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ILLINI CAMPS
If you are looking for instruction from the best of the best, the ILLINI and IRTC coaching staff can give you that. As you can see from the graphic below, the Team Camp has space limitations, so sign up now!
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ZAC BRAUNAGEL
The Brawny one won the World Team Trials tournament and is now in Final X. That will be on June 10, streamed by FloWrestling (subscription service). Here is a preview of his matchup at Final X from USA Wrestling:
87 kg – Alan Vera (Jersey City, N.J./New York AC) vs. Zachary Braunagel (Belleville, Ill./Illinois RTC/Illini WC)
2023 U.S. Open champion Alan Vera comes to Final X as a two-time U.S. Senior World Team member, while World Team Trials Challenge Tournament winner Zachary Braunagel, a University of Illinois student-athlete, is just getting his Senior career unleashed. Vera defeated Braunagel in an 9-0 technical fall in the U.S. Open semifinals in Las Vegas, then won the finals over 2020 U.S. Olympian John Stefanowicz. It was Stefanowicz who beat Vera in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. In the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, veteran Richard Carlson beat Stefanowicz in the semifinals, then Braunagel stopped Carlson to qualify for Final X.
Vera learned his Greco-Roman basics competing for Cuba, where he won a Senior Pan American Championships title and a Pan American Games bronze medal. He emigrated to the USA, wrestling in open international events until he became a citizen. He is looking to make his third straight Senior World Team. Braunagel came up through the Illinois USA Wrestling program, winning a Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title and freestyle runner-up finish in 2018. Braunagel talks about enjoying competing in all three styles, including his college efforts for the Illini. Greco-Roman seems to be the style he has taken the farthest, making a U20 World Team and placing third at the U.S. Open twice. This will be a battle of a true Greco-Roman specialist against a rising young star with impressive skills in all styles.
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CAELAN RILEY
Give a warm welcome to Caelan Riley, the former Lockport and Citadel wrestler, who is transferring to ILLINOIS to shore up 125. Here he'll join high school teammate Danny Pucino for a possible future one-two punch?
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LOGAN SWAW
The ILLINI recruit, who will be a true freshman this season, represented Izzy Style Wrestling in an epic dual with AWA, Ben and Max Askren's teams from Wisconsin. Logan beat the Wisconsin state champ in one of the co-main events. He tore him up!
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COACH BRYAN MEDLIN
You'll want to read this interview of Coach Medlin from Five Point Move. He goes over the Greco portion of his IRTC roster in some depth, and he's always a good read. Here's the interview.
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THE NEW JOMBO!
The latest Jombo McFeedstore is out! You can buy this unique bit of Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling history for one billion dollars (US). If you are quite stupid but still somehow have loads of money, this is the investment for you.
What will JOMBO do next!
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If you are looking for instruction from the best of the best, the ILLINI and IRTC coaching staff can give you that. As you can see from the graphic below, the Team Camp has space limitations, so sign up now!
.
.
ZAC BRAUNAGEL
The Brawny one won the World Team Trials tournament and is now in Final X. That will be on June 10, streamed by FloWrestling (subscription service). Here is a preview of his matchup at Final X from USA Wrestling:
87 kg – Alan Vera (Jersey City, N.J./New York AC) vs. Zachary Braunagel (Belleville, Ill./Illinois RTC/Illini WC)
2023 U.S. Open champion Alan Vera comes to Final X as a two-time U.S. Senior World Team member, while World Team Trials Challenge Tournament winner Zachary Braunagel, a University of Illinois student-athlete, is just getting his Senior career unleashed. Vera defeated Braunagel in an 9-0 technical fall in the U.S. Open semifinals in Las Vegas, then won the finals over 2020 U.S. Olympian John Stefanowicz. It was Stefanowicz who beat Vera in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. In the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, veteran Richard Carlson beat Stefanowicz in the semifinals, then Braunagel stopped Carlson to qualify for Final X.
Vera learned his Greco-Roman basics competing for Cuba, where he won a Senior Pan American Championships title and a Pan American Games bronze medal. He emigrated to the USA, wrestling in open international events until he became a citizen. He is looking to make his third straight Senior World Team. Braunagel came up through the Illinois USA Wrestling program, winning a Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title and freestyle runner-up finish in 2018. Braunagel talks about enjoying competing in all three styles, including his college efforts for the Illini. Greco-Roman seems to be the style he has taken the farthest, making a U20 World Team and placing third at the U.S. Open twice. This will be a battle of a true Greco-Roman specialist against a rising young star with impressive skills in all styles.
.
.
CAELAN RILEY
Give a warm welcome to Caelan Riley, the former Lockport and Citadel wrestler, who is transferring to ILLINOIS to shore up 125. Here he'll join high school teammate Danny Pucino for a possible future one-two punch?
.
.
LOGAN SWAW
The ILLINI recruit, who will be a true freshman this season, represented Izzy Style Wrestling in an epic dual with AWA, Ben and Max Askren's teams from Wisconsin. Logan beat the Wisconsin state champ in one of the co-main events. He tore him up!
.
.
COACH BRYAN MEDLIN
You'll want to read this interview of Coach Medlin from Five Point Move. He goes over the Greco portion of his IRTC roster in some depth, and he's always a good read. Here's the interview.
.
.
.
THE NEW JOMBO!
The latest Jombo McFeedstore is out! You can buy this unique bit of Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling history for one billion dollars (US). If you are quite stupid but still somehow have loads of money, this is the investment for you.
What will JOMBO do next!
.