CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) - Lucas Byrd is setting the bar even higher for himself after winning a national title at 133 pounds in March of 2025.

Bryd, who returns for his seventh and final year with the Illini, hopes to accomplish a number of things before moving on from college.

Dan Hodge Trophy

There aren't many ways to improve off a season that resulted in a Big Ten and national championship. Byrd went 23-1 overall in 2024-25.

How could 2025-26 be better?

For starters, he's chasing the Hodge Trophy. It's an award given annually to the most dominant wrestler, across all weight classes, in collegiate wrestling.

"You got to score a lot of points, you got to be real dominant to win the Hodge Trophy," Byrd said. "So that's kind of the goal, is to be the most dominant wrestler in the count

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