Wrestling: Israel Martinez not coaching Montini at dual team state Saturday

Montini wrestling coach Israel Martinez is not coaching the Broncos at IHSA dual team state Saturday in Bloomington. The circumstances surrounding Martinez’s absence remain unclear.

Asked Saturday morning about Martinez, Montini athletic director Tom Lentine said, “No comment.”

Lentine would not comment on if Martinez was still the coach at Montini or if he had been suspended for any reason.

Martinez coached the Broncos just last week at the individual state finals in Champaign. Martinez did not return return messages left by Shaw Media Illinois on Friday.

Martinez has coached Montini to seven IHSA dual team state championships in the past nine seasons. He coached 11 Montini wrestlers to individual state medals last week. That included five individual state champions.

Martinez is also a popular club wrestling coach with his Izzy Style Wrestling, based out of Addison. Many of the Chicago area’s top wrestlers, even those outside the Montini program, train with Martinez.