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ON THE MAT
The third-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team travels to West Lafayette, Indiana, to open its Big Ten season against Purdue. The Hawkeyes and Boilermakers meet Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT) at Holloway Gymnasium.
BIG TEN OPENERS
Sunday’s dual against Purdue is the Big Ten opener for both schools. The Hawkeyes have won 18 straight conference openers since falling to Penn State, 25-17, at home in 1998.
The Hawkeyes have won or shared eighth of the last nine Big Ten dual championships, and have won or shared the regular season title nine times since the conference started recognizing a dual meet champion in 1999. Iowa won the title outright in 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015, and shared the title in 2003, 2014 and 2016.
THE SERIES
Iowa leads the all-time series 39-4-3. The Hawkeyes are 19-3-1 all-time at Purdue and have won 28 straight overall in the series.
The teams battled to a 14-14 tie in 1966, the last time Iowa walked away without a win. The Boilermakers’ last win in the series was in 1961, a 23-9 win in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have not lost at Purdue since 1954 (16-10).
IOWA COACHING TREE
Purdue head coach Tony Ersland is a 1997 graduate of the University of Iowa. He is one of six Big Ten coaches to graduate from Iowa (Tom Brands, Iowa; Barry Davis, Wisconsin; Tony Ersland, Purdue; Duane Goldman, Indiana; Jim Heffernan, Illinois; Tom Ryan, Ohio State). Ersland was part of three NCAA championship teams from 1995-97.
STREAKING THROUGH THE B1G
Iowa has won 17 straight conference road duals. The Hawkeyes’ last road loss was Jan. 22, 2012 at Penn State (22-12).
Iowa has won 21 consecutive Big Ten duals, the longest conference winning streak since winning 39 straight from 2007-12. Iowa has not lost a Big Ten dual since falling at home to Minnesota, 19-15, on Jan. 25, 2014.
The 21-dual conference winning streak ties for the third longest in program history. The Hawkeyes won 21 straight Big Ten duals from 1989-92, 39 in a row from 2007-12, and 98 consecutive duals from 1974-89.
B1G VETERANS, B1G ROOKIES
Seniors Thomas Gilman, Cory Clark, Topher Carton, Alex Meyer and Sammy Brooks have a combined 73-11 record in Big Ten duals. Gilman is 22-1 overall and has won 19 straight conference duals. Meyer is undefeated in 13 conference duals, and Brooks is 19-3 in Big Ten duals. Clark was undefeated as a freshman (8-0) wrestling 125, went 4-4 as a sophomore at 133, and 8-1 at 133 last season. Carton is 4-2 in his career.
In addition to Meyer, Brandon Sorensen and Sam Stoll also enter the season unbeaten in Big Ten duals. Stoll was 9-0 in Big Ten duals as a redshirt freshman in 2016. Sorensen was 8-0 as a redshirt freshman and 9-0 last year as a sophomore at 149.
Four Hawkeyes in the probable lineup are in line to make their Big Ten dual debuts. They include redshirt freshmen Michael Kemerer (157), Joey Gunther (165), Cash Wilcke (197), and Steven Holloway (285).
PIN PARTY
Senior Thomas Gilman is halfway towards matching his career high in single-season falls. Gilman recorded 10 falls in 2016, sharing the team lead with Sam Stoll. Through five matches this year Gilman has five pins, including three first-period falls.
BIG SHOES TO FILL
Sophomore Sam Stoll is out of the Iowa lineup while rehabbing an injury. Stoll was 20-2 and ranked No. 7 in the country prior to his injury Feb. 22, 2016, at the National Duals Championship Series.
He is listed in the probable lineup for the first time this season. In his absence, sophomore Mitch Bowman and redshirt freshman Steven Holloway have filled the 285-pound spot in the lineup. Bowman, who was 10-5 at 174 pounds last season, has bumped up to 197 this season. Against Iowa Central on Nov. 12, he moved up to 285 and recorded a fall in 1:32.
Holloway, who was 16-6 competing unattached at 197 last season, is 4-1 at 285 this year. He placed second at the Luther Open and won by decision, 3-2, in Iowa’s dual against Cornell College.
HOT START TO 141
Topher Carton has taken ownership of the 141-pound spot in the Iowa lineup, rattling off a career-best seven match winning streak to open the season. Carton has scored bonus points in six of seven matches, including one major decision, two pins, and three technical falls.
HOW WILCKE WON 197
Redshirt freshman Cashe Wilcke is filling the lineup spot vacated by three-time All-American Nathan Burak at 197 pounds. Wilcke is 6-0 this season with one pin, one technical fall, and two major decision. He defeated teammate Mitch Bowman, 3-2, in the 197-pound finals of the Luther Open.
Wilcke was 13-3 last year competing unattached at 184 pounds. He competed in four open tournaments and won the Grand View Open and Duhawk Open.
HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 976-226-31 (.799) in 107 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 23 national titles and 35 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 53 NCAA Champions have won a total of 81 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 16 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 111 Big Ten champions have combined for 197 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time, and 29 two-time Big Ten champions from Iowa.
Iowa’s 154 All-Americans have earned All-America status 319 times, including 18 four-time, 36 three-time and 40 two-time honorees.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season and single dual tickets are now available for purchase on hawkeyesports.com. Season tickets for six home dates are available for $75. UI students and children five-years old and younger are admitted free to all wrestling events.
Single dual tickets are $12/$8 (adult/youth) for duals against Wisconsin (Feb. 3) and Nebraska (Feb. 12).
Single dual tickets are $15/$10 (adult/youth) for duals against Iowa State (Dec. 10), Penn State (Jan. 20), and Ohio State (Jan. 27).
IOWA ON THE AIR
Iowa wrestling events are broadcast by KXIC and streamed online at Hawkeye All-Access. Steven Grace and Mark Ironside will call the action for Hawkeye Sports Properties, a property of Learfield.