Illini Wrestling Podcast

January is in the books! Join Jordan Blanton and Justin Cardani for this month's episode of the Illini Wrestling Podcast.     *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner)

Jordan Blanton is a 3x All American for the Fighting Illini who joins the show to preview the Illinois MatMen Open (formerly the Midlands) and the Illini wrestlers competing. Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

Dylan Connell is a freshman for the Fighting Illini. In high school, Dylan was a 3x IHSA state champion and a 1x IWCOA state champion.  In this episode we talk about the MSU and Lindenwood opens, Dylan's origin story, and why he chose the University of Illinois.     Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

“Trying to win an NCAA title is one of the hardest things you'll ever do,” says Illinois assistant coach Jeremy Hunter.   Jeremy Hunter has been on the staff for the Fighting Illini since the early 2000's.  Prior to arriving in Champaign, Coach Hunter was an NCAA champion for Penn State and a 4x PIAA state champion.     Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

“The one thing I noticed is that after practice, everyone is staying around to put in extra work,” says Illini wrestler Danny Braunagel.   Danny Braunagel and Danny Pucino join the podcast for our August update - your one stop shop for all things Illini Wrestling. In this episode we cover the Illini's trip to Russia, where the guys spent 3 weeks in North Ossetia training with the best wrestlers on the planet.     Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

“At the moment the most important thing is elevating our program,” says Illini wrestling head coach Mike Poeta.    Coach Poeta and Illini wrestler Danny Pucino join the podcast for our June update - your one stop shop for all things Illini Wrestling. In this episode we cover:    -Coach Poeta's vision for the program -The role of the Illini RTC -Danny Pucino's background -Danny Pucino qualifying for Team Italy -Looking ahead to the 2021/2022 season   Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

Lucas Byrd loves the bright lights. He's one of the rising stars in NCAA wrestling, after placing 3rd at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships.  In this episode we cover..   -Why Illinois? -Byrd's high school rivalry with Medlin -Byrd's first Big10 grind -UFC aspirations -The Austin Desanto rivalry  -How Illinois can crack the top 10 as a team (Photo credit: Tony Rotundo) Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

Joe Rau is the epitome of persistence, belief and a relentless work ethic.  He qualified for the Illinois State tournament once, before winning a Division 3 NCAA title for Elmhurst.  Starting in 2014, he began wrestling on the senior circuit and has been a staple on Team USA's greco squad ever since.  In this episode we cover Joe's Olympic Trials situation, background and more.     Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

In this installment of the Illini Wrestling Podcast, we are joined by Bryan Medlin and Pete Kowalczuk as they recap the Olympic Trials and Last Chance tournaments. We cover…   -Coach Heff's retirement -Joe Rau and what happened in match one -Tanner Farmer and his return to the mat -What the future holds for West Cathcart -Will Lucas Byrd wrestle freestyle or greco?   Enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind-the-scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

It's NCAA's week! Former Fighting Illini All American Jordan Blanton joins the show as we preview the Fighting Illini's NCAA qualifiers.   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

“Luffman is going to be dangerous at the Big 10 Tournament,” per the great Coach Bryan Medlin, our guest on this weeks Illini Wrestling Podcast.    Host Ryan Warner talks with Coach Medlin about his trip to Russia, the Last Chance Qualifier and Olympic Trials, and the Big 10's.  In this episode we cover…   -Who's in and who's out of the Olympic Trials for the Illinois RTC  -Updates from Coach Medlin and Zane's trip to Russia -Lucas Byrd's progression during the season -Luke Luffman's response after he did not receive an at-large big for last year's NCAA's -Expectations for the Big 10's   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

Jim Heffernan has been the head coach of the Fighting Illini for 12 seasons.  Prior to leading the program, Coach Heffernan was Mark Johnson's assistant both at Illinois and Oregon State.  In this episode we talk about:   -Coach Heffernan's backstory  -Comparing St. Edwards to the Gable-led Iowa Room -The state of the Illinois program in the early 1990's  -The 1995 NCAA's where Illinois crowned two national champs -The great Matt Lackey and what made him unique -Illinois' season to date and what lies ahead   We'll be back in two weeks for episode four. Please enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

Zac Braunagel beats Nelson Brands in a thrilling, OT match as the Illini fall to the Hawks.     The Braunagels are a staple in the Illini lineup.  They burst onto the NCAA scene last season, and have consistently been ranked in the top 15 ever since. In this episode, we meet both Zac and Danny and talk about   -The Iowa Dual and specifically Zac's match with Brands -The first time they met Bryan Medlin -Why Illinois? -Is Coach Heff the Godfather of the Illini program? -Wrestling IMAR -Post weigh-in, cheat meals   We'll be back in two weeks for episode three. Please enjoy!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner (@Ryan_N_Warner).

The Illini Wrestling Team is ranked 7th in the country!    It's the first installment of the Illini Wrestling Podcast where host Ryan Warner talks with Coach Mike Poeta about the Illini's big weekend, where they beat both Wisconsin and Ohio State.   Check back next week for episode number two!   *  FOLLOW the FIGHTING ILLINI   Twitter: @IlliniWrestling Instagram:  @IlliniWrestling Facebook: @IlliniWrestling Website: IlliniWrestling.Com *** ABOUT Your home for Fighting Illini Wrestling! Dual recaps, interviews, and behind the scenes coverage of your favorite team.  Hosted by Ryan Warner.