Chambana Sun

The Illinois wrestling team, ranked 13th, faced a challenging match against top-ranked Penn State, resulting in a 29-9 defeat at Huff Hall. The dual meet took place on Sunday and marked the final home appearance for three senior wrestlers who secured victories.

Lucas Byrd, competing at 133 pounds and ranked fourth nationally, defeated Penn State's Braeden Davis with a decisive 7-1 score. Byrd concluded his dual season with an impressive record of 15-1 overall and a career dual record of 40-3.

Luke Luffman, hailing from Urbana, Illinois, and ranked tenth at 285 pounds, ended his Huff Hall career by shutting out Cole Mirasola of Penn State in a 4-0 decision. Luffman's season concluded with an overall record of 13-3.

Jason Kraisser, ranked thirtieth at 157 pounds, secured a narrow victory over Joe Sealey from Penn State. Initially appearing to lose due to a last-second takedown by Sealey, Kraisser was awarded the win after head coach Mike Poeta successfully challenged the call.

The event drew an attendance of 2,136 spectators, marking it as the fourth-highest attended dual in Huff Hall history.

Looking ahead, the Illinois team will prepare for the Big Ten Championships scheduled for March 8-9 in Evanston.