Saturday, November 8, 2025 - 7:00 PM
Rider Broncs at No. 15 Illinois Fighting Illini
LOCATION-  Champaign, IL
WATCH- BIG+
Live Stats: TrackWrestling

 What You Need to Know
- The Rider wrestling team opens its dual meet schedule Saturday night on the road at No. 15 Illinois.

Last Time Out
- Six Broncs earned podium finishes in the season opener at the Princeton Open.
- Elijah Griffin led the way, capturing the 141-pound title with wins over two nationally ranked opponents in his Rider debut.
- Brock Zurawski (197 lbs) and Dylan Layton (149 lbs) each finished second.
- Tyler Klinsky (125 lbs), Will Betancourt (133 lbs), and Brendon Abdon (165 lbs) each placed third.

Broncs in the Rankings - FloWrestling / InterMat
125 lbs: No. 26 / No. 24 — Tyler Klinsky
141 lbs: No. 19 / No. 24 — Elijah Griffin
165 lbs: No. 31 / No. 32 — Brendon Abdon
197 lbs: No. 19 / No. 22 — Brock Zurawski

History vs. Illinois
- This marks just the second all-time meeting between the programs.
- The first came in 2014, when the Broncs fell 29-6 on the road.

Scouting Illinois
- Illinois is coming off a 9-4 overall record last season, including a 4-4 mark in Big Ten competition.
- The Fighting Illini placed 10th at the 2024 NCAA Championships—their best finish since 2016—and sent eight wrestlers to nationals, with five returning this year.
- Illinois is led by No. 1-ranked Lucas Byrd (133 lbs), the reigning NCAA Champion and the program's first national champion since Isaiah Martinez in 2016.
- Byrd is a three-time All-American and a four-time NCAA qualifier.

Fighting Illini in the Rankings - FloWrestling / InterMat
125 lbs: No. 13 / No. 15 — Spencer Moore
133 lbs: No. 1 / No. 1 — Lucas Byrd
141 lbs: No. 16 / No. 15 — Danny Pucino
157 lbs: No. 8 / No. 10 — Kannon Webster
165 lbs: No. 9 / No. 8 — Braden Scoles
184 lbs: — / No. 25 — Chris Moore
285 lbs: No. 7 / No. 8 — Luke Luffman
- Pucino, Webster, Scoles, and Luffman all return for Illinois after qualifying for last year's NCAA Championships.

Projected Lineups
Rider
125 lbs: No. 26/No. 24 Tyler Klinsky
133 lbs: Will Betancourt
141 lbs: No. 19/No. 24 Elijah Griffin
149 lbs: Dylan Layton
157 lbs: James Farina or Liam Scrivanich
165 lbs: No. 31/No. 32 Brendon Abdon
174 lbs: Enrique Munguia
184 lbs: JP Hangey
197 lbs: No. 19/No. 22 Brock Zurawski
285 lbs: Steyn De Lange

Illinois
125 lbs: No. 13/No. 15 Spencer Moore
133 lbs: No. 1/No. 1 Lucas Byrd
141 lbs: No. 16/No. 15 Danny Pucino
149 lbs: Will Baysingar
157 lbs: No. 8/No. 10 Kannon Webster 
165 lbs: No. 9/No. 8 Braden Scoles 
174 lbs: Colin Kelly
184 lbs: -/No. 25  Chris Moore 
197 lbs: Dylan Connell
285 lbs: No. 7/No. 8 Luke Luffman