Matt Lackey
Moline/University of Illinois
Matt Lackey graduated from Moline High School in 1998. Matt was a two time IHSA State Champion and a three time state place-winner and helped Moline to a State Championship in 1996 and aided the Maroons to finish fourth in 1998. Matt placed third at 119 pounds as a freshman. After injury ended his sophomore season prematurely he then won back to back titles in 1997 at 145 pounds and at 152 pounds in 1998. He was a 1995 Cadet All-American and a 1996 Cadet National Champion and was named the Outstanding Wrestler. In 1998, Matt won the Junior National Championship at 165 pounds and was selected as Asics 3rd Team All-American.
Matt won the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award by the State of Illinois and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
After high school, Matt moved on to the University of Illinois. He won the 2003 NCAA Championship at 165 pounds and was a three time All-American. Matt was a two time Big Ten Champion and was the only Illinois wrestler to win the Big Ten’s Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year Award. In 2003 he was selected at the Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year winner. Matt holds the University of Illinois record for career winning percentage (.896, 120-14) and ranks seventh in school history with 120 career wins. Matt is also one of only two Illini wrestlers in school history to go undefeated in a season (38-0, 2002-03) and his thirty-eight wins in both 2002 and 2003 are the third most wins in school history.