Illinois Wrestling Names Jeremy Hunter Permanent Head Coach

The Illinois wrestling team has a new leader: On Thursday, athletic director Josh Whitman removed the "acting" tag from Jeremy Hunter's title and named Hunter the permanent head coach of the Illini wrestling program.

Congratulations to our longtime coach Jeremy Hunter, who has officially been named the 16th head coach of Illinois Wrestling.

Release: https://t.co/p27zAugxSn pic.twitter.com/XJ4LxrmCsH
— Illinois Wrestling (@IlliniWrestling) February 26, 2026

Hunter, who had been an Illinois assistant for the past 25 years, became the 16th head coach in the program's history. He replaced longtime Illini coach Mike Poeta, who was placed on administrative leave by the university on Dec. 19.

"I am honored to carry on the proud tradition of Illinois wrestling and am grateful for the opportunity to lead our student-athletes," Hunter said. "I've spent my entire coaching career at the University of Illinois; this place means everything to me. I am grateful to Josh Whitman for placing his trust in me to lead our program. And I especially want to thank our current team for their hard work and dedication during some uncertain times these last few months. I admire their steadfast commitment and competitive drive, and I am excited about our opportunities entering this important postseason."

A former Penn State wrestler, Hunter was a three-time All-American, won the 125-pound NCAA title in 2000 and was runner-up in 1999. He joined the Illini as a volunteer coach in 2001 and was elevated to a full-time assistant in 2009, serving the program as a staff member across three head coaches, including Mark Johnson, Jim Heffernan and Poeta.

Dominance all season 😤@lukebyrd106 won via tech. fall over Alan Koehler (NEB), 17-2 (5:59), to finish the regular season 17-0! pic.twitter.com/KWhDxYUFWT
— Illinois Wrestling (@IlliniWrestling) February 26, 2026

"For 25 years, Jeremy Hunter has committed himself to Illinois wrestling," Whitman said. "During his time as an assistant coach, Jeremy has played a significant role in many milestone moments for both the team and individual wrestlers. He is an incredible technician and an avid recruiter, and he has first-hand appreciation for the proud history and tradition of this program. That said, he is excited to leave his own stamp on the program and move it to even greater heights."

The decision to place Poeta on leave was followed by an investigation, Whitman said, into "potential violations of his employment agreement stemming from possible noncompliance with university fiscal control policies." In a release announcing Hunter's permanent promotion, the university stated that "the terms of Poeta's departure are still being finalized and will be communicated at the appropriate time."