Illini Wrestling: #7 Illini Set for First Home Dual of Season on Sunday

Dec 15, 2011 by FloWrestling Staff

For Immediate Release: Dec. 15, 2011

SID Contact: Taylor Thomas, 217.244.3886

Link: http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/121511aac.html

FIGHTING ILLINI WRESTLING

#7 Illini Set for First Home Dual of Season on Sunday

Fighting Illini take on UT-Chattanooga

Quick Hits

Freshman Jesse Delgado begins his first season as an Illini recording an impressive 11-1 record, including a victory over No. 1 ranked 125-pounder Matt McDonough of Iowa in an 11-7 OT decision. Seven of the 11 victories are from technical falls as the Salinas, Calif., native leads the team in the category. Delgado is ranked No. 6 by Intermat, No. 4 by W.I.N. Magazine and No. 8 by Amateur Wrestling News.
Junior B.J. Futrell is off to a great start, beginning the season 9-1. Out of ten matches, he has pinned six of his opponents en route to tying his career-best in falls. Futrell is ranked No. 4 by Intermat, W.I.N. Magazine and Amateur Wrestling News.

Junior Jordan Blanton is ranked in the top 10 by all three major rankings. He is 10-1 thus far, with six wins coming from pins. In 2010, Blanton out-performed his No. 10 seed at the NCAA tournament to earn his first career All-America honor.
At 149, senior Eric Terrazas begins his final season by starting 11-1 in duals thus far, including three technical falls, three major decisions and five decisions. Terrazas is ranked a career-high No. 6, No. 7 and No. 10 by all three major rankings.

#7 Illinois (6-1, 0-1)

Probable Wrestlers

125 6/4/8, Jesse Delgado, 11-1, r-Fr.
133 4/4/4, B.J. Futrell, 9-1, r-Jr.
141 -/-/-, Daryl Thomas, 6-4, r-Jr.
149 6/7/10, Eric Terrazas, 11-1, Sr.
157 -/-/-, Kyle Dooley, 3-3, r-Jr.
165 -/12/-, Jackson Morse, 4-2, So.
174 9/6/3, Jordan Blanton, 10-1, r-Jr.
184 -/-/-, Tony Dallago, 8-3, r-So.
197 13/9/16, Mario Gonzalez, 8-1, r-So.
HWT -/-/-, Pat Walker, 9-5, r-Jr.
Rankings are listed in Intermat, W.I.N., AWN format

LIVE STREAMING

The Illinois/UT-Chattanooga dual will be streamed live through Illinois' website at http://www.fightingillini.com/allaccess/. Subscription is required.

LIVE BLOG

A live blog will be available for the dual, run by Illini wrestling sports information intern Taylor Thomas. The blog can be found on the Fighting Illini wrestling home page prior to the match.

LIVE SCORING

Live scoring will be available for the dual through trackwrestling.com. It can be found on the Fighting Illini wrestling home page.

#7 ILLINI HOST UT-CHATTANOOGA SUNDAY

No. 7 Illinois opens Big Ten action Friday when it travels to No. 1 Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 7 p.m. It is the Illini's earliest Big Ten dual since facing Northwestern on Dec. 2, 1982. Illinois is 6-0 for the first time since 2008-09 while Iowa starts the season 3-0.

Three starters from the 2009 dual will likely be in the lineup for the Illini on Friday (B.J. Futrell, Eric Terrazas and Jordan Blanton.)

SERIES HISTORY AGAINST IOWA

The Hawkeyes hold a 45-27-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Illini lost the last meeting in 2009, dropping the bout 32-4 in Iowa City. However, the Orange and Blue have won two of the last three duals, winning 24-13 at Iowa in 2006 and 25-7 in Champaign in 2005. Iowa holds a 25-12-1 advantage in Iowa City.

THIS WEEKEND'S PROMOTIONS

The first 100 people to donate canned goods to the Eastern Illinois Foodbank before Sunday's dual will receive a free Illinois t-shirt. Also, prior to the match, Illinois coaches and select wrestlers will put on a youth clinic from 11:30-12:30 at Huff Hall. The event is open to the general public eighth graders and younger.

Illinois wrestling fans have the chance to win an exclusive Meet and Greet on Friday, Feb. 3 before the Wisconsin dual by joining the Take Down Club and attending four of the six home Illini matches this season. Membership is free and fans can pick up their card and get it stamped at the promotions table in the North end of Huff Hall at each match. For more information, contact Director of Marketing and Promotions Carrie Snyder at 217.333.6969.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Illinois has 10 wrestlers listed in their probable lineup this week. The 10 wrestlers have combined for 80 wins in 126 matches this season, including 17 major decisions, 28 technical falls and 30 pins.

WEEKEND MATCHUPS TO WATCH

There are a number of interesting matchups in their dual with Chattanooga. Here's a look at a few key bouts.

#7 ILLINOIS vs. UT-CHATTANOOGA

197: #13 Mario Gonzalez (ILL) vs. Nikolas Brown (UT-C)

Stelter will take on Wright who qualified for last year's NCAA Championships and was the 2011 SoCon Champion at 174. Stelter, who is stepping in for the injured Conrad Polz, is 4-2 on the season, including finishing second at the Loras Open.

165: Jackson Morse (ILL) vs. Brandon Wright (Ut-C)

Morse will take on Wright who qualified for last year's NCAA Championships and was the 2011 SoCon Champion at 174. Morse, who is stepping in for the injured Conrad Polz, is 4-2 on the season, including a victory over No. 18 Brian Tannen of Lehigh.

#7 ILLINI DROP TIGHT DUAL TO #1 IOWA, 20-13

Freshman Jesse Delgado upset No. 1 Matt McDonough at 125 pounds in overtime however it wasnÂ’t enough as Illinois fell to Iowa, 20-13. The Illini kept the dual close with three others winning their bouts, including Eric Terrazas, Tony Dallago and Mario Gonzalez. Terrazas started the dual with a 8-4 decision while Dallago recorded a 17-8 major decision and Gonzalez posted a 11-9 decision.