Three members of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling team and two from the men’s team have been named Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholars.

From HawkeyeSports.com:

Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in the previous academic year, must have been enrolled full time at the institution for the entire previous academic year (two semesters or three quarters) and earned a minimum GPA of 3.70 or better during the previous academic year, excluding any summer grades. 

Easton Fleshman and Cullan Schriever were recognized from the men’s team. Schriever had a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Ava Bayless, Emilie Gonzalez and Felicity Taylor for the women’s team.

Bayless (109), Gonzalez (101) and Taylor (116) were national champions this season for the Hawks.

Congratulations to these student-athletes for getting it done in the classroom and on the mat.

2023-24 Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholars

Men’s Wrestling
Name – Year – Major – Hometown
Easton Fleshman – RS Fr. – Social Studies Education – Inwood, Iowa
(4.0 GPA) Cullan Schriever – Jr. – Finance BBA – Mason City, Iowa

Women’s Wrestling
Name – Year – Major – Hometown
Ava Bayless – So. – Human Physiology – Greenville, Pa.
Emilie Gonzalez – So. – Exercise Science – El Monte, Calif.
Felicity Taylor – Fifth – Sport and Recreation Management – Spillville, Iowa

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Incoming recruits for the University of Iowa competed at Junior Duals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Future Hawks competed in Greco Roman and men’s and women’s freestyle competition.

In Greco-Roman Otto Black was 6-0 with six tech falls. Leister Bowling was 4-3 with four tech falls. Black and Bowling both competed for Colorado.

In the women’s competition Naomi Simon and Kiara Djoumessi competed for Iowa. Simon was 7-0 with five pins and two tech falls. Djoumessi was 3-1 with three pins.

In men’s freestyle Black was 0-1. Kael Voinovich was 3-1 for Iowa. Brady Benham was 4-2 for Oklahoma Blue with three tech falls and a pin. Benham defeated future teammate Leister Bowling by a 12-1 tech fall. Bowling was 3-1.

Black won the U20 Greco-Roman World Team Trials (63kg) and will now represent Team USA at the 2024 U20 Greco-Roman World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on September 2-8.

Simon won U20 Nationals(76kg) and will represent Team USA at the 2024 U20 Freestyle Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on September 2-8.

The next and final competition for most of our recruits this summer will be Freestyle and Greco Roman Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota  on July 12-20. I will have a preview and full results right here on my Iowa Wrestling Fan Blog.

Every Hawk recruit listed is in the Recruiting Class of 2024 except for Leister who is in the Class of 2025.

Junior Greco-Roman

Otto Black (Colorado) – 138 lbs.

Otto Black (Colorado) over Glade Harman (Utah) TF 10-2

Otto Black (Colorado) over Joseph Knackstedt (Illinois) TF 11-0

Otto Black (Colorado) over Joshua Neiwert (Washington) TF 8-0

Otto Black (Colorado) over Elijah Cortez (California Blue) TF 8-0

(144 lbs.) Otto Black (Colorado) over DJ Neider (Idaho) TF 9-0

(144 lbs.) Otto Black (Colorado) over Jabari Hinson (Iowa) TF 14-4

Leister Bowling (Colorado) – 175 lbs.

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over Josh Kelly (Virginia Blue ) TF 9-0

Ben Smith (Utah) over Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) Dec 6-1

Matthew Jens (Illinois) over Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) Fall 3:50

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over Ezekiel McEwen (Washington) TF 11-2

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over Junior Bumanglag (California Blue) TF 13-0

Jed Wester (Minnesota Blue) over Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) TF 11-3

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over (Idaho) Forfeit

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over Daniel Magayna (Iowa) TF 12-2

Junior Women’s Freestyle

Kiara Djoumessi (Iowa) – 145 lbs.

Kiara Djoumessi (Iowa) over Nevada Berry (Arkansas Red) Fall 0:40

Kiara Djoumessi (Iowa) over Avry Ryhal (Pennsylvania Blue) Fall 4:23

Belicia Manuel (Michigan Blue) over Kiara Djoumessi (Iowa) TF 13-3

Kiara Djoumessi (Iowa) over Danica Smith (Arizona) Fall 0:57

Naomi Simon (Iowa) – 170 lbs.

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over (Arkansas) Forfeit

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Kiley Dillow (Kansas) TF 10-0

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Jael Miller (Pennsylvania Blue) Fall 2:30

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Sophia Bassino (Wisconsin) Fall 1:20

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Alana Thelin (Missouri Blue) Fall 1:59

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Madison Ward (Michigan Blue) TF 10-0

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Autumne Williams (Illinois) Fall 2:30

Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Nylease Yzagere (Arizona) Fall 2:13

Junior Men’s Freestyle

Otto Black (Colorado) – 138 lbs.

Thomas Verrette (Oklahoma Blue) over Otto Black (Colorado) Dec 3-1

Kael Voinovich (Iowa) – 157 lbs.

Kael Voinovich (Iowa) over Leonard Ashley Jr. (Virginia Blue ) Dec 21-12

Owen Segorski (Michigan) over Kael Voinovich (Iowa) Dec 14-12

Kael Voinovich (Iowa) over Tharyn Hausler (Oklahoma Blue) TF 14-4

Kael Voinovich (Iowa) over Dominic Serio (Illinois) Dec 24-16

Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) – 175 lbs.

Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) over Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) TF 12-1

Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) over JT Smith (Nebraska) TF 13-2

Jake Stoffel (Wisconsin) over Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) Dec 12-8

Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) over Daniel Magayna (Iowa) TF 10-0

Bryce Burkett (Minnesota Blue) over Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) Dec 12-5

Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) over Logan Bruce (California Blue) Fall 0:30

Leister Bowling (Colorado) – 175 lbs.

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over Brice Henry (Missouri) Dec 9-6

Brady Benham (Oklahoma Blue) over Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) TF 12-1

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over Braeden Simoneaux (Louisiana Red) TF 12-2

Leister Bowling IV (Colorado) over Hugh Meyer (North Dakota ) Dec 18-10

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The University of Iowa will have recruits competing at Junior Duals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The competition runs from Wednesday through Saturday, June 19-22.

We will have recruits competing in Men’s Freestyle and Greco-Roman and Women’s Freestyle.

Men’s GR and Women’s Freestyle competition will be on Wednesday and Thursday. Men’s Freestyle will be on Friday and Saturday.

Otto Black will compete for Colorado in Greco-Roman and Freestyle at 138. Black won the U20 Greco-Roman World Team Trials (63kg) and will now represent Team USA at the 2024 U20 Greco-Roman World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on September 2-8.

Leister Bowling is listed at 175 for Colorado in GR and Freestyle.

Kiara Djoumessi(145) and Naomi Simon(170) are listed to compete for Iowa in Freestyle. Simon won U20 Nationals(76kg) and will represent Team USA at the 2024 U20 Freestyle Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on September 2-8.

Kael Voinovich is listed at 157 for Iowa and Brady Benham at 175 for Oklahoma Outlaws Blue in Freestyle.

All of the competition will be available live on the FloWrestling premium service.

I will have a follow up blog with results.

Every Hawk listed is in the Recruiting Class of 2024 except for Leister who is in the Class of 2025.

Junior Greco-Roman

Otto Black (Colorado) – 138 lbs.

Leister Bowling (Colorado) – 175 lbs.

Junior Women’s Freestyle

Kiara Djoumessi (Iowa) – 145 lbs.

Naomi Simon (Iowa) – 170 lbs.

Junior Men’s Freestyle

Otto Black (Colorado) – 138 lbs.

Kael Voinovich (Iowa) – 157 lbs.

Brady Benham (Oklahoma Outlaws Blue) – 175 lbs.

Leister Bowling (Colorado) – 175 lbs.

Junior National Duals

Tulsa, Okla., June 19-22

Wednesday, June 19

9:00 AM to 12:30 PM – Junior Men Greco Roman Duals Session 1: Rounds 1 & 2 Preliminary Championship Match, Championship Semi-Finals, & Consolation Quarterfinals

9:00 AM to 12:30 PM – Junior Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 1: Rounds 1 & 2 Preliminary Championship Match, Championship Semi-Finals, & Consolation Quarterfinals

 1:30 PM to 7:00 PM – Junior Men Greco-Roman Duals Session 2: Rounds 3, 4 & 5 – Consolation Semi-Finals & 1st Place Match, Placement Match 3rd, 5th, 7th,True 2nd place Match

1:30 PM to 7:00 PM – Junior Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 2: Rounds 3, 4 & 5 – Consolation Semi-Finals & 1st Place Match, Placement Match 3rd, 5th, 7th,True 2nd place Match

Thursday, June 20

9:00 AM to 12:00 PM  – Junior Men Greco-Roman Duals Session 3: Color Pools (Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow) Rounds 1& 2 Preliminary Duals

9:00 AM to 12:00 PM -Junior Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 3: Color Pools (Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow) Rounds 1& 2 Preliminary Duals

1:00 PM to 5:00 PM with Break before Finals – Junior Men Greco-Roman Duals Session 4: Rounds 3 & 4 Preliminary Duals & Finals Placement Match Dual

1:00 PM to 5:00 PM with Break before Finals)- Junior Women’s Freestyle Duals Session 4: Rounds 3 & 4 Preliminary Duals & Finals Placement Match Dual

Friday, June 21

8:00 AM to 12:30 PM – Junior Men Freestyle Duals Session 1:(16 mats) Rounds 1, 2, & 3– Preliminaries, Consolations, & Semifinals

1:30 PM to 8:00 PM – Junior Men Freestyle Duals Session 2:(16 mats) Rounds 4, 5, & 6 – Consolations, Placement (1st-8th), True 2nd & Round 1 of Preliminary Duals Color Pools(Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow)

Saturday, June 22

9:00 AM to 3:00 PM with Break before Finals –  Junior Men Freestyle Duals Session 3: Round2, 3 & 4 – (16 mats)Preliminary Duals and Finals Placement Match (Gold/Silver, Bronze/Copper, Red/Blue, Green/Yellow)

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Kylie Welker of the University of Iowa will compete in a best of three wrestle-off for the 72kg spot on the 2024 U23 World Team. Welker will compete against Jasmine Robinson who won the 2024 U23 Nationals and was a 2023 U17 World bronze medalist and a member of the 2022 U17 World Team.

The wrestle-offs will be at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Thursday, June 27 at 4 PM CST.

The 2024 U23 World Championships will be in Tirana, Albania, October 21-27.

Full article by USA Wrestling:

https://www.themat.com/news/2024/june/18/u23-women-s-world-team-wrestle-offs-at-65-kg-and-72-kg-set-for-colorado-springs-colo-june-27

Welker won a national title at 170 lbs. and led Iowa to the 2024 NCWWC and National Duals titles in the first year of competition for the program. 

Welker, originally from Franksville, Wisconsin (Waterford Union HS), was the first recruit to commit to the Iowa Women’s Wrestling program. She was a 2021 Junior World champion, 2021 U23 World Bronze medalist, and placed 10th at the 2021 Senior World Championships.

Welker placed fourth at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials at 76kg to become a member of the United State National Senior Team for the third time in her career.

In April Welker was named as the 2024 NCAA Women’s Wrestler of the Year by The Open Mat.

U23 Women’s World Team Wrestle-Offs on June 27

4 PM CST Session Two (Best of Three)

72 kg – Bout One – Jasmine Robinson vs. Kylie Welker

72 kg – Bout Two – Jasmine Robinson vs. Kylie Welker

72 kg – Bout Three (if necessary) – Jasmine Robinson vs. Kylie Welker

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Ty and Jarrel Miller announced on Instagram that they have committed to the University of Iowa. The Miller twins are from national powerhouse St. Ed’s in Cleveland, Ohio and coached by former Iowa Hawkeye All American John Heffernan.

Ty (175 lbs.) is ranked as the #86 overall recruit in the Class of 2025 and Jarrel (190 lbs.) at #57 by MatScouts. Ty and Jarrel both placed second at the Ohio State tournament last year in Division I.

Ty is projected to compete at 184 and Jarrel at 197 for the Hawks.

Iowa Wrestling has had great success with twins in the past. Ed and Lou Banach, Troy and Terry Steiner, and Tom and Terry Brands come to mind.

The Miller twins will join Leo DeLuca (120 lbs.) and Leister Bowling (175 lbs.) in the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025.

As I do with all of our incoming recruits I will now follow their career and post results for both Ty and Jarrel on this blog.

Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025

Leo DeLuca  – Blair Academy New Jersey  120 lbs.

Leister Bowling – Mead, Colorado  175 lbs.

Ty Miller – St. Ed’s (Cleveland), Ohio  175 lbs.

Jarrel Miller – St. Ed’s (Cleveland), Ohio  190 lbs.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Ty and Jarrel Miller announced on Instagram that they have committed to the University of Iowa. The Miller twins are from national powerhouse St. Ed’s in Cleveland, Ohio and coached by former Iowa Hawkeye All American John Heffernan.

Ty (175 lbs.) is ranked as the #86 overall recruit in the Class of 2025 and Jarrel (190 lbs.) at #57 by MatScouts. Ty and Jarrell both placed second at the Ohio State tournament last year in Division I.

Ty is projected to compete at 184 and Jarrel at 197 for the Hawks.

Iowa Wrestling has had great success with twins in the past. Ed and Lou Banach, Troy and Terry Steiner, and Tom and Terry Brands come to mind.

The Miller twins will join Leo DeLuca (120 lbs.) and Leister Bowling (175 lbs.) in the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025.

As I do with all of our incoming recruits I will now follow their career and post results for both Ty and Jarrel on this blog.

Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025

Leo DeLuca  – Blair Academy New Jersey  120 lbs.

Leister Bowling – Mead, Colorado  175 lbs.

Ty Miller – St. Ed’s (Cleveland), Ohio  175 lbs.

Jarrel Miller – St. Ed’s (Cleveland), Ohio  190 lbs.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Cobe Siebrecht of the University of Iowa won the 70kg/154 lbs. Gold at the Matteo Pellicone Memorial in Sassari, Italy. Siebrecht was 4-0 and outscord his opponents by a combined 36-7.

Down 4-0 in the first minute Siebrecht responded to defeat Chinlov (Moldova) 10-4 in the first round. In the second round Siebecht defeated Grahmez (Moldova) 6-3.

It only took :50 for a 10-0 tech fall over Colletti (Italy). In the finals Siebrecht won by a 10-0 tech fall over Gubbiotti (Italy) in 3:38.

Competing for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, Siebrecht was the only American in the tournament. 

Siebrecht, originally from Lisbon, Iowa, was an NCAA Qualifier at 157 lbs. for the Hawks in 2023. He will return for his senior season this coming year. 

Former Hawk Brandon Sorensen of the HWC was Siebrecht’s coach for the tournament.

Matteo Pellicone Memorial 

Siebrecht (USA) dec Chirilov (Moldova) 10-4

Siebrecht (USA) dec Grahmez (Moldova) 6-3

Siebrecht (USA) tech fall Colletti (Italy) 10-0 (:50)

Siebrecht (USA) tech fall Gubbiotti (Italy)  10-0 (3:38)

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Seven members of the University of Iowa Women’s Wrestling team have been named to the 2024 Spring Academic All-Big Ten team. This is the first year that the new program has been eligible for this award. 

To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, students must be on a varsity team, as verified by being on the official squad list as of May 1 for spring sports, who have been enrolled fulltime at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

2024 Spring Academic All-Big Ten 

Ava Bayless – So. – Human Physiology – Greenville, Pa.

Nanea Estrella – Sr. – Marketing – Makawao, Hawaii

Brianna Gonzalez – So. – Exercise Science – El Monte, Calif.

Emilie Gonzalez – So. – Exercise Science – El Monte, Calif.

Felicity Taylor – Fifth Yr. – Sport and Recreation Management – Spillville, Iowa

Nyla Valencia – So. – Biology – Morgan Hill, Calif.

Kylie Welker – So. – Pre-Business – Franksville, Wis.

The University of Iowa Women’s Wrestling team won the 2024 NCWWC national title and NWCA National Duals in the first year of their program. 

Getting it done on the mat and in the classroom

Congratulations to all of the wrestlers for this honor.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Cobe Siebrecht of the University of Iowa will compete at the Matteo Pellicone Memorial in Sassari, Italy on Saturday, June 15. Siebrecht is the only American competing in the tournament. 

Siebrecht will compete at 70kg/154 lbs. for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.

The HWC has sent wrestlers to compete at this tournament for years. At the 2023 Matteo Pellicone Memorial Patrick Kennedy won the Gold and Real Woods and Abe Assad won Silver.

Siebrecht, originally from Lisbon, Iowa, was an NCAA Qualifier at 157 lbs. for the Hawks in 2023. He will return for his senior season this coming year. 

Brandon Sorensen of the HWC will be Siebrecht’s coach for the tournament.

I will post a follow up blog with results.

Matteo Pellicone Memorial Schedule

Saturday, June 15 (Senior MFS, WFS, GR)

***Times listed are CST.

3 a.m. – Qualification rounds, repechage

8:30 a.m. – Medal matches

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Former Iowa wrestler Edwin Cooper is competing in TUF 32. TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) is a production for the UFC. Cooper is competing in the Featherweight division of 145 lbs.

The two teams for TUF 32 are coached by Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso. The season opener for TUF 32 was on Tuesday, June 4. Cooper is a member of Team Shevchenko.

TUF is a reality TV show with twelve episodes where the winner of each weight will receive a contract to compete in the UFC.

Cooper is one of eight fighters in the Featherweight competition and the only American. Cooper will compete with fighters from England, Lithuania, South Africa, Tajikistan, Mexico, Australia and Brazil.

With a career 6-1 MMA record Cooper has been training in MMA since he left Iowa. He is currently living in Albuquerque, New Mexico and competes for legendary Jackson Wink MMA.

UFC champions Holly Holm and Jon Jones have competed for Jackson Wink MMA for years.

Through Facebook I have been able to keep up with Cooper’s MMA career since he left Iowa. He has not competed since 2022 and this is a great opportunity to make a huge move in his MMA career.

Cooper was a 2016 NCAA National Qualifier for the University of Iowa at 157 lbs.

Originally from Joliet, Illinois, Cooper was a two-time Illinois state champion and four-time finalist at Providence Catholic and also a Cadet and Junior freestyle national champion. He won a Junior College national title at 149 lbs. for Iowa Central in 2012.

I will keep you up to date on this blog with results for Cooper on TUF 32.

Best of luck to Edwin Cooper.

The Ultimate Fighter 32: Men’s Featherweights

• Edwin Cooper Jr. ( 6-1)
• Nathan Fletcher (8-1)
• Zygimantas Ramaska (9-2)
• Roedie Roets (7-1)
• Bekhzod Usmonov (12-4)
• Guillermo Torres (7-1)
• Kaan Ofli (11-2-1)
• Mairon Santos (13-1)

TUF 32 Schedule

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!