CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 25 Illinois wrestling team hits the road for the first time in the 2023-24 season on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. CT, for a dual against No. 18 Pittsburgh. Illinois carries a 3-1 dual record, all at home, with wins over SIU-Edwardsville, Central Michigan and No. 21 North Carolina. Their lone loss on the year was a close 23-18 defeat to Navy.
UNDEFEATED UNITY
Five Orange and Blue grapplers boast unblemished records in duals this season: graduate student No. 24 Tony Madrigal (133), freshman Kannon Webster (149), junior Joe Roberts (157), redshirt junior No. 4 Edmond Ruth (174) and redshirt junior No. 8 Luke Luffman (285).
Tony Madrigal, No. 24Â 133 lbs. (1-0)
Madrigal made his Illini debut in the UNC dual against No. 21 Caden McCray. He did not surrender a single point to McCray and won via major decision, 8-0, to secure a key bonus point that catapulted the Illini past the Tar Heels.
Kannon Webster, 149 lbs. (3-0)
Webster shot out of a cannon in his Illini debut in the Navy dual. He scored 20 points in his tech. fall win, 20-5, over James Latona in just under six minutes (5:57). In his next appearance, he earned his first major decision of his young career over CMU's Trenton Wachter, 13-5, and decisioned UNC's Jayden Scott (5-1). He's third on the team in dual points scored, trailing only Ruth (16) and Luffman (15).
Joe Roberts, 157 lbs. (3-0)
Roberts has been sturdy to start the season at middleweight for head coach Mike Poeta's squad; he's only surrendered three points combined in his three matches. He began the season with a shutout decision over SIUE's Brock Woodcock (4-0). He followed that up with a 4-2 decision over Navy's Jonathan Ley, and in the most exciting match of the year so far, Roberts earned his first ranked win over CMU's No. 15 Johnny Lovett. The match went to a second round of ride outs after Roberts had to clear concussion protocol due to a blow to the head, but he gutted out a decision win (TB-2, 2-1).
Edmond Ruth, No. 4Â 174 lbs. (4-0)
Ruth has scored bonus points in three out of his four appearances this year and leads the team in dual points scored with 16. He began the year with a major decision over SIUE's Dom Lopez, 20-6, and got his second one last dual against UNC's Sabino Portella, 10-1. Ruth dominated his first ranked matchup against CMU's No. 17 Alex Cramer; he won via technical fall in just over six minutes (23-6, 6:02). His lone decision on the year came in sudden victory over Navy's Danny Wask (SV-1, 8-5).
Luke Luffman, No. 8Â 285 lbs. (4-0)
Luffman began the year with three straight major decision victories and is second on the team in dual points scored with 15 behind only Ruth (16). He looked like he didn't miss all last year in his first match with a major decision win over SIUE's Bryson Buhk, 15-4. Two days later, he did the same thing to Navy's Grady Griess, 11-3, and completed the trifecta of majors against CMU's Bryan Caves, 18-6. He handled UNC's Cade Lautt, 8-2, to move himself to 4-0 on the year.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The No. 18 Panthers welcome in the Illini for their home opener; they own a 4-1 dual record so far this season after going 2-1 on the road and 2-0 at neutral sites.
Pitt began the year with two dominant wins over VMI, 47-0, and Morgan State, 54-0, at the Navy duals. The lone common opponent so far between the squads is Navy, and No. 18 Pittsburgh fell to the Midshipmen, 21-12. They turned things around a week later with a ranked win over No. 17 Lehigh, 21-12, and they defeated Big Ten opponent Maryland the next day, 21-16.
Illinois holds a 1-5 dual record against Pittsburgh, with the first meeting dating back to 1952. The Fighting Illini seek revenge for last year's 30-6 downfall against the Panthers at State Farm Center.
