Wisconsin Badgers mourn the loss of wrestler killed in car accident
A Wisconsin Badgers wrestler died in a car accident Thursday night.
Eli Stickley, a soon-to-be redshirt junior who wrestled at 141 pounds for the Badgers, was killed in a crash in Illinois.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Stickley, 21, was driving a 2004 Nissan Frontier when it left the roadway on Interstate 74 in western Illinois. The vehicle went into the ditch and then overcorrected, rolling back onto the road before coming to a rest on the passenger side.
Stickley died at the Illini Hospital in Silvis, Illinois. The condition of another passenger in teh vehicle is unknown.
Wisconsin wrestling released a heartfelt statement on Friday:
"Our hearts are heavy today. The entire Badger Athletics family extends its most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of junior , a student-athlete with our wrestling team, who passed away last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with Eli's family, friends, teammates and coaches," the statement said.
Stickley was a starter for the Badgers, wrestling in the 141-pound weight class. He qualified for the NCAA Championships and finished the season with a record of 21-14.
Stickley was a starter for the Badgers this past season in the 141-pound weight class and qualified for the NCAA Championships. In 2016-17 he finished with a 20-19 overall record and in 2015-16's unattached campaign he went 20-9.
