I spoke briefly with Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Tom Brands on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend in the Iowa Wrestling room. Tom simply stated:
“We got a lot of work to do.”
With what we are seeing out of the Iowa Hawkeyes I would say that the right work is being done. If you would have told me the Hawks would be doing this good back in August I am not sure I would have believed you.
The Hawks did not look very good in November and December to start the year off. The lineup was rebuilt with first time starters. They looked better at Soldier Salute on December 29-30 and then had a two week break.
Since January 12 the Hawks are 5-0 in Big Ten dual meets.
When Iowa took to the mats for two Big Ten dual meets over the weekend they did so with a new starter at all ten weights. I doubt that has ever happened over the last 50 years of Iowa Wrestling, if ever.
Against Illinois and Northwestern Iowa had two returning starters in the lineup but they were both wrestling up a weight. Brody Teske went up to 141 to fill in for #1 ranked Real Woods and won both matches. Patrick Kennedy has bumped up to 174 this season and is looking great.
January 12 – #3 Iowa 22, #6 Nebraska 10
January 15 – #3 Iowa 22, #10 Minnesota 9
January 19 – #3 Iowa 34, Purdue 6
January 26 – #3 Iowa 36, #17 Illinois 6
January 28 – #3 Iowa 46, Northwestern 0
Looking back over the years as an Iowa Wrestling fan I do not remember too many times Iowa has looked better than they have over the last five dual meets. Especially when you factor in expectations heading into the season and all of the first year starters up and down the lineup.
In five dual meets against Big Ten competition, Iowa was 40-10 in matches contested. Of those 40 wins Iowa scored bonus points 21 times with 12 tech falls, 7 major decisions, and 2 falls.
When over 50% of your wins are bonus points against Big Ten competition you are living right.
Our two pins were from Hwt. Brad Hill secured the points needed for a tech fall when he scored a pin against Illinois. Ben Kueter needed only :45 to get the pin against Northwestern.
For any fans complaining that the Hawks are not getting enough pins I don’t know what to tell you. Iowa is getting after it and tearing it up by scoring points with a lot of takedowns. I’ll take it. No complaints here.
Michael Caliendo and Zach Glazier have been lights out. Iowa is getting a top effort up and down the lineup.
One last note. Iowa has only had their full starting lineup once in these five dual meets and that was the first one against Nebraska. Iowa has had at least one starter out in the other four dual meets.
I will let the stats do the talking.
Over the last seventeen years the best coaching job by Tom Brands as the Head Wrestling Coach at Iowa was his first year of 2007. We will see how the rest of the season goes to see if this year replaces 2007 at the top.
Tom Brands can coach wrestling.
I have no idea what is behind the improvement and performance by Iowa Wrestling with so many new starters up and down the lineup and I really don’t care. As a fan I am lovin it.
Let’s get ‘em in the middle.
January 12
#3 Iowa 22, #6 Nebraska 10
125 – #5 Drake Ayala (I) dec. #7 Caleb Smith (N), 7-3
133 – #30 Jacob Van Dee (N) dec. #7 Brody Teske (I), 10-4
141 – #1 Real Woods (I) dec. #7 Brock Hardy (N), 8-2
149 – #1 Ridge Lovett (N) dec. #12 Caleb Rathjen (I), 6-0
157 – #2 Jared Franek (I) dec. #3 Peyton Robb (N), 5-4
165 – #7 Michael Caliendo (I) dec. #19 Antrell Taylor (N), 8-3
174 – Patrick Kennedy (I) dec. #30 Bubba Wilson (N), 9-5
184 – #3 Lenny Pinto (N) major dec. Aiden Riggins (I), 18-5
197 – #16 Zach Glazier (I) major dec. #11 Sillas Allred (N), 11-2
285 – Bradley Hill (I) vs. Nash Hutchmacher (N), 4-1
January 15
#3 Iowa 22, #10 Minnesota 9
125 – #5 Drake Ayala (I) dec. #18 Patrick McKee (M), 8-5
133 – #29 Tyler Wells (M) dec. Kale Petersen (I), 6-4
141 – #1 Real Woods (I) dec. #19 Vance VomBaur (M), 5-2
149 – #12 Caleb Rathjen (I) dec. #13 Drew Roberts (M), 7-3
157 – #11 Michael Blockhus (M) dec. #2 Jared Franek (I), 5-4
165 – #7 Michael Caliendo (I) dec. #30 Blaine Brenner (M), 5-1
174 – Patrick Kennedy (I) major dec. Sam Skillings (M), 13-2
184 – #10 Isaiah Salazar (M) dec. Aiden Riggins (I), 7-0
197 – #16 Zach Glazier (I) dec. #24 Garrett Joles (M), 4-2
285 – Ben Kueter (I) dec. #29 Bennet Tabor (M), 5-3
January 19
#3 Iowa 34, Purdue 6
125 – #2 Matt Ramos (P) dec. #1 Drake Ayala (I), 4-1
133 – Cullan Schriever (I) major dec. Dustin Norris (P), 20-7
141 – #1 Real Woods (I) major dec. #32 Greyson Clark (P), 8-0
149 — Victor Voinovich III (I) tech. fall Marcus Polanco (P), 19-4
157 – #2 Jared Franek (I) dec. #16 Joey Blaze (P), 2-1
165 – #6 Michael Caliendo (I) dec. Stoney Buell (P), 9-4
174 – #9 Patrick Kennedy (I) tech. fall Brody Baumann (P), 19-4
184 – James Rowley (P) dec. Aiden Riggins (I), 5-1
197 – #14 Zach Glazier (I) tech. fall Ben Vanadia (P), 20-5
285 – Bradley Hill (I) tech. fall Tristan Ruhlman (P), 19-4
January 26
#3 Iowa 36, #17 Illinois 6
133 – Cullan Schriever (IA) major dec. #30 Tony Madrigal (IL), 9-1
141 – Brody Teske (IA) dec. Will Baysinger (IL), 5-0
149 – #8 Kannon Webster (IL) dec. #11 Caleb Rathjen (IA), 4-1 SV1
157 – #2 Jared Franek (IA) tech. fall Joe Roberts (IL), 21-5
165 – #6 Michael Caliendo (IA) tech. fall #24 Chris Moore (IL), 17-2
174 – #9 Patrick Kennedy (IA) dec. #3 Edmond Ruth (IL), 5-1
184 – #29 Dylan Connell (IL) dec. Aiden Riggins (IA), 4-1 SV1
197 – #14 Zach Glazier (IA) tech. fall Joey Braunagel (IL), 18-3
285 – #28 Bradley Hill (IA) pinned. Peter Marinopolous (IL), 5:41
125 – #5 Drake Ayala (IA) tech. fall Justin Cardani (IL), 18-3
January 28
#3 Iowa 46, Northwestern 0
125 – #5 Drake Ayala (I) tech. fall Massey Odiotti (N), 19-4
133 – Cullan Schriever (I) tech. fall Patrick Adams (N), 24-9
141 – Brody Teske (I) tech. fall Kolby McClain (N), 17-1
149 – #11 Caleb Rathjen (I) pinned Aiden Vandenbush (N), 3:46
157 – #2 Jared Franek (I) dec. #19 Trevor Chumbley (N), 4-1 SV1
165 – #6 Michael Caliendo (I) tech. fall #15 Maxx Mayfield (N), 21-5
174 – #9 Patrick Kennedy (I) major dec. David Ferante (N), 11-2
184 – Aiden Riggins (I) dec. #24 Troy Fisher (N), 4-2
197 – #14 Zach Glazier (I) major dec. Evan Bates (N), 11-2
285 – Ben Kueter (I) pinned Jack Jessen (N), 0:45
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
