Every year heading into the NCAA National Wrestling Championships, throughout the tournament and during the Finals you will hear about the consecutive NCAA National Tournament streak for Finalist by Iowa Wrestling.
In the recent 2025 Nationals Iowa Wrestling extended that impressive streak of having an NCAA Finalist in 35 straight National Tournaments with Stephan Buchanan (1st,197), Drake Ayala (133,2nd), and Michael Calienedo (2nd,165).
I believe this is one of the most impressive streaks in all of sports.
Another note to mention, Iowa Wrestling has had an NCAA Finalist in 49 of the last 50 NCAA National Tournaments.
Let’s take a closer look.
Iowa’s first finalist was at the very first NCAA Wrestling Championships with National champion Leslie Beers(158) in 1928.
From 1928-1974 Iowa had 23 NCAA Finalists.
In head coach Gary Kurdelmeier’s first year in 1973 Iowa had three All Americans including National champion Dan Sherman(118). In 1974 the Hawks had three All Americans and no finalists.
For this blog I decided to go back to 1975 when Iowa had four finalists in National champions Chuck Yagla(150) and Dan Holm(158) and runner-ups Chris Campbell(177) and Greg Stevens (190).
1975 was the third year of the Gary Kurdelmeier era and the first national championship team in Iowa Wrestling history with a school record five All Americans.
In September of 2001 I interviewed Tom Brands for my book Domination: An inside look at Iowa Wrestling
The interview was in the room just off the corner wall of the Iowa Wrestling mats that was basically a small storage room with a desk.
Even though I had been around Tom since he arrived in August of 1987 I had only spoken to him briefly a few times.
In the middle of getting quotes I asked if there were any memories from his Iowa career that stood out.
Tom placed fourth at 126 lbs. at the 1989 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Iowa placed sixth in the team race 38.75 points behind first place Oklahoma State and this was the first year Iowa did not have an NCAA Finalist since 1974 when Gable was an Assistant Coach for Kurdelmeier. The lowest team placing(6th), number of All Americans(4) and point total(52) in the Gable era.
Tom was pretty pumped up about being an All American as a freshman. After receiving his All American award on the podium he was walking back to his seat when he heard someone say: “Brands!”
He looked up in the bleachers at the Myriad Convention Center and it was his head coach Dan Gable who was not happy. In an intense tone he said:
“Brands, I am never sitting here during the Finals again.”
That was Saturday, March 18, 1989. The last time Iowa did not have a Finalist at the NCAA National Wrestling Championships.
The following year in 1990 Iowa had Terry Brands (1st,126), Tom Brands (1st,134) and Brooks Simpson (2nd,190) to begin the finalist streak that is still going.
Through the end of the Gable era to Jimmy Zalesky to Tom Brands as the head coach Iowa has had an NCAA Finalist every single tournament from 1990-2025 and counting.
I find that to be nothing short of amazing but I will let you as the reader judge for yourself.
Tom Brands has been involved in 33 of 35 years in the NCAA Finalists streak as a wrestler, Assistant Coach or Head Coach.
I want to mention 2020 when Nationals were cancelled due to Covid.
Iowa was the top ranked team in the country in 2020 and had the following NCAA seeds: Spencer Lee (125,#1 seed), Pat Lugo (149,#1 seed), Alex Marinelli (165,#1 seed) and Michael Kemerer (174,#2 seed).
Iowa had three NCAA Finalists this season in 2025: Stephan Buchanan (1st,197), Drake Ayala (133,2nd) and Michael Caliendo (2nd,165).
With who the Hawks have on their current roster and incoming recruits I believe the NCAA Finalists streak for Iowa Wrestling will continue for quite some time.
NCAA Finalist streak – 35 and 49 of 50…and counting.
Who’s next?
Let’s get ‘em in the middle.
Go Hawks!
Iowa Wrestling NCAA Finalist 1975-2025 and coach
1975 – Chuck Yagla(1st,150), Dan Holm(1st,158), Chris Campbell(2nd,177), Greg Stevens (2nd, 190) – Kurdelmeier
1976 – Brad Smith (1st,142), Chuck Yagla(1st,150), Chris Campbell(1st,177), Dan Wagemann (2nd, 167) – Kurdelmeier
1977 – Chris Campbell(1st,177), Keith Mourlam (2nd,126) – Gable
1978 – Randy Lewis (2nd,126), Bruce Kinseth (2nd,150) – Gable
1979 – Randy Lewis (1st, 126), Bruce Kinseth (1st,150),Scott Trizzino (2nd,142), Mike DeAnna (2nd,167), Bud Palmer (2nd,177) – Gable
1980 – Randy Lewis (1st,134), Ed Banach (1st,177), Dan Glenn (2nd,118) – Gable
1981 – Ed Banach (1st,177), Lou Banach (1st, Hwt), Lennie Zalesky (2nd,142), Scott Trizzino (2nd, 150), Mike DeAnna (2nd,167) – Gable
1982 – Barry Davis (1st,118), Jim Zalesky (1st,158), Pete Bush (1st,190), Lennie Zalesky (2nd,142), Ed Banach (2nd, 177) – Gable
1983 – Barry Davis (1st,126), Jim Zalesky (1st,158), Ed Banach (1st,190), Lou Banach (1st,Hwt), Duane Goldman (2nd,177) – Gable
1984 – Jim Zalesky (1st,158), Greg Randall (2nd,134), Marty Kistler (2nd,150), Lindley Kistler (2nd,167), Duane Goldman (2nd,177) – Gable
1985 – Barry Davis (1st,126), Marty Kistler (1st,158), Matt Egeland (2nd,118), Jim Heffernan (2nd,150), Duane Goldman (2nd,190) – Gable
1986 – Brad Penrith (1st,126), Kevin Dresser (1st,142), Jim Heffernan (1st,150), Marty Kistler (1st,167), Duane Goldman (1st,190), Greg Randall (2nd,134) – Gable
1987 – Royce Alger (1st,167), Rico Chiapparelli (1st,177), Brad Penrith (2nd,126), Jim Heffernan (2nd,150) – Gable
1988 – Royce Alger (1st,177), Brad Penrith (2nd,126), Joe Melchiore (2nd,134) – Gable
1989 – No finalist.
1990 – Terry Brands (1st,126), Tom Brands (1st,134), Brooks Simpson (2nd,190) – Gable
1991 – Tom Brands (1st, 134), Mark Reiland (1st, 167), Chad Zaputil (2nd, 118), Terry Brands (2nd, 126), Troy Steiner (2nd, 142), Tom Ryan (2nd, 158) – Gable
1992 – Terry Brands (1st, 126), Tom Brands (1st, 134), Troy Steiner (1st, 142), Chad Zaputil (2nd, 118) – Gable
1993 – Lincoln McIlravy (1st,142), Terry Steiner (1st,150, Chad Zaputil (2nd,118), Joel Sharratt (2nd,190) – Gable
1994 – Lincoln McIlravy (1st,150), Joel Sharratt (1st,190) – Gable
1995 – Jeff McGinness (1st,126), Lincoln McIlravy (2nd,150), Joel Sharratt (2nd,190) – Gable
1996 – Bill Zadick (1st,142), Joe Williams (1st,158), Daryl Weber (1st,167) – Gable
1997 – Jessie Whitmer (1st,118), Mark Ironside (1st,134), Lincoln McIlravy (1st,150), Joe Williams (1st,158), Lee Fullhart (1st,190), Mike Mena (2nd,126) – Gable
1998 – Mark Ironside (1st,134), Jeff McGinness (1st,142), Joe Williams (1st,158) – Zalesky
1999 – Doug Schwab (1st,141), T.J. Williams (1st,149), Lee Fullhart (2nd,197) – Zalesky
2000 – Eric Juergens (1st,133), Wes Hand (2nd, Hwt.) – Zalesky
2001 – Eric Juergens (1st,133), T.J. Williams (1st,157), Jody Strittmatter (2nd,125), Doug Schwab (2nd,141) – Zalesky
2002 – Luke Eustice (2nd,125), Steve Mocco (2nd,Hwt.) – Zalesky
2003 – Steve Mocco (1st,Hwt.) – Zalesky
2004 – Cliff Moore (1st,141), Ryan Fulsaas (2nd,197) – Zalesky
2005 – Joe Johnston (2nd,157), Mark Perry (2nd,165) – Zalesky
2006 – Ty Eustice (2nd,149) – Zalesky
2007 – Mark Perry (1st,165) – Brands
2008 – Brent Metcalf (1st,149), Mark Perry (1st,165), Joe Slaton (133, 2nd) – Brands
2009 – Brent Metcalf (149, 2nd) – Brands
2010 – Matt McDonough (125, 1st), Brent Metcalf (149, 1st), Jay Borschel (174, 1st), Daniel Dennis (133, 2nd), Montell Marion (141, 2nd) – Brands
2011 – Matt McDonough (125, 2nd) – Brands
2012 – Matt McDonough (125, 1st), Montell Marion (141, 2nd), Derek St. John (157, 2nd) – Brands
2013 – Derek St. John (157, 1st), ) Tony Ramos (133, 2nd) – Brands
2014 – Tony Ramos (133, 1st) – Brands
2015 – Cory Clark (133, 2nd) – Brands
2016 – Thomas Gilman (125,2nd), Cory Clark (133,2nd), Brandon Sorensen (149,2nd) – Brands
2017 – Cory Clark (133,1st) – Brands
2018 – Spencer Lee (125,1st) – Brands
2019 – Spencer Lee (125,1st) – Brands
*2020 – Cancelled due to Covid. NCAA seeds: Spencer Lee (125,#1 seed), Pat Lugo (149,#1 seed), Alex Marinelli (165,#1 seed), Michael Kemerer (174,#2 seed) – Brands
2021 – Spencer Lee (125,1st), Jaydin Eierman (141,2nd), Michael Kemerer (174,2nd) – Brands
2022 – Jacob Warner (197,2nd) – Brands
2023 – Real Woods (2nd,141) – Brands
2024 – Drake Ayala (125,2nd) – Brands
2025 – Stephan Buchanan (1st,197), Drake Ayala (133,2nd), Michael Calienedo (2nd,165) – Brands
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
