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2023 HWC Banquet – 50 Years of Excellence
The 2023 Hawkeye Wrestling Club Annual Banquet will be held on Saturday, May 6. The banquet will be at the Graduate at 210 S Dubuque Street in Iowa City. Doors open at 5 PM.
From hawkeyewrestlingclub.com:
Join us for our 2023 HWC Annual Banquet – Celebrating 50 years of Excellence! Enjoy hor d’oeuvres and buffet style dinner while mingling with other knowledgeable fans and Hawkeye legends. The presentation will include talks from HWC members, coaches and alumni of our storied program. Live and silent auction items will surely be a fun way to compete with other loyal supporters and raise money for our team!
The HWC is celebrating 50 years of excellence. The HWC has been a major contributor to the success of Iowa wrestling over the years. The annual banquet is an important fundraiser to ensure that the HWC continues to provide opportunities for former Iowa wrestlers to pursue their goals in International competition.
To reserve your seat:
To donate to the HWC:
https://boom.hawkeyewrestlingclub.com/give/452956/#!/donation/checkout
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Erekson to compete at U.S. Open
Former Hawkeye Dan Erekson is registered to compete at the U.S. Open at 125 kg. The U.S. Open will be at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The Senior division will be held on Thursday-Friday, April 27-28.
Erekson won the Gold at the 2022 Veterans World Championships in Division A in Plovdiv, Bulgaria last October. After the tournament Erekson announced that he would resume his wrestling career in the Senior division.
From McCall, Idaho, Erekson was a two-time All American for the Hawks and a member of the 2008, 2009, and 2010 NCAA National Championship teams.
All of the competition for the U.S. Open will be covered on the premium service of FloWrestling.
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Kadel and Wilcke named as coaches at William Penn
William Penn in Oskaloosa, Iowa announced the hiring of Jake Kadel as Women’s Wrestling Coach and Cash Wilcke as Assistant Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Coach. Kadel and Wilcke were both coaching at Iowa Wesleyan University that recently announced that the college would be closing this year.
This past season Kadel and Wilcke led the Iowa Wesleyan Women’s program to a seventh place finish at the NAIA National Championship with five All Americans and an individual National champion.
Kadel has been coaching at Iowa Wesleyan for the last three years and was the head coach for both the men’s and women’s team this past season. Kadel was a four-time Letterwinner for the University of Iowa from 2013-2016. He was named as the Coaches Appreciation Award winner in 2016 and Academic All-Big Ten.
Originally from New London, Iowa Kadel was a four-time state placewinner and two-time Finalist.
Wilcke has been coaching at Iowa Wesleyan the last two seasons as an assistant for both the men’s and women’s program. Wilcke was a four-time Letterwinner for the University of Iowa from 2017-2020 and was a three-time NCAA Qualifier for the Hawks in 2017-2019 at 184 lbs.
Wilke is originally from Battle Creek, Iowa where he won two state wrestling titles for OA-BCIG High School. Wilcke will be an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s wrestling team.
Congratulations and best of luck to these two former Iowa Hawkeye wrestlers on their new coaching positions.
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Thank you Spencer Lee
This was a challenging blog to write. To try and list all of the accomplishments of Spencer Lee as an Iowa Hawkeye just does not do justice for what he did. Lee is arguably the best and most influential Iowa wrestler of all time. That is saying a lot.
I have a lot of great memories of watching this guy wrestle for the University of Iowa. The entertainment this one wrestler provided for me and the Iowa Wrestling Nation is nearly impossible to describe.
Lee was one of the greatest high school wrestlers of all time when he made his way to Iowa City from Murrysville, Pennsylvania and Franklin Regional High School. Lee had already won three straight World Freestyle titles (1 Cadet and 2 Junior) by his junior year of high school.
On November 12, 2015 I had a blog entitled: Spencer Lee is coming to town. In the ten year plus history of my Iowa Wrestling Fan Blog that is the #1 most read blog I have ever had. The blog was about Lee coming to town for the historic Grapple on the Gridiron. I believe that post generated over 40,000 hits on Hawkeye Report alone.
When Lee committed to Iowa on April 20, 2016 I called it: “The recruiting shot heard around the wrestling world.” That one commitment stands out in the history of Iowa Wrestling.
Lee was one of several members of former Iowa Hawkeye All American Jody Strittmatter’s Young Guns Wrestling Club. The success of that era of Young Guns may never be matched by a wrestling club ever.
I was having a hard time describing what I saw Lee do in competition as a true freshman. While writing a blog I came up with: Spencer Lee is…Spencer Lee. I have never seen a college wrestler like him before and I more than likely never will again.
I was standing matside in the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls for Spencer Lee’s first college wrestling match on Saturday, December 9, 2017. What a great run he had as a true freshman winning the National title at 125.
My favorite memory of Spencer Lee as an Iowa Hawkeye is when he pinned Nathan Tomasello of Ohio State in the Semifinals of the 2018 NCAA National Tournament in 6:05. That match can not be topped as a favorite memory for me.
Spencer Lee was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time All American. He was more than just stats. Lee made people want to watch wrestling. He was a once in a lifetime type of talent.
Lee dominated in academics as well. Spencer Lee has already graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport and Recreational Management – Business. He is currently working on his Master’s degree in Sport and Recreational Management.
Lee was named Academic All-Big Ten three times and is also a three-time NWCA Scholar Athlete.
I also need to mention the memorable entrance song for home meets at Carver for Lee was We Will Rock You by Queen. I think it is safe to say that Iowa Wrestling fans will think of Spencer Lee when we hear the first few beats to that song for well, ever.
What great memories I have of hearing the first few beats of We Will Rock You and to then see Spencer Lee come out of the tunnel in Carver. Amazing memories.
I have no doubt that whatever Spencer Lee pursues for a career that he will be very successful.
I have a category that I seldom use and for good reason. Only a select few qualify. The ultimate level for me I titled: “Chiseled in stone legend.” Spencer Lee is…Spencer Lee. Spencer Lee is also without a doubt a “Chiseled in stone legend.”
Good luck and thank you Spencer Lee for representing Iowa Wrestling so well on and off the mat.
Accomplishments of Spencer Lee:
Three-time NCAA National Champion
Four-time All American
Two-time Hodge Trophy winner
Three-time Big Ten champion
Three-time Big Ten Wrestler of the Year
O.W. of the 2023 Big Ten Championships
2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
12 career falls in under one minute
29 first period falls
40 of 98 career victories ended in the first period – 29 falls/11 tech falls
Career 26-0 record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Big Ten Medal of Honor winner
James E. Sullivan Award winner (2020)
Named NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler (2020)
Two-time Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler at Iowa
Coaches Appreciation Award recipient
Three-time Academic All-Big Ten
Three-time NWCA Scholar Athlete
2020 U.S. Open champion
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner
2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
2018 Amateure Wrestling News Hammer Award
Seven-time Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
Three-time Freestyle World Champion: Cadet (2014), Junior World Champion (2015, 2016)
Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport and Recreational Management – Business
Spencer Lee wins again https://iowawrestlingblog.com/2021/08/spencer-lee-wins-again/
Spencer Lee – 125 lbs. Five-time All American
2018 – National Champion
2019 – National Champion
2020 – All American – #1 seed at Nationals that were cancelled
2021 – National Champion
2022 – Redshirt
2023 – 6th
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Iowa Women’s Wrestling Clinic on April 18
The Iowa Women’s Wrestling program will have a freestyle clinic on Tuesday, April 18 from 6:15 PM to 8:15 PM. The clinic will be held in the Iowa Wrestling room in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The clinic is limited to the first 30 high school girls that are currently a sophomore-senior. Cost is $10 per person.
Members of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling staff with World Champion head coach Clarissa Chun will be the clinicians. The clinic will include technique, drilling, and sparring.
The University of Iowa is the first Division I Power 5 Conference member to have women’s wrestling. The Hawks have their first year of official competition next season.
To register and for more information:
https://www.campworksonline.com/index.cfm/register?eventID=3005
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Iowa Women’s Wrestling All Girls Camps this summer
The first ever Iowa Women’s Wrestling All Girls Camp will take place this summer. A two day camp will be on Friday-Saturday, June 16-17. An Elite Camp will be Sunday-Wednesday, June 25-28. Both camps are for freestyle wrestling.
Members of the Iowa Women’s wrestling program will be the clinicians.
The camps will include freestyle technique, drilling, sparring, live wrestling, and conversations with Iowa wrestlers and staff with World Champion head coach Clarissa Chun.
The University of Iowa is the first Division I Power 5 Conference member to have women’s wrestling. The Hawks have their first year of official competition next season.
I will keep you up to date here on my blog when registration is open.
I anticipate a sellout so you may want to register as soon as you can.
For more information:
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Petersen places second at USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals
Incoming Iowa Wrestling recruit Kale Petersen placed second at 132 lbs. at USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals in Cedar Falls this past weekend. Petersen rolled to the finals with a major decision, tech fall, DQ, and major decision.
In the Finals he dropped an 8-7 decision to Teegan Vasquez of Montana.
Petersen recently won his third state title at 132 lbs. for Greene County (Iowa) and ended the season with a perfect 42-0 record.
Petersen is a member of the outstanding Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2023.
USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals
132 lbs.
Champ. Round 1 – Kale Petersen (IA) won by major decision over Caleb Lavine (LA) (Maj 14-2)
Champ. Round 2 – Kale Petersen (IA) won by tech fall over Tyson Seibel (IL) (TF 20-4)
Quarterfinal – Kale Petersen (IA) won by disqualification over Tye Linser (IN) (DQ)
Semifinal – Kale Petersen (IA) won by major decision over Carter Schmidt (MT) (Maj 11-3)
1st Place Match – Teegan Vasquez (MT) won by decision over Kale Petersen (IA) (Dec 8-7)
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Incoming recruits registered for U20 U.S. Open
An impressive list of incoming Iowa Wrestling recruits are registered for the U20 U.S. Open. The U20 Freestyle competition will be on Friday and Saturday, April 29-30 in the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Kale Petersen is registered at 57 kg/125 lbs. He won his third state title at 132 lbs. for Greene County and ended the season with a perfect 42-0 record.
Cody Chittum is registered at 70 kg/154 lbs. Last month Chittum won the Silver at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Event in Alexandria, Egypt with over 20 countries competing. Chittum was the overall #1 recruit in the country in 2022. He is taking a grey shirt season while training and competing with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club and will enroll at Iowa with the Class of 2023 in August.
Gabe Arnold is listed at 79 kg/174 lbs. He recently won the 3A title at 182 lbs. for City High (Iowa City). He is ranked #2 in the country by MatScouts at 182.
Ben Kueter of City High (Iowa City) is currently ranked #5 at 97 kg/213 lbs. in the American Men’s Freestyle Rankings for the Open division. That is very impressive considering Kueter is a senior in high school. Kueter completed his amazing high school career as a four-time state champion and an undefeated record of 111-0. Kueter won a U20 World Freestyle title last summer in Sofia, Bulgaria. I have not heard if Kueter is competing at the U.S. Open. I can only speculate that if he does compete it will be in the Open division. I will let you know.
Petersen, Chittum, Arnold, and Kueter (along with Ryder Block) are all members of the outstanding Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2023.
I will also keep you posted on what members of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club will be competing at the U.S. Open.
Competition for the U.S. Open will be available on FloWrestling premium service.
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Thank you Jacob Warner
Jacob Warner has been holding down 197 in the Iowa lineup for the past five years and is a rare five-time All American. Warner was a member of the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2017. Originally from Tolono, Illinois Warner competed for Washington High School. In high school Warner was a three-time state champion and four-time finalist.
He won a Cadet and Junior Freestyle and Greco-Roman national title. In 2016 Warner won a Bronze medal at the Cadet World Freestyle Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia.
During his true freshman year as a redshirt Warner was a UWW Junior Nationals champion and competed at the UWW Junior World Freestyle Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. He placed seventh in the country as a redshirt freshman. In the Covid year of 2020 Warner placed third at Big Tens and was seeded fifth at 197 when the NCAA Tournament was canceled.
After placing fourth in 2021 Warner was an NCAA National Runner up in 2022. After entering the tournament this year as a fourteenth seed Warner placed fifth at a deep and talented 197 lbs. weight class.
Off the mat Warner was very successful academically. Jacob Warner has already graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance. He is currently working on a Master’s degree in Business Analytics.
Warner is a five-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and has been named as an NWCA Scholar Athlete three times. At the awards banquet last week Warner received the J. Donald McPike, Sr. Award for the senior with the highest GPA and was co-recipient of the Most Courageous Award with Max Murin.
I also need to mention the memorable entrance song for Warner at home meets at Carver-Hawkeye Arena was Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen.
Even though Warner became a five-time all American and dropped a real close match in the NCAA Finals some fans were pretty harsh online with criticism. Those fans exercised their First Amendment rights to criticize Warner. I will now exercise my First Amendment rights by telling all of those Jacob Warner critics to kiss my ass.
Whatever field Warner goes into I look for him to continue winning. I can see him being a successful business owner with a high net worth.
Good luck and thank you Jacob Warner for representing Iowa Wrestling so well on and off the mat.
Jacob Warner – 197 lbs. Five-time All American
2019 – 7th
2020 – All American
2021 – 4th
2022 – 2nd
2023 – 5th
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
Grebel commits to Iowa
Cody Goodwin of the Des Moines Register announced on Twitter that Koye Grebel has committed to the University of Iowa. Grebel is from Valley City, North Dakota where he was named North Dakota’s Mr. Wrestler.
Grebel is a three-time state champion and four-time state finalist. Grebal was 44-2 this past season and won a state title at 138 lbs. with a 15-0 tech fall in the finals. He is projected to compete at 141 lbs. for the Hawks.
Grebel will be a member of the outstanding Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2023.
Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2023
Kale Petersen – Greene County 132 lbs.
Ryder Block – Waverly-Shell Rock 138 lbs.
Koye Grebel – Valley City, North Dakota 138 lbs.
Cody Chittum – Cleveland, Tennessee 152 lbs.
Gabe Arnold – City High (Iowa City) 182 lbs.
Ben Kueter – City High (Iowa City) 220 lbs.
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!