Isaiah Martinez Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Isaiah Martinez Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Three wrestlers from the University of Illinois are preparing for the NCAA Championships in Kansas City. Edmond Ruth, Danny Pucino, and Chris Moore have each followed unique paths to reach this point.
Ruth, a redshirt junior and No. 3 seed at 174 lbs., recently won a Big Ten title. "It's a big deal, and I like that it was him," said head coach Mike Poeta. "He's such a great kid."
Pucino, a redshirt sophomore seeded No. 25 at 141 lbs., has grown since last year's Big Ten Championships. "I promised myself I would never go down without a fight again," Pucino stated.
Moore, a true freshman seeded No. 28 at 165 lbs., is making his first appearance at nationals after an impressive season. "As the season progressed, the goal was always to qualify," Moore explained.
The trio is eager to compete among the best college wrestlers in the nation. Coach Poeta emphasized treating this tournament like any other: "You can't make it bigger than it should be."
Alerts Sign-up