Lemoore's Martinez wins second straight Big Ten wrestling championship

Monday, March 7, 2016 - 12:50pm

One of Lemoore High School’s best wrestlers ever, with three California State Championships and one NCAA title to his name, avenged the only loss of his collegiate wrestling career Saturday, beating his Big Ten nemesis Jason Nolf. Nolf, who wrestles for NCAA powerhouse Penn State, beat Martinez on January 23. Martinez, at that point the nation’s top wrestler at 157 pounds, had a 54-match winning streak on the line.

Nolf, only a freshman, beat the Illinois sophomore to take the top spot from Martinez.

See Martinez’s bout against Nolf

With the Big Ten title on the line, Martinez returned the favor, beating Nolf in double overtime 4-3 to win his second straight Big Ten championship.

As a team, Illinois finished seventh in the Big Ten tournament with 88 total points. Penn State won the Big Ten team championship.

Lemoore's Martinez wins second straight Big Ten wrestling championship

Athletics