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Jan. 18, 2001
The fifth-ranked University of Illinois wrestling team will host Northwestern on Friday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall to open the 2001 Big Ten dual season. The Illini will then host No. 23 Indiana on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. to close out the weekend.
Probable Illini Lineup:
| Wt. | Wrestler | Overall Record | Dual Record | Falls |
| 125 | Ryan Escobar | 17-7 | 6-0 | 4 |
| 133 | Kelly Madden | 8-7 | 1-1 | 1 |
| Chad Hay | 13-7 | 3-1 | 1 | |
| 141 | Mike Castillo | 13-6 | 6-0 | 3 |
| 149 | Adam Tirapelle | 16-0 | 6-0 | 6 |
| 157 | Griff Powell | 15-7 | 4-1 | 1 |
| 165 | Matt Lackey | 16-6 | 5-1 | 1 |
| 174 | Ben King | 11-3 | 4-1 | 0 |
| John Sears | 2-5 | 0-1 | 0 | |
| 184 | Nate Patrick | 20-2 | 6-0 | 7 |
| 197 | Pat Quirk | 18-4 | 5-1 | 2 |
| Hwt | John Lockhart | 18-4 | 6-0 | 5 |
LAST TIME OUT:
The fifth-ranked University of Illinois wrestling team picked up four dual
victories in North Carolina last week. The Illini defeated UNC-Greensboro
47-0 last Thursday, Jan. 11, then topped Ohio University (37-3), Princeton
(37-6) and North Carolina State (33-6) at the N.C. State Duals in Raleigh,
N.C. on Saturday, Jan. 13.
THE RATING GAME:
The Fighting Illini are ranked fifth in the latest InterMat NCAA Division I
wrestling rankings. Eight Illini individuals are also ranked, they are: Ryan
Escobar, 18th (125), Adam Tirapelle, 1st (149), Griff Powell, 19th (157),
Matt Lackey, 9th (165), Ben King, 7th (174), Nate Patrick, 2nd (184), Pat
Quirk, 8th (197) and John Lockhart, 7th (Heavyweight).
CLIMBING THE CHARTS:
Several Illini are climbing the career wins and pins charts.Adam Tirapelle
is 16-0 on the season and has amassed 112 career wins and is currently tied
with Illini national champion Eric Siebert. A win tonight and Tirapelle will
claim sole possession of third place. He currently needs nine more wins to
tie Ernest Benion as the Illini career wins leader and 10 to take
possession. At his current pace he will gain the record at the Big Ten
tournament in Evanston on March 3-4. Pat Quirk has also cracked the top 10
in career wins. He has 18 wins this season giving him 95 for his career
which ranks ninth all-time. Next up on his sites is 2000 national champion
Carl Perry with 98.
FALL GUYS:
Tirapelle is also closing in on the all-time career pins mark. He has six
falls this season and has upped his career mark to 29, only two off Keith
Healy's record of 31.Tirapelle has recorded three pins in his last five
matches moving past Larry TenPas' mark of 26 career pins. Nate Patrick is
also making a push on the chart. The senior is currently 20-2 with seven
falls and has moved into a tie with Eric Siebert for sixth on the list with
19 pins. Patrick leads the team this season with his seven pins, including
three in his last four matches. Heavyweight John Lockhart has also posted
three falls in has last four matches, pushing Carl Perry's career mark of 11
pins out of the top 10.
INTERNET BROADCAST:
The Illini Sports Network will air the Feb. 4 Big Ten dual between No. 5
Illinois and No. 3 Minnesota live over the internet at
www.fightingillini.com. Nationally-recognized wrestling commentator Tim
Johnson will call the action and 2000 141-pound NCAA champion Carl Perry
will provide expert analysis. The dual will then be tape-delayed broadcast
locally on WDWS AM 1400 beginning at 4:30 p.m. that evening. The dual is set
to start at 1 p.m. at Huff Hall in Champaign.
ANOTHER MARK ON THE BRINK:
The Illini's success on the mat this season has moved head coach Mark
Johnson to within two dual wins of becoming the all-time winningest
wrestling coach in Illinois history. Johnson, who began the season 92-24-1
and currently has 98 wins, needs only two more dual victories to tie B.R.
Patterson's mark of 100 wins. Patterson's accomplishment occured from
1951-68, a span of 18 years, while Johnson, with the wins expected to come
this season, will have surpassed that total in half that time. He is
currently in his ninth season with the Illini and has a career mark
118-29-3.
