Wrestling Successful in Post Season Tournaments
Illini Wrestling was very successful in post season competition. This years Big Ten tournament was held at Minnesota. Mike Poeta won a Big Ten Championship and seven other wrestlers qualified for the NCAA tournament. Jimmy Kennedy placed second, Gabe Flores placed third, and the team as a whole placed fourth. John Wise, Patrick Bond, John Dergo, and Roger Smith-Bergsrud all joined Poeta, Kennedy, and Flores in St. Louis for the NCAA tournament. The Illini were also successful at the NCAA tournament where Mike Poeta made it to the Championship match where he lost to Jordan Leen. Jimmy Kennedy finished fourth. Both Poeta and Kennedy became All-Americans. Gabe Flores and John Wise were both one win away from becoming All-Americans. The Illini will take some time off and then start off-season workouts and tournaments.