The News-Gazette · Mar 17, 2019
Illini Legends, Lists and Lore: Wrestling's title twins
Photo by: BUZZ ORR/APEighteen 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.