#13 Illinois Wrestling Closes Out Dual Season with #1 Penn State in Huff Hall Sunday

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 13 Fighting Illini grapplers (9-3, 4-3 B1G) welcome in the top-ranked Nittany Lions (12-0, 6-0 B1G) to Huff Hall on Sunday (Feb. 16) at 1 p.m. CT.

It will be senior day on Sunday where 11 seniors will be honored: Danny Braunagel, Zac Braunagel, Lucas Byrd, Caden Ernd, Jake Harrier, Jason Kraisser, Luke Luffman, Isiah Pettigrew, Danny Pucino, Daniel Renshaw and Edmond Ruth.

The Orange and Blue are coming off a dominant 35-8 win over Purdue with a pin, three tech. falls, two major decisions and two decisions that took place on Feb. 1 in Huff Hall. No. 4 at 133 pounds Lucas Byrd has led the squad all season with his 14-1 overall record and he picked up his first tech. fall of the season over Purdue's Jacob Macatangay, 25-8 (6:17).

No. 14 at 165 pounds Braeden Scoles leads the team in dual points with 48. He picked up his team-high fourth pin over Purdue's Stoney Buell in 3:44; he also leads the team in tech. falls with four.

NOTES

• Head coach Mike Poeta owns a 23-29 overall, 11-20 B1G record in his fourth season at the helm. 
• Lucas Byrd has the best record on the team being 14-1 overall, 11-1 in duals and 6-1 in Big Ten duals.
  • His eight decision wins and four major decision wins lead all starters.
  • His 39 duals points are tied for second on the team.
  • Moved up to No. 7 on the Illinois career win percentage leaderboard, 88-16 (.846).
• Braeden Scoles (13-2, 10-2, 5-2) leads the team in falls (4) and dual points (48).
  • Has won nine of his matches by bonus points: four pins, four tech. falls and a major decision.
• Luke Luffman (12-3, 10-2, 5-2) is tied for third on the team in dual points with 38.
  • One of three starters with 10 dual wins (Lucas Byrd, Kannon Webster)
• Zac Braunagel (11-4, 9-3, 5-2) is tied for third on the team in dual points with 38.
  • One of three starters with a 3-0 record in matches decided by tech. fall (Danny Braunagel, Kannon Webster).
• Kannon Webster (11-4, 8-4, 4-3) is tied for third on the team in dual points with 38.
  • Has the fastest fall out of the 10 starers (1:17).
  • Second on the team in pins and tech. falls with three.
• Danny Pucino (12-3, 9-3, 5-2) is sixth on the team in dual points with 34.
• Edmond Ruth (10-5, 8-4, 5-2) leads the team in overtime wins (3-0).
• Jason Kraisser (8-7, 7-5, 3-4) has the second-fastest fall among starters (2:18).