Senior Cory Clark had a great resume coming out of Southeast Polk in 2012 as a coveted four-time Iowa High School State Champion and a Junior Freestyle and Greco-Roman National champion. Even with all of those accolades, I must admit, I did not think Cory Clark would be this successful. I was able to see that I had underestimated Clark right away in the fall of his true freshman year. This guy is one of the most entertaining practice wrestlers that I have seen in the Iowa room. After one practice in October that year, I told Tom Brands I felt like I should have to pay for admission to watch Clark wrestle in practice. Cory Clark is that great in the practice room.
Cory Clark has had a great career as a Hawkeye. He placed fifth as a freshman before finishing as an NCAA Runner-Up in each of the last two seasons. Heading into his senior year, Clark has one thing left and that is to be an NCAA National Champion.
For the third straight year, Clark has put on added size and strength and he looks much bigger again this season. I have said it the past numerous times, and I will keep saying it. When I as a fan can watch Thomas Gilman and Cory Clark lead off a dual meet or tournament, I am going to be there to watch and believe that Iowa can win it as a team.
What are your goals for this season?
Cory Clark: National title. An NCAA National Championship.
Have you made any changes on your approach for the upcoming season?
Cory Clark: Get to where I am good early in the year. Just working on scoring a lot of points. Opening up early especially later in the year.
So much of the competition at your weight, especially last year was right in the Big Ten. You had as tough a run to a Big Ten title in those three matches last year that I have ever seen. Does that competition in the Big Ten help prepare you for Nationals?
Cory Clark: It’s always good to have tough guys like that in the Big Ten Tournament to prepare for Nationals where there will be tough guys each round like at Big Tens. But what really prepares me for big matches like Nationals is the work I do every day in here.
What has it been like wrestling for Tom and Terry Brands?
Cory Clark: Great. I like watching videos on them that they back up what they coach. They used to score a lot of points and put people away with solid hard wrestling. Not necessarily getting crazy and getting out of position and just grinding a guy down. Staying solid on a guy the whole match.
I am a big fan of watching you and Thomas Gilman lead off dual meets and tournaments for the Hawks. What has it been like having Thomas Gilman right there your whole career in the same grade and close in weight?
Cory Clark: Great. He does things right. It has been really good for me to have someone around my weight competing and having the same goals that I have.
What is it going to take for Iowa Wrestling to win the national title this year?
Cory Clark: Each individual weight training to be on top of the podium.
Who were your influences in wrestling as a kid that you looked up to?
Cory Clark: Tom and Terry (Brands). When I got a little older I was a big Metcalf guy. For the most part, that is who I tried to wrestle like.
What is it like now that young wrestlers are looking up to you as younger wrestlers or even teammates?
Cory Clark: It’s crazy to kind of look at it that way. I haven’t really stepped away from my personal competing to really let it soak in and think about it like that. It’s hard for me to relate how I felt about my favorite Hawkeye wrestlers and think that there are kids out there that think that about me.
What do you want to be remembered by to the fans and your teammates here as an Iowa Wrestler?
Cory Clark: A national champion.
Have you thought about what you want to do after your career as an Iowa Hawkeye is completed?
Cory Clark: If I had to say right now, I would say that I want to compete at the International level. I haven’t really competed very much in Freestyle and I would like to see what I can do in Freestyle. I feel like some of the things I do in Folkstyle will carry over and I can keep building on that. We’ll see.
Every year that you have been in the program, Iowa has led the country in attendance. Anything you would like to say to the Iowa Wrestling fans?
Cory Clark: We appreciate them coming out. We have the best fans in the country and maybe in the world. Keep doing what they are doing and we will keep doing what we are doing in this building to win a national team title.