The NCAA Wrestling Championships always give Illinois fans a reason to pay attention, and once again the state will be well represented on the national stage. From Big Ten champions to conference placewinners and wildcards, Illinois natives qualified across nearly every weight class and will be looking to make noise at the biggest tournament of the year.
At 125 pounds, Chicago native Vince Robinson (NC State) punched his ticket with a 3rd-place finish in the ACC, while Diego Sotelo (Michigan), originally from Plainfield, qualified out of the Big Ten with a 6th-place finish.
Illinois is especially strong at 133 pounds, where two former in-state standouts earned automatic bids. Ben Davino (Ohio State), a freshman from Elgin, won the Big Ten title, while Markel Baker (Northern Illinois), from Freeport, captured the MAC Championship.
At 141 pounds, Park Forest native Nasir Bailey (Iowa) placed 3rd in the Big Ten, and Lorenzo Frezza (Columbia), from Buffalo Grove, secured his spot with a 3rd-place finish in the Ivy League.
The 149-pound bracket will feature two more Illinois wrestlers, as Chicago’s Ethan Stiles (Ohio State) finished 2nd in the Big Ten, and Bethalto’s Caleb Tyus (SIU Edwardsville) placed 2nd in the MAC.
At 157 pounds, Illinois fans will have multiple wrestlers to follow. Kannon Webster (Illinois), a sophomore from Toulon, placed 3rd in the Big Ten, while Vince Zerban (Iowa State), a senior from Bethalto, earned a wildcard selection out of the Big 12.
The 165-pound weight class includes freshman Will Denny (NC State) from Manhattan, who placed 4th in the ACC, and Geneva native Michael Caliendo (Iowa), who finished 2nd in the Big Ten.
At 174 pounds, Glen Ellyn’s Collin Carrigan (North Carolina) qualified with a 3rd-place finish in the ACC, while Colin Kelly (Illinois), from Mokena, battled through the Big Ten to take 7th and earn a spot at nationals.
Illinois will also be represented at 184 pounds, where Bethalto native Abe Wojcikiewicz (Stanford) finished 3rd in the ACC and Chris Moore (Illinois), from McHenry, placed 4th in the Big Ten.
At 197 pounds, Moline’s DJ Parker (Oklahoma) secured his bid with a 4th-place finish in the Big 12.
Rounding things out at 285 pounds, Luke Luffman (Illinois), an Urbana native, qualified out of the Big Ten and will represent both his hometown and the Fighting Illini on the national stage.
Illinois continues to show its depth as one of the premier wrestling states in the country, with qualifiers spread across the Big Ten, ACC, MAC, Big 12, Ivy League, and beyond. With a mix of veterans, freshmen, conference champions, and wildcards, the state will have plenty of opportunities to put wrestlers on the podium when the NCAA Championships get underway.
