Career Highlights

• Two-Time All-American
• 2018 All-American - 3rd Place
• 2019 All-American - 5th Place
• Three-time NCAA Qualifier
• 2019 Big Ten Championships third place
• Two-time Big Ten 5th Place 
• 16th in win-percentage (86-23, .788) 
• 24th best single-season win percentage in Illinois history (.875) in 2017-18
• Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (1/9/18)
• 2017 NWCA All-Academic 

2018-19

• Earned All-American Honors for the second time in his career and second consecutive year with fifth place finish at 184-pounds at NCAA Championships
• Placed third at 184-pounds at Big Ten Championships, going 4-1
• Finished the 2018-19 season with a 24-5 record, leading the team in wins
• Led the team in dual points with 31
• Ends his career with a record of 86-23, with his .788 win-percentage ranking 16th in Illinois program history.
• Started every dual of the season for the Illini at 184-pounds
• Went 11-0 to start the season
• Academic All-Big Ten

2017-18

• All-American at 184 pounds
• .875 win-percentage (28-4) ties for 24th all-time single season mark in Illinois history
• Won seven straight matches in wrestlebacks to place 3rd at NCAA Championships, defeating No. 7 seed Taylor Venz (Nebraska), 8-1, in third place match
• Placed fifth at Big Ten Championships with a 3-2 record
• Midlands champion at 184 pounds, defeating Nate Jackson in the final
• Won 15 straight matches from Dec. 1 to March 3
• 10-0 in duals, including 8-0 in the Big Ten
• Second on team with 35 team dual points
• Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 9
• NWCA All-Academic 

2016-17

• Finished 2-2 at NCAA Championships 
• Upset No. 6 seed Myles Martin (OSU) at NCAA Championships 
• Placed fifth at Big Ten Championships with a record of 4-2
• Recorded his fastest pin of the season (0:37) against Ernest Battaglia (Michigan)
• Upset #11 Nicholas Gravina at Rutgers (1/6), 8-6
• Went 2-2 at Midlands 
• UNI Open 184 pound champion
• Won the 184-pound bracket at the Kaufman Brand Open, going 4-0 and outscoring his opponents 61-14
• Academic All-Big Ten
• NWCA All-Academic 

2015-16

• Placed second at the Reno Tournament of Champions with a 4-1 record
• Competed in the Grapple at the Garden
• Filled in for injured Zac Brunson at 174 pounds against Michigan and Minnesota
• Finished the season with a 4-4 record

2014-15

• Compiled an overall record of 9-6
• Went 2-2 at Midlands
• Placed fifth at Joe Parisi Open

High School

• 2014 IHSA runner-up
• 2014 Conference, Regional and Sectional Champion
• Placed fourth at Senior Nationals in 2014
• Earned varisty letters in wrestling (2012-'14)

Personal

• Born July 8, 1996
• Son of Danny and Christine Parker
• Cousin Eric Parker played in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers
• Favorite hobby is playing his guitar
• Cites former Illini Mike Poeta as the most influential person in his athletic career because Poeta spent a lot of time helping Parker get to the next level

Career Record

*redshirt season

Updated September 2019