THE ILLINI WRESTLING BLOG AND FORUM

  The ILLINI won 9 matches in two duals over the weekend. The double winners included Tony Madrigal, Danny Pucino  and Edmond Ruth. They are shaping up for serious post season runs. Additionally, there were wrestlers from ILLINOIS that beat either Minnesota and Wisconsin. They include Justin Cardani, Joe Roberts and Isiah Pettigrew. Here are the official Fighting ILLINI box scores: Weight Matchup Score 125: #4 Eric Barnett (WISC) major dec.  Justin Cardani  (ILL), 8-0 ILL 0 I WISC 4 133: #30  Tony Madrigal  (ILL) dec. Nicolar Rivera (WISC), 11-5 ILL 3 I WISC 4 141: #26  Danny Pucino  (ILL) tech. fall Felix Lettini (WISC), 22-7 (6:55)  ILL 8 I WISC 4 149: #22 Joseph Zargo (WISC) major dec.  Jake Harrier  (ILL), 19-6 ILL 8 I WISC 8 157: Joe Roberts  (ILL) dec. Luke Mechler (WISC), SV-1 4-1 ILL 11 I WISC 8 165: #5 Dean Hamiti (WISC) pinned #33  Chris Moore  (ILL), 2:49 ILL 11 I WISC 14 174: #8  Edmond Ruth...

Head Coach of the Fighting ILLINI Wrestling team, three-time All American and two-time NCAA Finalist, #1 recruit in High School, World Cups, World Teams, and his own training facility, this young coach has already seen and done it all. We show some clips of his famous rivalries and ask him to comment on them. He talks about his college and Senior-level matches, his hiring at ILLINOIS, the new sole-purpose-wrestling facility on the way, and what he expects for the rest of this season and the next. What recruit could say no to this guy? EPISODE #5 Starring MIKE POETA: Here are some earlier episodes of the podcast with ILLINI greats ZANE RICHARDS, THE BRAWLNAGEL TWINS, STEVE MARIANETTI and JESSE DELGADO. Collect them all! EPISODE 1 Starring ZANE RICHARDS and DANNY & ZAC BRAUNAGEL : EPISODE 3 Starring STEVE MARIANETTI (EDITOR'S NOTE: There is no Episode 2 because Threeee is the new Twoooo. That's a Brian Swaw joke, so blame him. Actually, I really liked it a lot. Wished I...

The new JOMBO ™ WHAT :  ILLINI versus Minnesota WHEN :  Friday, February 9 at 7:00 pm (Central) WHERE :  State Farm Center TV/STREAMING :  BTN+ ( subscription streaming service ) TICKETS :  Free SPECIAL :  Senior Night A DAY IN HISTORY Let's travel back to February 22, 1964. Groovy, you say? Yes, my brother, very groovy.  Dr. Strangelove is packing theaters across the country. On your transistor radio, I Want to Hold Your Hand by the Beatles plays nonstop. T hree days from now a huge underdog named Cassius Clay will fight Sonny Liston for the World Heavyweight Championship.   Barbie ™   is only five years old, but your bratty little sister already has four of them. Mini-skirts and Frisbees are a thing. Life's a gas, gas, gas. The real fun is at Huff Hall, though, as the Fighting ILLINI wrestling team has a quad meet with Missouri, Indiana and stupid Minnesota. The ILLINI are winning all three! Far out! A couple of days later, those wins wil...