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Mar. 28—CHAMPAIGN — If he doesn't ever wrestle again, Lucas Byrd is going to have a final match memory that lasts a lifetime.
On Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, the Illinois 133-pounder delivered a 3-2 win on tiebreakers against nemesis Drake Ayala of Iowa. They split a pair of matches earlier in the season. This time the stakes were bigger: the final of the NCAA championships.
How did Byrd make it happen?
"Really just believing in myself," he told the media on Thursday at Huff Hall. "Wrestling is a big sport of being a firm believer of, 'Oh, I can do this.' Just knowing I have the best coaches in the country. They want what's best for me. I just need to go out there and really show the country that I can do it."
That the victory came against rival Ayala added to the moment. Ayala won the first match of the season between the two at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and Byrd got revenge in the Big Ten final.
"After losing back in January, it sucked," Byrd said.
He had a lengthy conversation with longtime Illinois assistant coach Jeremy Hunter after the earlier loss. They talked about Byrd's next steps.
"I really trust Jeremy," Byrd said. "Any time Jeremy said, 'Hey, we're working on this today,' I was like, 'Sounds good. Whatever you think needs to be done is going to be what's in the best interest for me.'"
Hunter clearly knows his stuff and has been in Byrd's position before. He won the 125-pound NCAA title in 2000 while wrestling for Penn State. He joined the Illinois staff in 2001 while continuing to compete.
The connection between Byrd and Hunter — and the other Illinois coaches — was by design.
On Thursday, almost a week after Byrd won the title, Hunter was still offering coaching tips.
"Winning a national title is amazing, but there are still so many different ways to improve and keep getting better," Byrd said.
How did Byrd feel when he knew he had won the title?
"It's kind of been that surreal feeling of doing it," Byrd said. "I really did the thing that everybody wants to do."
He was able to celebrate with his family, teammates, coaches and girlfriend Ellie Holzman, a former Illinois volleyball player.
It was the end of a long journey.
"Wrestling takes and it usually only ever takes," Byrd said. "It hardly, rarely gives. But when it gives, it's those moments that are the real moments like winning a national title, winning a Big Ten title. You've cut weight all year. You go through all these different things."
Like a medical redshirt, which Byrd used in 2024. He suffered a wrist injury.
"There was no thought of, 'Oh, am I going to be able to wrestle again?' But the thought was like, 'How am I going to have to change my wrestling style?'"
Turns out not at all.
"Nothing really changed," he said.
During his time away from competition, Byrd helped coach a wrestling club. It added perspective to his own situation.
Choice to make
Wrestling has been an important part of Byrd's life.
"The moments that it has given me is like a drug," he said. "It's given me a state title. I've been on a world team. It's given me these big moments like, 'Dang, I want to come back.' You win a national title and it's like, 'Dang, I want to do it again.'"
That is a possibility for Byrd. He can return for another season and take a shot at the 2026 NCAA title, which is scheduled for Cleveland. Byrd is from Cincinnati.
"Two's better than one obviously," Byrd said.
If he doesn't return to Illinois next season, Byrd is considering a career in mixed-martial arts.
"I like to compete," he said. "It's that itch of wanting to compete. MMA, it's one v. one. It's your best versus my best."
He is not rushing the decision.
TikTokToe
Byrd and Holzman have become famous on social media for their videos.
Holzman was making videos before they became a couple.
"It was kind of her thing," Byrd said.
When they started dating, Holzman suggested TikTok.
"We made it and it blew up," Byrd said. "Doing a goofy dance isn't hard to do. It's a fun thing to have in our relationship."
Continue reading...
On Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, the Illinois 133-pounder delivered a 3-2 win on tiebreakers against nemesis Drake Ayala of Iowa. They split a pair of matches earlier in the season. This time the stakes were bigger: the final of the NCAA championships.
How did Byrd make it happen?
"Really just believing in myself," he told the media on Thursday at Huff Hall. "Wrestling is a big sport of being a firm believer of, 'Oh, I can do this.' Just knowing I have the best coaches in the country. They want what's best for me. I just need to go out there and really show the country that I can do it."
That the victory came against rival Ayala added to the moment. Ayala won the first match of the season between the two at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and Byrd got revenge in the Big Ten final.
"After losing back in January, it sucked," Byrd said.
He had a lengthy conversation with longtime Illinois assistant coach Jeremy Hunter after the earlier loss. They talked about Byrd's next steps.
"I really trust Jeremy," Byrd said. "Any time Jeremy said, 'Hey, we're working on this today,' I was like, 'Sounds good. Whatever you think needs to be done is going to be what's in the best interest for me.'"
Hunter clearly knows his stuff and has been in Byrd's position before. He won the 125-pound NCAA title in 2000 while wrestling for Penn State. He joined the Illinois staff in 2001 while continuing to compete.
The connection between Byrd and Hunter — and the other Illinois coaches — was by design.
On Thursday, almost a week after Byrd won the title, Hunter was still offering coaching tips.
"Winning a national title is amazing, but there are still so many different ways to improve and keep getting better," Byrd said.
How did Byrd feel when he knew he had won the title?
"It's kind of been that surreal feeling of doing it," Byrd said. "I really did the thing that everybody wants to do."
He was able to celebrate with his family, teammates, coaches and girlfriend Ellie Holzman, a former Illinois volleyball player.
It was the end of a long journey.
"Wrestling takes and it usually only ever takes," Byrd said. "It hardly, rarely gives. But when it gives, it's those moments that are the real moments like winning a national title, winning a Big Ten title. You've cut weight all year. You go through all these different things."
Like a medical redshirt, which Byrd used in 2024. He suffered a wrist injury.
"There was no thought of, 'Oh, am I going to be able to wrestle again?' But the thought was like, 'How am I going to have to change my wrestling style?'"
Turns out not at all.
"Nothing really changed," he said.
During his time away from competition, Byrd helped coach a wrestling club. It added perspective to his own situation.
Choice to make
Wrestling has been an important part of Byrd's life.
"The moments that it has given me is like a drug," he said. "It's given me a state title. I've been on a world team. It's given me these big moments like, 'Dang, I want to come back.' You win a national title and it's like, 'Dang, I want to do it again.'"
That is a possibility for Byrd. He can return for another season and take a shot at the 2026 NCAA title, which is scheduled for Cleveland. Byrd is from Cincinnati.
"Two's better than one obviously," Byrd said.
If he doesn't return to Illinois next season, Byrd is considering a career in mixed-martial arts.
"I like to compete," he said. "It's that itch of wanting to compete. MMA, it's one v. one. It's your best versus my best."
He is not rushing the decision.
TikTokToe
Byrd and Holzman have become famous on social media for their videos.
Holzman was making videos before they became a couple.
"It was kind of her thing," Byrd said.
When they started dating, Holzman suggested TikTok.
"We made it and it blew up," Byrd said. "Doing a goofy dance isn't hard to do. It's a fun thing to have in our relationship."
Continue reading...
