Iowa Assistant Wrestling Coach Ryan Morningstar coaching it up for                       Brandon Sorensen.

It is officially the first day of Fall.  So I thought it was getting to be that time of year to catch up with Iowa Assistant Wrestling coach Ryan Morningstar for a rundown on the team and to catch up with recruiting.

First of all Coach Morningstar, how is the team looking right now?

Ryan Morningstar: I think we like what we see and we have to keep progressing and keep getting better.  There are things catching your eye that need to be corrected and you get them corrected.  It’s exciting with the new guys in the room.  We just have to keep a good thing going.

A big senior class of Gilman, Clark, Meyer, and Brooks.  What kind of leadership are you getting from our four seniors?

Morningstar:  We’ve got great leadership out of those guys.  They do a good job.  They are leaders by example, they are vocal.  We’ve got a great core group of guys there as far as leadership goes.   It’s topnotch.

I am a huge fan of Iowa Wrestling starting a dual meet, the Big Tens, and the NCAA National Tournament with Thomas Gilman at 125 and Cory Clark at 133.  What can you tell us about those two wrestlers heading into their senior year?

Morningstar:  It’s Thomas Gilman and Corey Clark.  They’re seniors and they’re hungry. They’ve got their work cut out for them.  They are guys that can do a good job and be leaders of this program and are the face of this program.  We are looking for big things out of those guys.

I know that all Iowa wrestling fans are excited about true freshman Alex Marinelli and wondering if he is going to wrestle or redshirt.  What are your impressions of Marinelli just a month into the school year?

Morningstar:  He looks good.  He was here this summer so we kind of knew what we were getting with him when he committed to us quite awhile ago.  He looks good in the room, he’s exciting.  He’s a force.  

Any idea what weight Marinelli will be at this year?

Morningstar:  He is leaning 65, but he has not ruled 57 out.  

When is your certification for weightclasses?

Morningstar:  Certification needs to be done before October 10th, but we are going to get ours done in the next week.  

When does your official practice season begin?

Morningstar:  October 10th is the first official day that we can be on the mat.

How is Sam Stoll progressing from his knee surgery?

Morningstar:  Stoll is looking good.  He’s working hard, he’s pushing it, he’s running hills, and he is progressing real well.

When will Stoll be back on the mat?

Morningstar:  We’re taking it slow.  If needed, he could be on the mat right now.  We’re taking it slow and we’re not going to rush into anything.  He is looking good with his conditioning.  We are not going to push him into it.  He could be ready to go right now, but we’re taking it nice and easy.  

Who will you have start the year at Hwt?

Morningstar:  It’s going to be hard to keep Stoll out of there.  He’s chomping at the bit, but we have help in Steven Holloway, who is looking to be putting on some good size.  If we need Holloway up there, he’s the next man in and he looks big and strong.  But Stoll, if you ask him, he’s ready to go and he’s the guy that is going to be stepping on the mat. We are going to take it slow, and do it right.

Who will be at 197 then if Holloway moves up the Hwt.?

Morningstar:  Holloway and Wilcke are leading the pack at 197.  Holloway is pretty big right now, but he will certify at 197.  We’ll see how that goes.  Wilcke looks pretty good, there’s Bowman and he is looking pretty good.  So there are some guys in there that can do the job.  

Cash Wilcke looks to have put on quite a bit of muscle and size this offseason.  He looks much bigger.  What is he looking at for weight?

Morningstar:  He will probably certify at 184, but it will be a cut to get down there. Wilcke at 197 seems to be a more comfortable fit.

Coach Morningstar, you are our big contact for recruiting for Iowa Wrestling.   I know you cannot talk about the recruits until they have signed.  Can you tell us when you will have recruits in town for official visits?

Morningstar:  Our big official recruiting visit weekend is the third week in October.  We will have about ten or twelve recruits in town that weekend.  We’re really fired up for that.  We have some studs coming to campus.

Other than Marinelli, how are your other true freshman looking in the room?

Morningstar:  They look good.  They are motivated, there’s some firepower there.  We see a lot of things we like.  We are seeing a lot of things that we saw in the recruiting process. These guys were not blowing smoke at us, it’s real and they look good.

Iowa Wrestling fans are eagerly awaiting the debut of Michael Kemerer who had an outstanding true freshman season as a redshirt.  Can you tell us what weight he will be certifying at and what you are looking for out of him this year?

Morningstar:  He will certify at 149.  He’s good size right now, he’s big and strong and long.  He’ll have no problem with either of those two weights that he decides to go.  We like Michael Kemerer.  He’s a great guy to have in the room and he’s a great leader.

Your schedule has you starting the season at the Grand View Open in Des Moines on November 5th.  When will your varsity wrestlers hit the mat first for the upcoming season?

Morningstar:  We will send a lot of the younger guys to Grand View I am sure.  We’re still up in the air about what we’re going to do for the entire team.