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Illini Legends, Lists and Lore: Coaching success in wrestling

Seventeen years ago today — Jan. 28, 2001 — Mark Johnson became the winningest Illinois wrestling coach ever, defeating 17th-ranked Penn State, 32-3. It was his 101st dual meet coaching victory at Illinois in nine years, one win more than B.R. "Pat" Patterson compiled during his 18 seasons with the Illini. Johnson won nearly 70 percent of Illinois' Big Ten duals and finished among the conference tournament's top four placers 11 times.

Here is how each of Illinois' 14 head wrestling coaches have fared:

— R.N. Fargo (1911): The university's first wrestling coach, his 1911 squad lost its only match, 2-1, at Indiana.