We have another big weekend of wrestling for our incoming recruits. Miguel Estrada (CA), Brady Benham (OK), and Cadence Diduch (IL) will be competing in their State tournament. 

Leo Deluca will be competing at the National Prep Wrestling Championships in Bethlehem, PA. that will be covered live by FloWrestling on Friday and Saturday.

Joe Kennedy will be at Section 1AA Individual in Rochester on Friday and Saturday. This will be a qualifier for the State Tournament next weekend.

As I have done for years I will continue to post a blog of where our incoming recruits will be competing for the weekend and a follow up blog with results.

 

 

Recruiting Class of 2024

Dru Ayala – Fort Dodge, Iowa  120 lbs.

Season completed – 3rd place.

 

Keyan Hernandez – Billings (West), Montana 126 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

Miguel Estrada – Bakersfield (Frontier HS), California  150 lbs.

Th-Sat  Feb 22-24 – at California State Wrestling Championships (Bakersfield)

 

Angelo Ferrari – Melissa, Texas  175 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

Jake Howell –  Glenwood Village (Cherry Creek HS), Colorado  215 lbs.

Season completed – 2nd place.

 

Kael Voinovich – City High HS, Iowa City, Iowa  157 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

Joe Kennedy – Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota  152 lbs.

Fri-Sat Feb 23-24 – at Section 1AA Individual (Rochester)

 

Brady Benham – Sperry, Oklahoma  165 lbs.

Th-Sat Feb 22-24 – at Oklahoma State Championships (Oklahoma City)

 

Recruiting Class of 2025

Leo DeLuca  – Blair Academy New Jersey  120 lbs.

Fri-Sat Feb 23-24 – at National Prep Wrestling Championships (Bethlehem, PA)

 

Leister Bowling – Mead, Colorado  175 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

Women’s Recruiting Class of 2024

Val Solorio – Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania  100 lbs.

No competition scheduled.

 

Karlee Brooks – Valiant College Prep HS (Phoenix, AZ)  120 lbs.

No competition scheduled.

 

Cadence Diduch – Freeport, Illinois  135 lbs.

Fri-Sat Feb 23-24 – at Illinois Girls Individual State Finals (Bloomington)

 

Kiara Djoumessi – Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa  140 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

Naomi Simon – Decorah, Iowa 170 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The University of Iowa Women’s Wrestling team will be competing at the NCWWC Region V Tournament in Indianola, Iowa on Friday, February 23. The top four wrestlers at each weight will  qualify for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 8-9.

Wrestling will take place in Cowles Fieldhouse on the campus of Simpson College with competition beginning at 10 AM. 

Also I need to note that the head coach for Simpson is former Iowa Hawkeye two-time NCAA national champion Jeff McGinness.

Iowa is currently ranked #2 in the Tournament Rankings in their first year of competition.

Five of the nine teams competing at the NCWWC Region V are ranked in the Top 25 in the country. #2 Iowa will be challenged by #4 McKendree, #11 William Jewell, #16 Wartburg, and #22 Lindenwood.

Each mat will be live streamed by Rokfin. Brackets and results will be available on TrackWrestling.

I will have a  follow up blog with results.

 

NCWWC Region V

Buena Vista

Eureka

#2 Iowa

#22 Lindenwood

#4 McKendree

Quincy

Simpson

#16 Wartburg

#11 William Jewell

 

 

NWCA NCAA Women’s Coaches Rankings – February 8, 2024

101 – #1 Emilie Gonzalez  #2 Sterling Dias

109 – #2 Ava Bayless

116 – #3 Brianna Gonzalez  #4 Felicity Taylor

123 – Nobody ranked

130 – #9 Emily Frost

136 – #10 Lilly Luft

143 – #2 Reese Larramendy  #4 Ella Schmit 

155 – #1 Marlynne Deede  #9 Bella Mir

170 – #1 Kylie Welker  #3 Haley Ward

191 – #3 Jaycee Fowler  #8 Alivia White

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Spencer Lee will represent Team USA at 57 KG at the Pan American Wrestling Championships on Saturday, February 24. Top competition in Men’s and Women’s Freestyle and Greco-Roman will take place in Acapulco, Mexico. 

This will be Lee’s first International competition representing Team USA at the Senior level.

All of the wrestling will be covered live by FloWrestling.

I will have a follow up blog with results.

 

 

2024 Pan American Wrestling Championships in Acapulco, Mexico

Saturday, February 24 – Men’s Freestyle: 57-65-70-79-92-97-125 kg

10:00 am – Qualification Rounds

2:00 pm – Semifinals

3:00 pm – Repechage

5:00 pm – Medal Rounds

*Times listed are CST

 

For a full list of wrestlers competing in all three styles:

https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/11961877-2024-pan-am-wrestling-championship-entries-schedule

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The Iowa Hawkeyes will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma to take on Oklahoma State on Sunday. The meet will be televised on FSI at 2 PM.

In the new InterMat Rankings Iowa is ranked #3 in both Tournament and Dual Meet rankings. Oklahoma State is #4 in Tournament and #2 in Dual Meet rankings.

You can bet that Gallagher-Iba Arena will be packed and provide a great setting for a big dual meet between the two most successful programs in the history of college wrestling.

The results of these matches will come into play for seeds at Big Tens and Nationals.

This will be a typical Iowa-Oklahoma State dual meet that will be fun to watch.

I look for the dual meet to begin at 125. Getting started right is always important. #4 Drake Ayala will face #12 Troy Spratley.

The deciding match of the dual meet may be at 149. Iowa has both #8 Caleb Rathjen and Victor Voinovich listed to face either #18 Jordan Williams or Sammy Alvarez. The winner at 149 is going to have a big advantage winning this dual meet.

The biggest matchup for rankings is at 165. #7 Michael Caliendo vs. #3 Izzak Olejnik will be the match of the day.

Iowa has Aiden Riggins and Gabe Arnold both listed at 184 to face #2 Dustin Plott.

Another pivotal match is at 197 with #11 Zach Glazier vs. #16 Luke Surber. Glazier has been clutch all season putting dual meets away in pressure situations. He may have that opportunity once again on Sunday.

Iowa has both #29 Brad Hill and Ben Kueter listed at Hwt to face #11 Konner Doucet.

This will be an intense and exciting dual meet every step of the way.

I did have Iowa as a favorite with Rathjen competing. Without knowing if Rathjen is going I have this as a toss up with the Hawks finding a way to win way in a close dual meet.

You can listen to the Iowa-Oklahoma State dual meet on iheart.com, YouTube, and AM 800 KXIC where Steven Grace and Mark Ironside will call the action.

This will be the final dual meet of the season before the Tournament season begins.

Sat and Sun March 9-10 – at Big Ten Championships (College Park, Maryland)

Thurs-Sat March 21-23 – at NCAA Championships (Kansas City, MO)

 

 

#3 IOWA HAWKEYES (11-2, 6-2) 2023-24 Overall

Wt. Rank^ Name Yr. Hometown/High School Record

125 2/4/3/3 Drake Ayala So. Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge 18-3

133 17/20/23/20 Cullan Schriever Jr. Mason City, Iowa/Mason City 8-3

-or- Brody Teske Sr. Duncombe, Iowa/Fort Dodge 11-3

141 2/2/2/3 Real Woods R-Sr. Albuquerque, New Mexico/Montini Catholic (Ill.) 13-2

149 12/8/11/8 Caleb Rathjen So. Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny 14-3

-or- Victor Voinovich III So. Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville 11-5

157 6/5/5/6 Jared Franek Grad. Harwood, North Dakota/West Fargo 19-3

165 7/7/7/8 Michael Caliendo So. Geneva, Illinois/Batavia 19-3

174 7/7/5/5 Patrick Kennedy Jr. Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota/Kasson-Mantorville 11-4

184 Aiden Riggins R-Fr. Janesville, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock 11-11

-or- Gabe Arnold Fr. Albany, Georgia/Iowa City 8-0

197 10/11/12/8 Zach Glazier Sr. Albert Lea, Minnesota/Albert Lea 20-1

285 –/29/–/– Bradley Hill R-Fr. Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf 16-5

-or- Ben Kueter Fr. Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City 2-1

^ WIN/Intermat/Flo/AWN

 

#4 OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (14-0, 8-0) 2023-24 Overall

Wt. Rank^ Name Yr. Hometown/High School Record

125 5/12/8/12 Troy Spratley R-Fr. Eufala, Oklahoma/Plano West 18-4

133 2/3/3/2 Daton Fix R-Sr. Sand Springs, Oklahoma/Charles Page 12-0

141 6/8/9/8 Tagen Jamison R-Fr. Durant, Oklahoma/Plano West 14-5

149 20/18/11/19 Jordan Williams R-Fr. Tulsa, Oklahoma/Owasso 10-6

-or- Sammy Alvarez Sr. Garfield, New Jersey/Saint Joseph Regional 3-4

157 10/10/10/11 Teague Travis R-So. Stillwater, Oklahoma/Stillwater 17-3

165 4/3/3/4 Izzak Olejnik R-Sr. Bakersfield, California/Bakersfield 19-3

174 –/21/24/17 Brayden Thompson Fr. Frankfort, Illinois/Lockport Township 9-7

184 2/2/2/2 Dustin Plott Sr. Tuttle, Oklahoma/Tuttle 21-2

197 11/16/16/16 Luke Surber Sr. Tuttle, Oklahoma/Tuttle 8-3

285 12/11/11/12 Konner Doucet R-Jr. Comanche, Oklahoma/Comanche 13-6

^ WIN/Intermat/Flo/AWN

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Former Iowa Hawkeyes Brandon Sorensen and Cory Clark were inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame. Sorensen and Clark were honored at the State Tournament Saturday night in Des Moines.

Sorensen was a four-time state champion for Denver-Tripoli from 2010-2013 where he was the Iowa winner of the Dave Schultz Excellence Award in 2013.

At the University of Iowa Sorensen was a four-time All American and placed 4th-2nd-3rd-5th in his career at 149 lbs. Sorensen was chosen as the John and Dorothy Sill Award winner for most dedicated wrestler in 2015 and 2018. 

Sorensen was named in 2017 and 2018 as Academic All Big Ten and to the NWCA All-Academic Team.

Sorensen has been a member of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club since 2018.

 

 

Clark was a four-time state champion at Southeast Polk High School in 2009-2012.

At the University of Iowa Clark was a four-time All American, three-time NCAA Finalist and the 2017 NCAA National Champion at 133 lbs. For his career from 2014-17 Clark placed 5th-2nd-2nd-1st.  

In 2017 Clark was named as the Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler and earned the Mike J. McGivern Award for most courageous wrestler award for the Iowa Wrestling team.

Congratulations to Brandon Sorensen and Cory Clark for being inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Incoming Iowa Wrestling recruit Karlee Brooks placed second at the Lady Klippan Open in Klippan, Sweden. Competing for Team USA at 53 kg/116 lbs. in the Open division Brooks won a tech fall, fall, and decision to reach the finals.

In the finals Brooks dropped a 5-4 decision to Magdalena Glodek of Poland. Glodek was a 2022 U23 World silver medalist.

Of the five U20 eligible age USA wrestlers to compete in the Open division Brooks was the only one to medal.

 

 

Brooks, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, is in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as a member of the EAP (Elite Accelerator Program). She is currently ranked #2 at 120 lbs. and #11 in the P4P rankings.

Brooks is a member of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024.

 

Lady Klippan Open – Klippan, Sweden

53 kg – Karlee Brooks, Phoenix, Ariz. (EAP), silver medal

WIN Lobna Icaoui (Tunisia), tech. fall, 12-0

WIN Lilya Cohen (France), fall, 4:15

WIN Maelyss Rousselet (France), 5-4

LOSS Magdalena Glodek (Poland), 5-4

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

  

It was a huge weekend of competition with five of our incoming Iowa Wrestling recruits competing in their state tournament.

Angelo Ferrari (Texas), Kael Voinovich (Iowa), and Leister Bowling (Colorado) won titles. Jake Howell (Colorado) placed second and Dru Ayala (Iowa) placed third.

Brady Benham won Regionals and will compete at the Oklahoma State Tournament next weekend. Val Solorio won District 7 and will next compete at West Regional on March 2.

Joe Kennedy won his only match at the Team Section 1AA Championship for team duals.

Leo DeLuca had one match at the New York/New Jersey National Prep Qualifier where he won by a pin in :15.

Karlee Brooks is in the 53 KG/116 lbs. finals at the Klippan Lady Open in Klippan, Sweden. Brooks is representing Team USA in the Senior division on Saturday and Sunday.

I am still researching for results for Miguel Estrada.

As I have done for years I will continue to post a blog of where our incoming recruits will be competing for the weekend and a follow up blog with results.

 

 

Recruiting Class of 2024

Dru Ayala – Fort Dodge, Iowa  120 lbs.

Wed/Sat Feb 14-17 – at Iowa High School State Tournament

Champ. Round 1 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 received a bye () (Bye)

Champ. Round 2 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by decision over Nick McCallister (Waukee) 24-13 (Dec 18-12)

Quarterfinal – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by major decision over Reid Foster (Bondurant-Farrar) 27-9 (MD 16-3)

Semifinal – Jake Knight (Bettendorf) 34-2 won by decision over Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 (Dec 12-6)

Cons. Semi – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by decision over Malik DeBow (Linn-Mar) 34-4 (Dec 7-4)

3rd Place Match – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by decision over Cody Vandermark (Ankeny Centennial) 35-6 (Dec 5-4)

 

Keyan Hernandez – Billings (West), Montana 126 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

Miguel Estrada – Bakersfield (Frontier HS), California  152 lbs.

Fri/Sat Feb 16-17 – Masters (Selland Arena)

 

Angelo Ferrari – Melissa, Texas  175 lbs.

Fri/Sat Feb 16-17 – at UIL State Championships (Cypress)

Champ. Round 1 – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by fall over Aiden Rodriguez (Edcouch-Elsa) 43-11 (Fall 1:19)

Quarterfinal – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by fall over Erik Woolston (Frisco Lone Star) 40-7 (Fall 1:28)

Semifinal – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by fall over De`Andre Richardson (Carrollton Creekview) 29-13 (Fall 1:21)

1st Place Match – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by tech fall over Isaac Zapata (Georgetown) 55-4 (TF-1.5 4:37 (27-12))

 

Jake Howell –  Glenwood Village (Cherry Creek HS), Colorado  215 lbs.

Fri/Sat Feb 15-17 – at Colorado State Championships (Denver)

Champ. Round 1 – Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 won by fall over Mouhamed Benbelkacem (Cherokee Trail) 9-15 (Fall 1:29)

Quarterfinal – Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 won by fall over Oz Nowick (Grandview) 23-12 (Fall 2:28)

Semifinal – Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 won by major decision over Maddux Najera (Pomona) 30-6 (MD 11-2)

1st Place Match – Quinn Funk (Legacy) 45-0 won by fall over Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 (Fall 3:36)

 

Kael Voinovich – City High HS, Iowa City, Iowa  157 lbs.

Wed/Sat Feb 14-17 – at Iowa High School State Tournament

Champ. Round 1 – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 received a bye () (Bye)

Champ. Round 2 – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by fall over Dominic Tigner (Norwalk) 35-11 (Fall 3:06)

Quarterfinal – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by major decision over Isaac Bruhl (Ankeny Centennial) 20-3 (MD 19-7)

Semifinal – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by injury default over Grant Kress (Linn-Mar) 32-2 (Inj. 1:50)

1st Place Match – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by major decision over Jaxon Miller (Carlisle) 36-3 (MD 12-3)

 

Joe Kennedy – Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota  152 lbs.

Sat Feb 17 – at Team Section 1AA Championship (Rochester)

Joseph Kennedy (Kasson-Mantorville) over Laiken Copeman (Zumbrota-Mazeppa) Dec 8-4

 

Brady Benham – Sperry, Oklahoma  165 lbs.

Fri/Sat Feb 16-17 – at 3A Regionals (Vinita, OK)

Champ. Round 1 – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by fall over Nathaniel Acevedo (VICTORY CHRISTIAN) 1-2 (Fall 0:48)

Champ. Round 2 – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by tech fall over Joseph Cummings (HENRYETTA) 16-11 (TF-1.5 2:50 (17-2))

Quarterfinal – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by fall over Kutter Thompson (WYANDOTTE) 1-2 (Fall 1:30)

Semifinal – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by tech fall over Seth Elam (SALINA) 27-12 (TF-1.5 4:50 (17-2))

1st Place Match – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by fall over Landon Beliel (TONKAWA) 31-7 (Fall 1:12)

 

Recruiting Class of 2025

Leo DeLuca  – Blair Academy New Jersey  120 lbs.

Sat Feb 17 – New York/New Jersey National Prep Qualifier (Blair)

Leo DeLuca (Blair) won by fall in :15

 

Leister Bowling – Mead, Colorado  175 lbs.

Fri/Sat Feb 15-17 – at Colorado State Championships (Denver)

Champ. Round 1 – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by fall over Kc Mendoza (Mountain View) 25-20 (Fall 1:37)

Quarterfinal – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by major decision over Michael Garcia (Roosevelt) 32-12 (MD 16-4)

Semifinal – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by fall over Walker Hayman (Loveland) 41-1 (Fall 1:55)

1st Place Match – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by major decision over Jack Doughty (Canon City) 48-3 (MD 8-0)

 

Women’s Recruiting Class of 2024

Val Solorio – Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania  100 lbs.

Sat Feb 17 – at District 7 (North Allegheny)

Val Solorio (Canon-McMillan) tech fall over Kristen Walzer (Montour) 16-1

 

Karlee Brooks – Valiant College Prep HS (Phoenix, AZ)  120 lbs.

Sat/Sun Feb 17-18 – at Klippan Lady Open (Sweden)

WIN Lobna Icaoui (Tunisia), tech. fall, 12-0

WIN Lilya Cohen (France), fall, 4:15

WIN Maelyss Rousselet (France), 5-4

VS Magdalena Glodek (Poland)

 

Cadence Diduch – Freeport, Illinois  135 lbs.

No competition scheduled.

 

Kiara Djoumessi – Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa  140 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

Naomi Simon – Decorah, Iowa 170 lbs.

Season completed – State Champion.

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

There will be a HAWK Klub party at the Radisson Hotel after the Iowa-Wisconsin dual meet Sunday, February 18. Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Tom Brands will be the guest speaker.

Members of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club will also be speaking and in the crowd.

The Radisson is at 1220 1st Ave. in Coralville just North of I-80 by Exit 242.

Iowa faces Wisconsin at 1 PM Sunday in sold out Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Senior Day for the last home dual meet of the season.

 

 

HAWK Klub (Hawkeye Area Wrestling Klub) was formed in 1978 and is the oldest college wrestling fan support organization in the country. 

For membership information about HAWK Klub: http://hawkklub.com/

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

 

The new National Girls High School Rankings for February have been released. The rankings are a product of USA Wrestling, FloWrestling, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

All five members of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024 are ranked. In the Pound For Pound (P4P) rankings Karlee Brooks is listed at #12 and Naomi Simon is #23.

In individual rankings Val Solorio is #3 at 100, Karlee Brooks is #2 at 120, Cadence Diduch is #4 at 135, Kiara Djoumessi is #9 at 140, and Naomi Simon is #3 at 170.

Simon and Djoumessi have already won a state title. Solorio will be in Districts this weekend and Diduch will compete at State next weekend.

Karlee Brooks will be competing at the Klippan Lady Open in Klippan, Sweden. Brooks will represent Team USA in the Senior division at 53 KG/116 lbs. on Saturday and Sunday.

The next competition for Iowa will be the NCWWC Regionals at Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa) on Friday, February 23. This will be the qualifier for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 8-9.

 

 

Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024 in the new National Girls High School Rankings for February

Val Solorio (Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania) – #3 at 100 lbs.

Karlee Brooks  (Valiant College Prep, Phoenix, AZ) – #2 at 120 lbs., #11 P4P

Cadence Diduch (Freeport, Illinois) – #4 at 135 lbs.

Kiara Djoumessi (Waverly-Shell Rock HS, Iowa) –  #9 at 140 lbs.

Naomi Simon (Decorah, Iowa) – #3 at 170 lbs., #23 P4P

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The Hawkeye Wrestling Club will host a Pre-Match Social from 10 AM – 1 PM on Sunday, February 18. The Social will be at Scouts Honor at 219 Iowa Avenue in downtown Iowa City. 

The HWC Socials are free of charge and provide a great opportunity to meet HWC wrestlers, former Hawkeye greats and other Iowa Wrestling fans.

 

 

The Hawks will face Wisconsin at 1 PM for Senior Day in sold out Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!