Jeremy Hunter Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Jeremy Hunter Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois wrestling team faced a challenging match against No. 2 Iowa, concluding their final dual at Huff Hall for the 2023-24 season with a 6-36 defeat on Friday, January 26.
True freshman Kannon Webster, ranked No. 8 in the 149 lbs. category, secured a victory over Iowa's No. 11 Caleb Rathjen in overtime. Both wrestlers only managed an escape during regulation time. In the extra period, Webster achieved a decisive takedown after about a minute to claim a 4-1 win.
Webster now boasts a record of 7-1 against ranked opponents this season and maintains the highest win percentage on his team at 92.3% (12-1). He is also unbeaten in both total dual action (6-0) and Big Ten duals (2-0).
Dylan Connell, a redshirt sophomore ranked No. 29 in the 184 lbs. category, also needed overtime to secure his victory against Aiden Riggins from Iowa with a similar scoreline of 4-1.
In another significant match-up at the event, Edmond Ruth, ranked No. 3 in the 174 lbs. category, was defeated by Iowa's No. 9 Patrick Kennedy with a score of 5-1.
The event saw an attendance of 1,757 spectators, marking it as the seventh-highest attended wrestling meet in Huff Hall's history.
Next on Illinois' schedule is a dual against Michigan State at State Farm Center on Friday, February 2 at 7 p.m. CT.
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