WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 11 Fighting Illini wrestling team (11-4, 4-2 Big Ten) dominated Purdue (10-4, 3-3 Big Ten), 28-6, on Sunday (Feb. 8) at Holloway Gymnasium. The Orange and Blue won eight of 10 bouts to earn their third-straight Big Ten dual win.
No. 17 Spencer Moore started the winning right away for Illinois at 125 pounds to remain a perfect 5-0 in conference duals this season in his 6-2 decision over Ashton Jackson. No. 1 at 133 pounds Lucas Byrd followed this up with a 5-4 decision win himself to move to 15-0 on the year and give the Illini a 6-0 lead.
Purdue went ahead and took the 141-pound bout to narrow the deficit 6-3 which is as close as the dual would be the rest of the afternoon. No. 30 Michael Gioffre put Illinois back in the win column at 149 pounds before No. 9 Kannon Webster exploded with a flurry of takedowns at 157 pounds for his seventh tech. fall win of the season over Isaac Ruble, 19-3 (3:58). This pushed the Illini lead to 14-3.
The Boilermakers won the 165-pound bout, but the Fighting Illini went on to win the final four bouts including a 17-2 tech. fall from No. 25 Colin Kelly at 174 pounds to make the final 28-6 in favor of Illinois.
RESULTS
#11 Illinois 28, Purdue 6
Feb. 8, 2026 I West Lafayette, Ind. I Holloway Gymnasium
125: #17 Spencer Moore (ILL) dec. Ashton Jackson (PUR), 6-2 // ILL 3, PUR 0
133: #1 Lucas Byrd (ILL) dec. #33 Blake Boarman (PUR), 5-4 // ILL 6, PUR 0
141: #33 Greyson Clark (PUR) dec. Kole Brower (ILL), 11-4 // ILL 6, PUR 3
149: #30 Michael Gioffre (ILL) dec. #31 Gavin Brown (PUR), 5-1 // ILL 9, PUR 3
157: #9 Kannon Webster (ILL) tech. fall Isaac Ruble (PUR), 19-3 (3:58) // ILL 14, PUR 3
165: #4 Joey Blaze (PUR) dec. #8 Braeden Scoles (ILL), 3-0 // ILL 14, PUR 6
174: #25 Colin Kelly (ILL) tech. fall Aidan Costello (PUR), 17-2 (5:20) // ILL 19, PUR 6
184: #19 Chris Moore (ILL) dec. #26 James Rowley (PUR), 4-2 // ILL 22, PUR 6
197: Cade Lautt (ILL) dec. Noah Weaver (PUR), 8-2 // ILL 25, PUR 6
285: #13 Luke Luffman (ILL) dec. Hayden Filipovich (PUR) 10-3 // ILL 28, PUR 6
UP NEXT
The Illini matmen are back in action on Friday (Feb. 13) when they take on No. 5 Nebraska for senior day in Huff Hall at 7 p.m. CT.
