The No. 18 Fighting Illini will head to Sin City this weekend to compete in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

Ten of the top 25 National Wrestling Coaches Association ranked teams will be competing in Las Vegas, including the Big Ten’s No. 9 Wisconsin, No. 10 Michigan, No. 16 Ohio State and Illinois.

Head coach Mark Johnson and his men have not competed in the meet since 2005 when they finished sixth.

The team outlook for competitions is one that remains important to the Illini.

“You learn to work to lose and win on your own, but there’s also a great team value in it,” Johnson said. “The guys are very close-knit for being in an individual sport.”

More than 80 individually ranked grapplers will be competing in the meet, including five top-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes.

The Illini’s Jimmy Kennedy (133 pounds) will be competing in a class that will see three of the top five wrestlers for that class competing.

Kennedy is coming off of a Missouri Open title and his personal goal remains the same.

“My goal growing up was always to be a National Champion and that still hasn’t changed,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy also said he will continue working on simple technique, like getting out from the bottom and being more in control.

Junior Mike Poeta’s (157) outlook on the season seems more psychologically based.

“I just have to stay positive and be confident when I go out there, and good things will happen,” Poeta said.

While most of the Illini wrestling team will be competing in Vegas, some of the team will be participating in the Northern Iowa Open this Sunday. Grapplers from schools in Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska and Illinois will be competing.

Over the three-day period, Illini wrestling will get its fair share of practice in competition, which seems to be vital in achieving success.

“It’s hard to get or teach experience,” Johnson said. “You just have to go through things.”

Johnson also sees a promising future for Illini wrestling as the program recently signed five recruits to national letters of intent.

“We’ve had some great recruiting classes but with all good Illinois kids that we really wanted – a terrific class,” Johnson said. “I think we feel good about it, that’s for sure.”

Las Vegas Invite probable lineup

Wt. Name Yr, Record

125 Gabe Flores Sr., 0-0

133 Jimmy Kennedy So., 3-0

141 Troy Tirapelle Jr., 3-0

149 Grant Paswall Fr., 5-0

157 Mike Poeta Jr., 4-0

165 Clint Arlis So., 2-1

174 John Dergo So., 5-0

184 David Gleissner Sr., 7-2

197 Patrick Bond So., 3-1

HWT John Wise Jr., 5-2