The first college rankings of the year are on the board from InterMat. Rankings this time of year? Gotta love it. The upcoming 2022-2023 college wrestling season is something to look forward to as an Iowa Wrestling fan. 

The headline of the upcoming season will be the return of Spencer Lee as he pursues his fourth NCAA title. An online picture this spring showed Lee looking bigger and stronger. His return at 125 will be a huge boost for the Hawks.

Iowa lost a lot of seniors that graduated from last year’s team. The Iowa room is full of talented wrestlers and more are on the way for recruits. 

There is a lot to look forward to for the new season. The Iowa Women’s team will begin this year with their first year of official competition to begin next season. Add in that ground was broke on the new Iowa Wrestling facility last week, “The greatest wrestling training facility…in the world” and there is a lot to be excited about.

A quick look at the rankings shows Iowa at #2. That is never the goal for Iowa Wrestling but for a reloading year that is a pretty darned good place to start. The combination of a strong core of returning All Americans, elite recruits, and the addition of Real Woods will make the Hawks a title contender this year. 

The most open weight for Iowa is 157. I look for a dogfight for this starting spot that may not be decided until Big Tens. Whoever emerges at this weight will be scoring points at Nationals for the Hawks.

I am especially looking forward to the emergence of Patrick Kennedy at 165. This weight has the potential to be nothing short of epic with the level of competition. I mean one of the best weight classes of all-time type of epic. 

The potential showdown with NCAA champ David Carr in the Iowa-Iowa State dual meet in December will let us know pretty quickly where Kennedy is at on the national scene at a very loaded weight.

The BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma will host the 2023 NCAA National Wrestling Championships on March 16-18.

I am always saying that Iowa Wrestling is my entertainment. I plan on being entertained this season.

Let’s get ‘em in the middle.

InterMat rankings

Tournament:

1. Penn State – 99 points
2. Iowa – 73
3. Arizona State – 63.5
4. Ohio State – 59

Dual meet:

1. Penn State
2. Iowa
3. Oklahoma State
4. Missouri

125 – Spencer Lee: #1

133 – Cullan Shriever: #14

141 – Real Woods: #2

149 – Max Murin: #8

157 – Bretli Reyna: #33

165 – Patrick Kennedy: #17

174 – Nelson Brands: #16

184 – Abe Assad: #13

197 – Jacob Warner: #3

Hwt – Tony Cassioppi: #4

Complete Intermat Rankings: https://intermatwrestle.com/rankings/college/125?

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Cullan Schriever was named to the 2022 spring semester president’s list for the University of Iowa. Schriever has been named for this honor in each of his two years at Iowa. He has also been named Academic All Big Ten and to the Dean’s List.

The requirements for this honor is to have a 4.0 GPA as a full time student on all academic subjects for the 2021 fall semester.

Schriever was a three-time state champion and highly ranked recruit out of Mason City, Iowa in the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2020. He will be a redshirt sophomore for the upcoming season.

Schriever looks to be the preseason favorite for the 133 lbs. varsity spot for the 2022-2023 Iowa Wrestling team.

Congratulations to Cullan Schriever for this honor.

Another example of Iowa Wrestling getting it done on the mat and in the classroom.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Future Iowa Hawkeyes looked great this weekend in leading Team Iowa to a second consecutive team title at Junior Duals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  The six Iowa Wrestling recruits went a combined 35-1 against top competition from around the country.

Iowa defeated Ohio 47-14 in the finals. 

At 120 Nate Jesuroga led the way by going 8-0 with seven tech falls and outscored his opponents 75-0. Ryder Block was 5-1 at 138 with four tech falls and a fall. Joel Jesuroga was 6-0 with two tech falls. At 160 Aiden Riggins was 7-0 with four tech falls. 

Kolby Franklin was 7-0 with seven tech falls with five matches at 195 and two at 220. Franklin outscored his seven opponents 74-3. Ben Kueter was 2-0 with two falls with a match at 220 and Hwt.

This was a real impressive showing by our incoming recruits.

Joel Jesuroga, Riggins, and Franklin are in the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2022. Nate Jesuroga, Block, and Kueter are in the Class of 2023.

The future looks great for Iowa Wrestling.

Iowa Assistant Coach Ryan Morningstar was on the coaching staff.

Next up will be Cadet and Junior Nationals in Fargo in July.

120 – Nate Jesuroga

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Cooper Shore (Ohio Scarlet) TF 10-0

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Marcelo Pozo (Virginia) TF 10-0

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Anthony Isek (Colorado) TF 10-0

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Kaleb Marciszewski (Washington) TF 10-0

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Massey Odiotti (Illinois) TF 10-0

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Sam Smith (Oklahoma Blue) TF 11-0

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Alan Koehler (Minnesota Gold) TF 10-0

Nathanael Jesuroga (Iowa) over Marcus Blaze (Ohio) Dec 5-0

138 – Ryder Block

Ryan Bennett (Ohio Scarlet) over Ryder Block (Iowa) Fall 3:58

Ryder Block (Iowa) over Emilio Trujillo-Deen (Colorado) TF 15-2

Ryder Block (Iowa) over Smokey McClure (Washington) TF 11-0

Ryder Block (Iowa) over Nasir Bailey (Illinois) TF 14-4

Ryder Block (Iowa) over Cash Raymond (Minnesota Gold) TF 10-0

Ryder Block (Iowa) over Ismael Ayoub (Ohio) TF 10-0

145 – Joel Jesuroga

Joel Jesuroga (Iowa) over Samuel Cartella (Ohio Scarlet) Dec 3-1

Joel Jesuroga (Iowa) over Max Apsel (Virginia) TF 10-0

Joel Jesuroga (Iowa) over Dustin Baxter (Washington) TF 11-0

Joel Jesuroga (Iowa) over Noah Manuel Tapia (Illinois) Dec 7-1

Joel Jesuroga (Iowa) over Jace Roller (Oklahoma Blue) Dec 10-1

Joel Jesuroga (Iowa) forfeit over (Ohio)

160 – Aiden Riggins

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Christopher Earnest (Ohio Scarlet) TF 10-0

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Cooper Lockhart (Virginia) TF 12-0

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Aydin Rix McElhinney (Colorado) TF 10-0

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Thor Michaelson (Washington) Dec 3-2

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Chris Moore (Illinois) TF 10-0

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Jordan Williams (Oklahoma Blue) Dec 9-8

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

Aiden Riggins (Iowa) over Antwuan Burns (Ohio) TF 10-0

195 – Kolby Franklin

Kolby Franklin (Iowa) over Coen Grimm (Ohio Scarlet) TF 10-0

Kolby Franklin (Iowa) over Xavier Williams (Virginia) TF 11-0

Kolby Franklin (Iowa) over Dylan Bravo-Parker (Colorado) TF 10-0

Kolby Franklin (Iowa) over Donald Schmidt (Washington) TF 10-0

Kolby Franklin (Iowa) over Jersey Robb (Oklahoma Blue) TF 10-0

220 – Kolby Franklin (Iowa) over Max Balow (Minnesota Gold) TF 13-3

220 – Kolby Franklin (Iowa) over Carter Neves (Ohio) TF 10-0

220 – Ben Keuter

(Hwy) Ben Kueter (Iowa) over Hayden Simpson (Oklahoma Blue) Fall 1:07

(220) Ben Kueter (Iowa) over Logan Shephard (Ohio) Fall 1:22

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Incoming Iowa Hawkeye recruits will be in action this weekend at Junior Duals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is always a good tournament with competition from around the country. Dual meets begin at 8 AM on Friday and 9 AM on Saturday. Team Iowa won their first title since 2005 last year and will be looking to defend the title with a strong looking team.

Iowa recruits for Team Iowa:

120 – Nate Jesuroga

138 – Ryder Block

145 – Joel Jesuroga

160 – Aiden Riggins

195 – Kolby Franklin

220 – Ben Keuter

Joel Jesuroga, Riggins, and Franklin are in the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2022. Nate Jesuroga, Block, and Kueter are in the Class of 2023.

Iowa Assistant Coach Ryan Morningstar will be on the coaching staff.

Junior Duals will be streamed live on the premium service for FloWreslting.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

It was a great performance for Iowa Wrestling in Geneva, Ohio. Tony Cassioppi and Patrick Kennedy won titles at the U23 World Team Trials. Cassioppi rolled to the 125 kg finals where he defeated Zack Elam (Tiger Style Wrestling) 2-0 in a best of three format by scores of 11-4 and 13-2. Cassioppi is the defending U23 World Champion at 125 kg.

Patrick Kennedy looked real tough in winning the title at 74kg. Kennedy defeated Peyton Hall (Mountaineer Wrestling Club) 8-3 and 5-0 to win the best of three finals. Kennedy is an elite recruit that is set to step into the lineup at 165 for the Hawks this year with four years of eligibility remaining.

Abe Assad (86kg) and Brennan Swafford (79kg) placed third, Cobe Siebrecht (70kg) placed fourth and Drew Bennett (65kg) did not place. With this impressive performance the Hawkeye Wrestling Club won the team title for the U23 WTT.

The U23 World Freestyle Championships are in Pontevedra, Spain on October 22-23. 

A special mention is needed for the showing that Siebrecht and Swafford had this weekend. Their performance really influences the landscape for the starting lineup for the upcoming season. It was also great to see Abe Assad back in action competing at that high of a level. A healthy Abe Assad can have a big year in 2023 for the Hawks.

Iowa Wrestling is going to be better this year than most may be thinking here in early June. This weekend was a big boost of confidence and excitement for me in the Iowa Wrestling program.

Great job Iowa Wrestling.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Incoming Iowa Wrestling recruit Ben Kueter won the best of three series 2-0 to win the 97kg/213 lbs. U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio. Kueter defeated Noah Pettigrew (The Storm Wrestling Center) 5-0 and 7-0 in another dominating performance.

Kueter, from Iowa City (City HS), Iowa, will now represent Team USA at 97kg at the 2022 U20 World Freestyle Championships in Sophie, Bulgaria on August 15-16.

In April Kueter won the UWW U20 Freestyle Nationals in Las Vegas to automatically qualify for the best of 3 series when he defeated Pettigrew 4-3 in the finals.

Kueter wil be a senior this fall at City High. Last September Kueter gave a verbal commitment to both the University of Iowa Wrestling and Football programs. Very rare in today’s era of specialization. This is a special athlete that has unlimited potential in both football and wrestling at the highest level.

Nate Jesuroga (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Southeast Polk HS) placed fourth at 57kg. Aiden Riggins (Waverly-Shell Rock HS, Iowa) at 74kg and Kaleb Franklin (Dubois, Pennsylvania/Wyoming Seminary) at 97kg did not place.

A special mention that Kueter, Jesuroga, and Riggins are all members of the Sebolt Wrestling Academy. This is the second consecutive year that SWA has a World Team member. Last summer Nate Jesuroga won a Bronze at the 2021 Cadet Freestyle World Championships.

Kueter and Jesuroga are in the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2023 that I have already labeled as the best junior recruiting class in the history of Iowa Wrestling. Riggins and Franklin are in the Class of 2022 and will be enrolled as freshmen this fall at Iowa.

The future looks great for Iowa Wrestling.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The present and future of Iowa Wrestling will be competing on Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5. Seven current and two incoming Iowa Hawkeyes will be in action at the U20 and U23 Freestyle World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio. A spot on Team USA is on the line. Anytime you have a WTT you can expect great competition.

The U20 World Freestyle Championships will be in Sophie, Bulgaria on August 15-21. The U23 World Freestyle Championships are in Pontevedra, Spain on October 17-23.

Tony Cassioppi is the defending World champion at 125kg. Aiden Riggins and Kolby Frankin are in the incoming Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2022. 

Ben Kueter has already quaified for the U20 best of three finals at 97kg. Nate Jesuroga is also registered to compete. Jesuroga won a Bronze last summer at the Cadet World Freestyle Championships. Kueter and Jesuroga are in the outstanding Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2023.

Kueter, Jesuroga, and the entire Class of 2023 will officially be Iowa Hawkeyes on National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Wednesday, Novermber 9.

All of the competition will be covered by the premium service of FloWrestling. Wrestling begins at 8:30 AM CST Saturday for both the U20 and U23 division. 

U23 WTT

Drew Bennett – 65kg

Cobe Siebrecht-70kg

Patrick Kennedy – 74kg

Brennan Swafford – 79kg

Abe Assad – 86kg

Tony Cassioppi – 125kg

U20 WTT

Nate Jesuroga – 57kg

Caleb Rathjen – 70kg

Aiden Riggins – 74kg

Kolby Franklin – 92kg

Ben Kueter – 97kg

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The University of Iowa wrestling program led the nation in attendance for the 15th straight year. The Hawks set a record with a 14,905-home average, selling out the entire season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The announcement was made by the National Wrestling Media Association.

I am still amazed that season tickets sales were halted in early November with over 14,000 preseason tickets sold. That will be a record that will be difficult even for the Hawks to ever top.

The Hawkeyes drew an overall attendance total of 89,430. Iowa has led the nation in attendance in every season that Tom Brands has been head coach which began in the 2006-2007 season.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Seven University of Iowa wrestlers have been named as 2022 National Wrestling Coaches Association Division I Scholar All-Americans.

Drake Ayala, Austin DeSanto, Kaleb Young, Alex Marinelli, Michael Kemerer, Jacob Warner and Tony Cassioppi represent the Hawkeyes as NWCA Scholar All-Americans.

To be eligible, student-athletes must have a 3.2 grade point average and have won 60 percent of their matches or maintain a 3.0 GPA while earning All-America honors.

Kemerer and Marinelli earned the distinction for a fifth time in their careers, Young earned his fourth, while Warner and Cassioppi are now three-time honorees.

Iowa has received 54 NWCA academic honors since Tom Brands was named head coach in 2006.  The seven honorees are the second-most in a season in program history, trailing the eight honorees in 2020.

To have seven starters named for this honor is impressive.

Iowa Wrestling – getting it done on the mat and in the classroom.

Well done.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Incoming Iowa Wrestling recruits were in action at the 2022 U20 Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend. In the U20 Nationals 97 kg finals Ben Kueter defeated North Carolina commit Noah Pettigrew (The Storm Wrestling Center), 4-3. Kueter was dominating on his way to the finals and had a great tournament. The sky is the limit for Ben Kueter.

By winning U20 Nationals Kueter will automatically qualify for the best-of-three 97 kg finals at the U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio on June 5.

Incoming Hawk Kolby Franklin defeated Caden Rogers (Diplomat WC) 4-0 to place third at 92 kg. The third place finish qualifies Franklin for the U20 WTT. I was impressed with Franklin’s performance this weekend and look forward to him being an Iowa Hawkeye this Fall.

Kueter is in the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2023 and Franklin is in the Class of 2022.

Nate Jesuroga placed second at 55 kg at the U17 World Team Trials. In a loaded weight Jesuroga dropped a best of three series in the finals, 2-1, to Jax Forrest of Pennslyvannia. Bout three was 4-4 on criteria. Jesuroga is in the Recruiting Class of 2023.

Next up will be a huge weekend of wrestling on June 3-5 for the U20 and U23 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio. I am hoping we see some Iowa Hawkeyes compete at the U23 WTT. I will keep you posted.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!