2025 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

March 21, 2025

Lucas Byrd

Wells Fargo Center

Semifinals Media Conference

133 Lbs

THE MODERATOR: 133 lb semifinal, Lucas Byrd of Illinois has a 2-0 win in the first national semifinal. Lucas?

LUCAS BYRD: It's going to be short, but I got to remember where my toes are at.

Q. You've had an interesting journey. You have placed twice. You didn't place, redshirted, and here you are in the finals. Walk us through how you got to this point.

LUCAS BYRD: Been a crazy ride, you know, I've leaned on trusting my coaches. I can't tell you how many workouts I've done with Jeremy Hunter alone to get to where I am. I give him a lot of credit.

But I mean, there is a slew of people I could thank. So far it's been a lot of me and Jeremy really dialing in on what's going to win matches and just one match at a time and going forward.

Q. Obviously a final that didn't have as many points as maybe you wanted, but talk about winning the positions you needed to win and coming out with the victory.

LUCAS BYRD: A lot of these semifinal matches, when it's, you know, a lot of tough guys, if you're in the semis, you're probably a really good wrestler. A lot of these matches are probably going to be close matches or somebody is getting caught. And just smart wrestling and wrestling through every position is what's going to get those matches won.

Q. Rematch of the Big Ten finals, how do you prepare?

LUCAS BYRD: Looking forward to it. No preparation different from the first match of the tournament, wrestling the California Baptist kid to the finals. It's the same game plan. I don't plan on changing anything.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Lucas.