruth).
- Sophomores Maximo Renteria and Danny Pucino both recorded their first falls of the season against Chattanooga.
