No. 22 Indiana wrestling closed out its dual season with a commanding 40-4 victory over the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Friday night in Maclellan Gymnasium. The Hoosiers won nine out of 10 bouts, with seven of those victories coming by bonus points.
The win capped a successful dual season, bringing Indiana's record to 8-5 for the year. Friday’s victory marked Indiana’s third consecutive win over Chattanooga and its third consecutive season with at least seven dual victories.
After a tough 10-2 major decision loss in the opening match at 157 lbs., the Hoosiers went on a relentless streak, winning the next nine bouts in a row as they outscored Chattanooga by a combined 36 points. The first win in the streak came from redshirt sophomore No. 18 Tyler Lillard, who overpowered redshirt junior Jackson Hurst 14-4 at 165 lbs. Lillard used his strong underhooks to power his offense and was key to securing the major decision.
At 184 lbs., graduate student No. 24 DJ Washington dominated his opponent in the final dual match of his illustrious career. Washington triumphed with consistent offense for all seven minutes, posting a 19-4 technical fall over redshirt sophomore Kamdyn Munro. This win cemented Washington’s Hoosier legacy as a starter since 2021 with an impressive performance.
The Hoosiers notched seven bonus-point victories, showcasing their offensive prowess across the board. Senior Gabe Sollars, ranked No. 21 at 197 lbs., picked up his fifth pin of the season with a quick fall at four minutes and one second into the match, giving Indiana an 18-4 lead. At heavyweight, graduate student No. 18 Jacob Bullock followed suit with a 19-4 technical fall, bringing the score to 23-4.
Graduate students No. 20 Jacob Moran and No. 25 Angelo Rini added to the Hoosiers’ success with a 15-5 major decision and an 8-5 decision at 125 lbs. and 133 lbs., respectively. After those wins, Indiana racked up 30 points with two matches to go and looked to keep the momentum rolling.
No. 26 redshirt sophomore Henry Porter and redshirt freshman Joey Buttler finished the dual for the Hoosiers with two more wins. Buttler impressed with his first career dual victory, pinning his opponent redshirt freshman Yuta Otero at two minutes and 54 seconds in the 149-pound match to complete the 40-4 win.
With the dual season now complete, the Hoosiers will shift focus to the Big Ten Championships, which will take place from March 8-9 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois.
