CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois wrestling team is off to University Park, Pa. for the 2026 Big Ten Championships hosted by Penn State in the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday-Sunday March 7-8.
Spencer Moore and Lucas Byrd lead the Illini as the highest seeds each earning the No. 2 seed at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively. Both were the only two wrestlers on the team to remain perfect in Big Ten duals this season.
Defending 133-pound champion Byrd is a perfect 17-0 on the season as a whole and has a 29-match active win streak as he looks to win his second-consecutive Big Ten title. He would be the first Illini wrestler (18th in school history) to win consecutive Big Ten titles since Isaiah Martinez in 2015-18.
Kannon Webster earned the next highest seed at No. 3 at 157 pounds after he went 16-3 on the season with a team-high seven tech. falls. Chris Moore slots in as that No. 5 seed at 184 pounds after he led the team with the most top-25 wins with five.
Braeden Scoles (165 pounds) and Luke Luffman (285 pounds) are the No. six seeds in their weight classes while Michael Gioffre (149 pounds) and Colin Kelly (174 pounds) are the No. 9 seeds. Danny Pucino returns to the line up at 141 pounds after an injury and gets the No. 12 seed and Dylan Connell gets the 12 seed as well at 197 pounds.
NOTES
- Lucas Byrd finished the season with a team-high 62 dual points on a perfect 17-0 overall and dual record and 8-0 in Big Ten duals.
- Earned his 100th-career win on Nov. 15, 2025, against Lehigh's Mason Ziegler.
- Fifth highest win percentage in program history (113-16, .876).
- 1. Isaiah Martinez      157/165         2013-17          116-3  .975
- 2. Matt Lackey            165                 2000-03          120-14 .896
- 3. Mike Poeta             157                 2006-09          105-14 .882
- 4. Alex Tirapelle         157                 2003-06          128-18 .877
- 5. Lucas Byrd             133                 2020-pres.     113-16 .876
- His win over Minnesota's Brandon Morvari was his 50th career dual win (now 57-3).
- His 113 wins are the 12th most in program history, three wins away from moving into top-10 in program history.
- Has four top-20 wins on the season.
- Active win streak of 29 matches, has not lost since Jan. 17, 2025, (Drake Ayala [IOWA], 4-2 decision).
- Owns the fastest fall amongst the starters (1:13).
- Second most tech. falls on the team (four).
- Kannon Webster is 16-3 overall, 12-3 in dual action and 4-2 in Big Ten duals in his redshirt sophomore campaign.
- Finished tied for second most dual points on the team with 50.
- Team leading most tech. falls with seven, two shy of being top-10 in the country.
- Tied for second most major decisions on the team with three.
- Has four top-20 wins on the year.
- Braeden Scoles is 14-6 overall, 12-5 in duals and 6-2 in Big Ten duals.
- Finished tied for second most dual points on the team (44).
- Tied for fourth on the team in tech. falls with three.
- Colin Kelly is 15-6 overall and 12-5 in duals during his redshirt freshman season.
- Finished tied for second most dual points on the team (44).
- Tied for fourth on the team in tech. falls with three.
- Second fastest fall amongst starters (1:26).
- Spencer Moore is 14-6 overall, 10-6 in duals and a perfect 7-0 in Big Ten duals.
- One of two starters to finish perfect in Big Ten duals with Byrd.
- Scored 38 points in dual action (fifth on the team) and was the sixth starter to crack 30+ points.
- Luke Luffman is 12-4 overall, 9-3 in duals and 3-1 in Big Ten action.
- Seventh most dual points on the team (33).
- Has the most major decisions on the team with five.
- Michael Gioffre is 14-7 overall.
- Has the second most tech. falls on the team with four.
- Was a silver medalist at the Midlands Championships.
- Chris Moore is 14-8 overall, 10-7 in duals and 6-2 in Big Ten action.
- Team-high five top-25 wins on the season.
- Tied for fourth most major decisions on the team (three).
- Sixth most dual points on the team with 34.
- Was a silver medalist at the Midlands Championships.
