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University of Illinois Athletics

2025-26 Wrestling Roster

Lucas Byrd

  • Class Graduate Student
  • Hometown Cincinnati, Ohio
  • High School La Salle
  • Major Management
  • Position 133
  • Instagram lukebyrd12
  • Twitter lukebyrd106
  • NIL lucas-byrd

Biography

NIL Opportunities

Trophy Badge 2025 NCAA Champion - 133 pounds
Big Ten Logo white 2025 Big Ten Champion - 133 pounds
USA Button 3x All-American
NCAA Badge 4x NCAA Championships Qualifier

2024-25

  • NCAA Champion at 133 pounds
  • Big Ten Champion at 133 pounds
  • Became the 21st Fighting Illini wrestler to win a national championship and earned the program's 25th individual national title
    • First NCAA Champion at Illinois since 2016 and first ever in the 133 pound weight class
  • Became Illinois' 79th Big Ten Champion and the second ever at 133 pounds
  • 12th wrestler in program history to win both Big Ten and NCAA titles in the same season
  • Seventh-highest career win percentage in school history, 96-16 (.857)
  • Went 23-1 overall, 12-1 in duals and 7-1 in Big Ten duals
  • Led the team in major decisions with six
  • Third on the team in dual points scored with 42
  • Academic All-Big Ten

2023-24

  • Did not compete - Medical redshirt
  • Academic All-Big Ten

2022-23

  • NCAA Championships qualifier at 133 pounds
  • Placed third at the Big Ten Championships
  • Went 30-6 overall, 11-1 in duals and 8-0 in Big Ten duals
  • Highest win percentages on the team: Overall (.833), Duals (.917), Big Ten Duals (1.000)
  • Tied for second on the team in dual points scored with 33
  • Recorded a career-high 4 falls, fastest fall (0:36) at the Michigan State Open
  • 5 major decisions
  • Academic All-Big Ten

2021-22

  • Earned All-American honors at 133-pounds
  • Finished fifth at 133-pounds at NCAA Championships
  • NCAA Qualifier at 133-pounds
  • Team-high 39 dual points
  • Went 8-0 in Big Ten duals and 10-0 overall in duals
  • Academic All-Big Ten

2020-21

  • Earned All-American honors at 133-pounds
  • Finished fifth at 133-pounds at NCAA Championships
  • NCAA Qualifier at 133-pounds
  • Went 17-4 in his first season in the starting lineup
  • Scored a team-high 29 dual points and posted a 7-1 dual record on the season

2019-20

  • Went 11-4 overall in his redshirt freshman season
  • Won the Findlay Open 133-pound title, going 4-0 with two tech. falls
  • Finished second in the 133-pound Fresh/Soph Division at the MSU Open, going 3-1
  • Recorded two wins by fall, with his fastest at 2:08 against Marshall Craig of Purdue at Midlands

Career Record

Year Overall Dual Conference Falls TF MD Big Ten NCAA
2019-20* 11-4 -- -- 2 3 2 -- --
2020-21 17-4 7-1 7-1 3 0 3 3rd 5th
2021-22 27-5 10-0 8-0 4 0 5 4th 5th
2022-23 30-6 11-1 9-0 4 1 6 3rd DNP
2023-24* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2024-25 23-1 12-1 7-1 1 1 6 1st 1st
Total 96-16 40-3 31-2 12 2 20

*Redshirt Season

Historical Player Information

  • 2019-20Freshman

    125 lbs

  • 2020-21Redshirt Freshman

    133 lbs

  • 2021-22Redshirt Freshman

    133 lbs

  • 2022-23Redshirt Sophomore

    133
    133 lbs

  • 2023-24Redshirt Junior

    133
    0 lbs

  • 2024-25Redshirt Senior

    133
    0 lbs

  • 2025-26Graduate Student

    133
    0 lbs