Freshman Isaiah Martinez of Illinois making immediate impact

Illinois freshman Isaiah Martinez is 18-0 and ranked No. 3 nationally at 157 pounds. Mark Lundy photos.


EVANSTON, Ill. – Isaiah Martinez had just accomplished something very few freshmen achieve.


The talented young Illinois standout captured a title at the prestigious Midlands Championships on Dec. 30 at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena.


But Martinez was far from satisfied as he shook his head while walking off the mat.


Martinez’s 6-3 finals win over No. 14 Cody Pack of South Dakota State wasn’t cause for celebration in his eyes.


“I didn’t feel very good about that match,” said Martinez, who scored bonus points in his four Midlands bouts prior to the finals. “I’m a really aggressive wrestler who scores a lot of points. I’m disappointed I only scored six points in the finals. It’s one of the lowest scoring matches I’ve had in college.


“It just upsets me because I want to go out there and dominate.”


Martinez has provided a spark that college wrestling has needed this season. He’s a wide-open, point-scoring machine who competes with an attacking style.


He’s 18-0 and ranked No. 3 nationally at 157 pounds. He’s scored bonus points in all but four matches.


“Isaiah’s definitely fun to watch,” Illinois associate head coach Mark Perry said. “He’s an exciting wrestler. He’s extremely explosive and strong. He’s the full package. 


“He’s going out and scoring points, and he has even more to give. He hasn’t put it all together yet. He’s going to be really fun to watch over the next four years.”


Martinez, from Lemoore, Calif., arrived in Champaign-Urbana with sparkling credentials. He won three California state titles in high school and racked-up a whopping 205 wins in his standout prep career.


Martinez redshirted last season at Illinois and compiled a 13-2 record in open tournaments. Among the wrestlers he defeated was Wisconsin’s Isaac Jordan, who went on to become an All-American this past March.


Martinez also is a top prospect in freestyle. He is a past Cadet and Junior Nationals champion who placed second in the 2014 U.S. Junior World Team Trials.


“I believe Isaiah can be a major force in freestyle,” Perry said. “It’s definitely something he wants to do and I think he’s got a chance to be really good.”


Martinez and his Illinois teammates embark on a tough road trip this weekend. The Fighting Illini faces Iowa on Friday and Minnesota on Sunday. Both teams have been ranked No. 1 this season.


Martinez is scheduled to face top-ranked Dylan Ness of Minnesota on the trip. Ness is a three-time All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up.


Martinez is in a tough 157 class in the Big Ten that also includes three-time All-American James Green of Nebraska, a University World silver medalist. Illinois wrestles the Huskers next week.


“Isaiah has really great competition at his weight class,” Perry said. “There are some guys who have been around who are very strong and experienced at 157. We just have to keep improving.”


Martinez has benefited from training in the Illinois room with top international freestyle wrestlers Boris Novachkov and Chase Pami, who both finished second at the NCAA tournament. Novachkov wrestled in the last two World Championships for Bulgaria.


Martinez followed fellow Californian Jesse Delgado to Illinois. Delgado, a senior, is a two-time NCAA champion who is ranked No. 1 at 125.


“Jesse has had a really big impact on me,” Martinez said. “I used to compete against him in high school. It’s awesome to see the mentality he has. He applies that to what he does every single day and he’s become a huge success story. It really influences me being around him – it’s been awesome. He has the same goals that I have. We both want to be the best.”


Martinez is just a 20-year-old redshirt freshman, but he’s already had a big influence on his Illinois teammates.


“The biggest thing I like about Isaiah is his leadership qualities,” Perry said. “He’s already one of the major leaders on our team. Just his confidence and the way he trains, he’s a great example for our guys to follow. We have a lot of young, hungry and talented guys like Isaiah, and they can learn from what he’s doing.


“Isaiah just loves to wrestle. Wrestling is his life and he wants to be a coach when he’s done competing. He has extremely high expectations as a wrestler. He is open to learning new things and he listens to his coaches. He wants to be great – that’s why he’s gotten to a high level so quickly. He has the mentality to want to reach the top right away.”


Martinez has worked closely with Perry, a two-time NCAA champion for Iowa who has developed into an outstanding coach.


“Mark Perry has the same mentality as me,” Martinez said. “He’s high octane and he wants a lot of action in matches. He tells me to go out there and wrestle aggressively and have fun. He really believes in me and he brings more confidence into my wrestling. He said my ability level and skill level is as good as anyone. He’s a big reason for my success.”


Martinez knows his opponents are coming up with different tactics and strategies to try and stymie his high-scoring attack.


“The guy slowed me down in the Midlands finals,” he said. “I’m learning as I go. I’m just a freshman. I learn from every experience I get, and I just continue to work hard and get better.”


When Martinez stepped on the mat for the Midlands finals, 149-pound champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern was walking off after his finals win. Tsirtsis won an NCAA title as a freshman last year.


“How big an impact can I make?” Martinez said, repeating a question he was asked after his Midlands triumph. “I’m telling everyone now that I think I’m going to be a national champion this year. I’m gunning for that.


“I’m only a freshman, but I think I can make a huge impact at NCAAs. I want to be a leader on my team. I have great practice partners and I keep getting better. If I do my job, I’ll make the right kind of impact.”