MAHOMET – University of Illinois coach Mark Johnson is convinced John Lockhart can be a major college wrestler. The Mahomet-Seymour High School senior isn't one to argue.

"That just boosted my confidence tremendously to think that level of program could show an interest in me," Lockhart said. "The interest he showed in me was exciting."

Johnson has backed up that interest by offering Lockhart a partial scholarship, an offer the reigning Class A state heavyweight champion snapped up.

"It's a tremendous honor to me for him to offer me a spot on the team," Lockhart said.

Lockhart said he planned to sign a letter of intent with the Illini as soon as the paperwork arrived at his home. Wednesday was the first day of the national signing period. Under NCAA rules, Johnson cannot comment on recruits until he has received a signed letter of intent.

The commitment to Illinois caps a whirlwind year for Lockhart, one that started with his transfer from Hoopeston Area High School to M-S and included a 41-0 season, a No. 1 ranking at his weight and an individual state title.

"It's amazing all the good things that have happened," the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Lockhart said. "Hopefully it will continue and I'll have a great career at Illinois."

Lockhart admits that Johnson's interest took him by surprise. He'd been contacted by many more Division III than Division I schools. When they sat down to talk about Lockhart coming to the UI, the Bulldog senior was eager to explore the reasons why the Illini coach was recruiting him.

"I asked things like, what made him think I would be good enough for Division I, coming from a single A school and winning only one state title and being relatively small for heavyweight," Lockhart said. "I wanted to know whether he had any reservations.

"He thought I had a lot of potential and a lot of room for improvement with time and coaching and physical training."

Lockhart will get that extra time. Johnson indicated during their talk the M-S wrestler would be redshirted as a freshman. That's fine with Lockhart.

"I have a large frame, big bones, but I'm still really undeveloped," he said. "It would be a lot to make up if I didn't redshirt."

M-S coach Rob Porter, pointing out that Lockhart is still a relative novice to heavyweight, agreed.

"This will give John a chance to grow into that position," Porter said. "He'll have a good workout partner. Strength training is going to be very important for him. He's going to be with a whole new class of kids, and he's going to have to really build up on his strength."

Lockhart said his questions about whether he could make the jump from Class A to NCAA Division I were alleviated last season. Every time he was matched against a Class AA opponent, Lockhart won.

"A lot of them went into overtime, but I knew I could hang with the Double A guys," he said.

A four-time state tournament qualifier, Lockhart finished his career 122-21. As a junior at Hoopeston Area, he placed second in the state at 189 pounds.

In other wrestling news:

UI awaits transfer. Adam Tirapelle, a two-time state prep champion from California, has decided to transfer from Stanford to the UI.

Tirapelle said Wednesday he has received his release from Stanford and will enroll at Illinois in the fall. The 142-pounder, who redshirted as a freshman last season, will have four years of eligibility beginning next season.

"Wrestling's just not a big deal here," Tirapelle said of Stanford. "I thought I was getting into something a little different. I know Coach (Johnson) has done a great job there and wrestling is important."

Tirapelle was recruited vigorously out of high school by Johnson. However, when Stanford offered a full scholarship – a rare move for most college programs – Tirapelle said it was too good to turn down.

"I realize now I made a mistake in coming to Stanford," Tirapelle said. "I was really interested in Illinois last year."I feel like I can accomplish my academic and wrestling goals at Illinois."

Tirapelle won the California 130-pound state title as a junior at Hiram Johnson High School in Sacramento. When his family moved to Clovis for his senior year, Tirapelle captured the 140-pound state title.

Tirapelle and Lockhart are among four wrestlers in Johnson's latest recruiting class. During the early signing period in November, the UI signed Griff Powell of Suffern, N.Y., and David Stoltz of Arlington Heights Hersey.