Unranked to start the season, the Fighting Illini wrestling team has won three of its first five Big Ten dual meet and moved up to #20 in this week’s AP poll (#17 in InterMat’s dual meet rankings).
Media expectations were modest for an Illinois program coming off of a season that saw only four Illini wrestlers qualify for the NCAA championships, but two Illini won their weight class at the Midlands championships in December and seven are currently in InterMat’s top 30 for their class.
Lucas Byrd and Zac Braunagel are the two returning NCAA qualifiers from last year.