La Salle graduate Lucas Byrd wins NCAA Division I wrestling national championship
La Salle graduate and Illinois redshirt senior Lucas Byrd had already earned his third-career All-American honor in the 2025 NCAA Division I Championships.
On Saturday night, he got his national title.
Byrd, the nation's top seed at 133 pounds, defeated Iowa's Drake Ayala in the national championship finals. Ayala handed the 23-1 Byrd his only defeat of the year back in January with a 4-2 decision in a dual meet. Byrd returned the favor in the Big Ten finals, getting a pin-fall win for the conference crown.
THE BYRD IS THE WORD 😤
— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling) March 23, 2025
(1) Lucas Byrd of @IlliniWrestling defeats (2) Drake Ayala of Iowa to claim the national title at 133. #NCAAWrestlingpic.twitter.com/mELSsRWAOz
In the rubber match for the national championship, the pair exchanged escapes in the second and third periods for a 1-1 tie going to overtime. Ayala took a 2-1 lead in the second overtime with an escape, but gave up a point on a stalling penalty. In the final overtime, Byrd gained enough riding time for a point, winning the national championship in a 3-2 decision.
In the first round of the national tournament, Byrd had a 3-2 win over Cal Baptist's Hunter Leake and then a 9-0 major decision against Penn's Ryan Miller to reach the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, Byrd had another major decision, beating Penn State's Braden Davis 12-1. With that win, Byrd advanced to the semifinals and secured a top six finish, cementing his All-American status. He secured his finals appearance with a 2-0 win against Cal Poly's Zeth Romney.
Byrd was also an All-American in 2021 and 2022 when he finished fifth in the national tournament each time. Byrd was a national qualifier in 2023 but didn't place. He did not compete last season, taking a medical redshirt.
Heading to the Semifinals and All-American at 133 pounds, Lucas Byrd!
— Illinois Wrestling (@IlliniWrestling) March 21, 2025
[1] @lukebyrd106 major dec. [8] Braeden Davis (PSU), 12-1! pic.twitter.com/Ggh6AyhqKn
Byrd graduated from La Salle in 2019 after becoming the first Lancer to win multiple state championships. Byrd placed seventh in the Ohio High School Athletic Association's state tournament as a freshman in 2016 and jumped to third as a sophomore. He then secured a 113-pound state title in 2018 and a 120-pound title in 2019.
Byrd was one of three Lancers to win state titles in 2019, leading the program to a Division I team runner-up finish.
With the title, Byrd became the first Fighting Illini wrestler to win a national title since Isaiah Martinez won back-to-back 157-pound titles in 2015 and 2016.
He becomes the first local product to win a Division I wrestling title since Lawrenceburg native Mason Parris won a 285-pound championship for Michigan in 2023. Parris also won the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's top collegiate wrestler that year.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: La Salle graduate, Illinois wrestler Lucas Byrd wins NCAA championship
Topics
-
Kasson-Mantorville graduate Patrick Kennedy places fourth at NCAA Wrestling Championships
Mar. 22—PHILADELPHIA — Kasson-Mantorville graduate and University of Iowa wrestler Patrick Kennedy is an All-American. Through a black right eye that seemed partially shut, the four-time MSHSL ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Three Erie-area wrestlers to compete at NCAA Division I championships. Who are they?
Three former Cathedral Prep wrestlers will compete at the 2025 NCAA Division I wrestling championships. Who are they?Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Penn State nears fourth straight men's wrestling national title after 10 earn All-American status
Penn State is closing in on its fourth straight Division I men’s wrestling championship and its 12th in 14 years under coach Cael Sanderson. All 10 Penn State wrestlers earned All-American status ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Pitt-Johnstown's Isaiah Vance advances to NCAA Division II wrestling semifinals, Trevon Gray locks down All-American honors
INDIANAPOLIS – Pitt-Johnstown’s Isaiah Vance (285 pounds) won his first two matches to reach the semifinals Friday at the 2025 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships inside Corteva Coliseum. ...Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15 -
ECU's Parker Byrd, first Division I player with prosthetic leg, records first career hit vs. William & Mary
Byrd made history last year, and he got his first hit on FridayCBS Sports - Mar. 15 -
Penn State goes 20-0, takes lead on the opening day of Division I men's wrestling championships
Penn State is well-positioned to claim its fourth straight national championship after having a perfect opening day Thursday at the Division I Men’s Wrestling Championships. It was the first time ...Yahoo Sports - 3d -
CSUB wrestler Ferrari finishes 3rd at NCAA Championships
Once the reality of not being able to leave Philadelphia with his second NCAA Division I wrestling championship set in, Cal State Bakersfield 197-pound AJ Ferrari went right back to work, finishing ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Fans at NCAA Wrestling Championships Show Love For Trump. But Not So Much Musk.
President Trump and Elon Musk took in the Division I wrestling championship in Philadelphia on Saturday. But some of Mr. Trump’s supporters expressed complicated feelings about his billionaire ...The New York Times - 14h -
NCAA championship brackets released, 3 CSUB wrestlers learn seedings, opposition
The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will take place March 20-22 in Philadelphia, but the bracket draws involving the three Cal State Bakersfield wrestlers who qualified in the 125-, 197- ...Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
More from Yahoo Sports
-
New Zealand qualify for World Cup but Chris Wood injured
New Zealand reached the World Cup for only the third time with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia on Monday but lost Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood to injury.New Zealand have been to the World Cup ...Yahoo Sports - 1h -
F1 standings after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s results in China wiped out
Hamilton and Leclerc were both disqualified after the Chinese Grand PrixYahoo Sports - 1h -
Why was Lewis Hamilton disqualified from Chinese Grand Prix?
Hamilton had crossed the line in sixth but later suffered a DQ along with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly of AlpineYahoo Sports - 1h -
What's next for Illinois basketball? Transfer portal, NBA, recruiting and more
Illinois basketball finished the 2024-25 season in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. What's next for the Illini? We take a lookYahoo Sports - 1h -
Hopewell boys basketball coach Mark D'Alessandris to resign after three seasons
After three seasons, Hopewell basketball head coach Mark D'Alessandris is set to resign from the position.Yahoo Sports - 1h
More in Sports
-
Juventus sack Motta, hire Tudor after heavy losses
Juventus have sacked manager Thiago Motta and appointed Igor Tudor, the Serie A club said on Sunday, following two consecutive heavy defeats.ESPN - 56m -
Henderson: Hired a van to watch England at Euros
Jordan Henderson has revealed that he drove to Germany in a van to watch England at last summer's European Championship final after missing out on a call-up.ESPN - 56m -
Marsch sent off during Canada win over USMNT
Canada coach Jesse Marsch was shown a direct red card during early in the second half of his team's 2-1 Concacaf Nations League third-place match win over the United States on Sunday.ESPN - 56m -
You da' Maignan: 'Difference' in goal, Mbappé says
France produced a great attacking performance to overturn a two-goal deficit against Croatia and level their Nations League tie on Sunday, but it was keeper Mike Maignan who stole the spotlight ...ESPN - 56m -
Ball boy hailed as hero as Germany oust Italy
Germany's 5-4 aggregate win over Italy on Sunday earned them a spot in the Nations League last four and also created an unlikely new hero: a rookie ball boy.ESPN - 56m