The University of Iowa Men’s and Women’s Wrestling teams went 20-0 with 2 pins, 10 tech falls, 6 major decisions, and 2 decisions combined on the road in the season opener for both programs. That is getting the season started off right.
The Women’s program made history with the first dual meet in the history of the program on Saturday at #7 East Stroudsburg. I mentioned in my preview that it would not take very long to see how the preseason rankings of Iowa at #8 and East Stroudsburg at #7 played out. It did not.
Iowa was 10-0 in matches with two pins and eight tech falls in a 43-1 victory. The one team point #7 East Stroudsburg scored was in freestyle rules if you score a point in the match you get a team point even if you give up a tech fall.
To make this even more impressive is that Iowa did not have their #1 team competing. There may be as many as four changes in the lineup with elite wrestlers that did not compete in this dual.
Among those missing from the lineup was Kylie Welker who just placed seventh at the Pan American Championships in Santiago, Chile at 76 KG/167 lbs.
I believe the Iowa Women’s Wrestling team is quite a bit better than tied for #8 in the country.
Iowa is competing at the Princeton Open today and will make their Carver-Hawkeye Arena debut next Sunday, November 12 at the Trail Blazer Duals at 11 AM CST.
#8 Iowa 43, #7 East Stroudsburg 1
101 – Sterling Dias tech. fall over Olivia Klein, 10-0
109 – Ava Bayless tech. fall over Madi Manmann, 10-0
116 – Brianna Gonzalez fall over #6 Emily Klein, 0:44
123 – Felicity Taylor tech. fall over #2 Mia Macaluso, 10-0
130 – Emily Frost tech. fall over Gianna Amendola, 10-0
136 – #3 Nanea Estrella tech. fall over Zoe Gress, 12-2
143 – Ella Schmit tech. fall over Jayla Hahn, 11-0
155 – Reese Larramendy tech. fall over Paityn DeLong, 10-0
170 – Haley Ward tech fall over Jade Huerta, 2:23
191 – Alivia White fall over Ariel Ofri-Akman, 0:17
#2 Iowa started the 2023-24 season with only two returning starters on the road at Cal Baptist in Riverside, California last night. The Hawks won 40-0 and were 10-0 on the night with two tech falls, six major decisions, and two decisions.
In the only match of ranked wrestlers #7 Drake Ayala wore down #29 Elijiah Griffin with an 18-8 major decision at 125. Brody Teske (133), Aiden Riggins (174), Brennan Swafford (184), Zach Glazier (197) and Brad Hill (Hwt) also won by a major decision.
It did not take Real Woods long to score a 15-0 tech fall in only 2:04 at 141. #5 Micheal Caliendo also won by a 23-7 tech fall at 165.
Victor Voinovich (149) and #3 Jared Franek (157) won by a decision.
Iowa won the takedown battle 31-1 and controlled the tempo of the matches. The new rule of a three-point takedown is definitely a game changer.
Iowa competes next in the home opener against Oregon State on Sunday, November 19 for a sellout crowd in Carver-Hawkeye Arena at Noon CST.
#2 Iowa 40, California Baptist 0
125 – #7 Drake Ayala (I) major dec. #29 Elijah Griffin (C), 18-8
133 – Brody Teske (I) major dec. Hunter Leake (C), 12-1
141 – #1 Real Woods (I) tech. fall Darren Green (C), 15-0
149 – #12 Victor Voinovich III (I) dec. Dayne Morton (C), 2-0
157 – #3 Jared Franek (I) dec. Drayden Morton (C), 8-1
165 – #5 Michael Caliendo (I) tech. fall Mateo De La Pena (C), 23-7
174 – Aiden Riggins (I) major dec. Peter Acciardi (C), 15-4
184 – Brennan Swafford (I) major dec. Nathan Haas, 15-4 (C)
197 – Zach Glazier (I) major dec. Eli Sheeren (C), 11-2
285 – Bradley Hill (I) major dec. Max Acciardi (C), 16-4
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
