The Hawks will close out the regular season when they travel to #12 Nebraska for a dual meet at 6 PM Sunday. The meet will be on BTN. Iowa-Nebraska is always a hotly contested dual meet as there is no love lost between the programs. A classic border rivalry that is always entertaining for us fans.
There are some great matches of highly ranked wrestlers. The outcome of every match will be an influence on seedings at the Big Tens. Speaking of which, Nebraska will host Big Tens on March 5-6.
A match I am looking forward to is #4 Jacob Warner – #3 Eric Schultz. These two always have a tough, close match and 197 is wide open. At 174 it will be #2 Michael Kemerer – #6 Mickey Labriola that will also be a good match. #2 Jaydin Eierman – #10 Chad Red Jr. at 141 and #10 Max Murin – #7 Ridge Lovett at 149. #16 Abe Assad – #9 Taylor Venz at 184. At 157 it will be #12 Kaleb Young – #10 Peyton Robb.
That is a lot of great matchups and the Iowa-Nebraska dual will be fun to watch as always.
For me as a fan the biggest question is if we will see Drake Ayala at 125. I have no idea but I am hoping we see him. That would sure be a great way to kick off this dual meet.
After this dual meet Iowa will be off for two weeks before Big Tens on March 5-6 and then on to the NCAA National Tournament on March 17-19.
As I said last week the intensity just keeps going up and up with every competition at this point of the season. This is an extra great time of the year to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
*InterMat Rankings
#2 IOWA HAWKEYES (13-1, 6-1 BIG TEN) 2021-22 Overall Wt. Rank^ Name Yr. Hometown/High School Record
125 12 Drake Ayala Fr. Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge 13-4 -OR- Jesse Ybarra So. Tucson, Arizona/Sunnyside 5-5
133 3 Austin DeSanto Sr. Exeter, Pennsylvania/Exeter (Drexel) 13-2
141 2 Jaydin Eierman Sr. Columbia, Missouri/Father Tolton (Missouri) 14-1
149 10 Max Murin Sr. Ebensburg, Pennsylvania/Central Cambria 8-2 -OR- Vince Turk Sr. Hampshire, Illinois/Montini Catholic 5-2
157 12 Kaleb Young Sr. Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania/Punxsutawney 13-5
165 5 Alex Marinelli Sr. Miamisburg, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 17-1
174 2 Michael Kemerer Sr. Murraysville, Pennsylvania/Franklin Regional 7-1
184 16 Abe Assad So. Carol Stream, Illinois/Glenbard North 10-5
197 4 Jacob Warner Sr. Tolono, Illinois/Washington Community 13-2
285 4 Tony Cassioppi Jr. Roscoe, Illinois/Hononegah 12-2
#12 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (6-4, 3-4 BIG TEN) 2021-22 Overall Wt. Rank^ Name Yr. Hometown/High School Record
125 Jeremiah Reno Fr. Kansas City, Missouri/Liberty 4-11
133 Dominick Serrano Fr. Windsor, Colorado/Windsor 12-9 -OR- Alex Thomsen Jr. Neola, Iowa/Underwood 3-6
141 10 Chad Red Jr. Sr. Indianapolis, Indiana/New PalesƟ ne 11-3
149 7 Ridge Lovett So. Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls 16-2
157 10 Peyton Robb So. Owatonna, Minnesota/Owatonna 10-5
165 27 Bubba Wilson *Fr. Manhattan, Kansas/Manhattan 10-9 OR Tahjae Jenkins-Harris Fr. North Las Vegas, Nevada/Legacy 5-6
174 6 Mikey Labriola Jr. Easton, Pennslyvannia/Bethlehem Catholic 15-2
184 9 Taylor Venz Sr. Farmington, Minnesota/Farmington 12-6
197 3 Eric Schultz Sr. Tinley Park, Illinois/Tinley Park 13-1
285 12 Christian Lance Sr. Nixa, Missouri/Nixa 13-5
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
