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Illini Legends, Lists and Lore: Wrestling's title twins

Eighteen years ago today on March 17, 2001, something happened with Illinois wrestling that has occurred only three times in its 108-year varsity history.

It was the day when two Illini were crowned NCAA champions.

Two weeks earlier at the Big Ten Championships, a pair of Illini senior grapplers —top-seeded 184-pound Nate Patrick and fourth-seeded Pat Quirk (197 pounds) — both won individual titles, leading Illinois to a second-place team finish behind Minnesota. The Illini also got runner-up finishes from a trio of wrestlers: senior Adam Tirapelle (149), sophomore Matt Lackey (165) and junior heavyweight John Lockhart.