Jan. 12, 2004
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THIS WEEK — Iowa (5-2) will open the 2004 Big Ten dual season hosting Northwestern (8-1) Saturday at 7 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Live updates of the meet will be available at www.hawkeyesports.com.
ON THE AIR — Radio – Morrie Adams and four-time Iowa all-American Mark Ironside will call the action live on AM-800 KXIC. To listen to the broadcast online, go to the wrestling schedule page on www.hawkeyesports.com. Click on the match you want to hear using Real One Player software. Broadcasts are available using the College Sports Pass, which can be purchased for $6.95 per month or $44.95 per year, or the College Sports Superpass for $13.95 per month.
NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS — Northwestern is 8-1 with wins over Augustana (30-9), Gardner-Webb (29-7), Wisconsin-LaCrosse (19-14), Elmhurst (40-6), Loras (32-9), American (41-10), Eastern Michigan (22-18) and Eastern Illinois (37-3), and a loss to Northern Illinois (21-12). Head Coach Tim Cysewski is 99-133-5 in 14 seasons at Northwestern. Cysewski was an all-American at 134 pounds for Iowa in 1976, and a four-time Hawkeye letterwinner (1973-76). Wildcat Assistant Coach Tony Ersland also wrestled at Iowa, lettering from 1994-97. The Wildcats are led by senior Josh Ballard (149), junior Mike Kimberlin (157) and sophomores John Velez (125) and Matt Delguyd (197).
THE SERIES & LAST MEETING — Iowa leads the series, 59-6-1, and has won the last 34 meetings. The Hawkeyes hold a 25-3 advantage over Northwestern in Iowa City. Iowa won the last meeting between the two teams (44-6) last season in Evanston, IL.
HAVEN’T WE MET? — At 125, Iowa senior Luke Eustice is 2-0 vs. Wildcat sophomore John Velez, winning a 5-3 decision at the 2003 Iowa-Northwestern dual and a 7-6 decision in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Midlands Championships. At 149, Hawkeye sophomore Ty Eustice is 1-0 vs. Northwestern senior Josh Ballard, winning a 14-8 major decision at the 2003 dual. At 157, Iowa sophomore Joe Johnston is 1-0 vs. Wildcat junior Mike Kimberlin, scoring a pin in sudden victory at the 2003 dual. At 174, Hawkeye senior Tyler Nixt is 2-0 vs. Northwestern senior Andrew Curran, winning an 11-5 decision in the 2001 dual and an 11-3 major decision at the 2003 dual. At 197, Iowa senior Ryan Fulsaas is 1-0 vs. sophomore Matt Delguyd, winning a 16-5 major decision at the 2003 dual.
HEAD COACH Jim Zalesky — Jim Zalesky is in his seventh season as head coach at the University of Iowa. He has a school and career record of 100-20 (.833). Named National Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999, and Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2000, he has led the Hawkeyes to three NCAA (1998-00) and two Big Ten titles (1998, 2000). Zalesky has coached nine NCAA Champions, 19 Big Ten Champions and 32 all-Americans at Iowa. A three-time national champion and one of Iowa’s 15 four-time all-Americans, Zalesky was an assistant coach and head recruiter at Iowa under Dan Gable for seven seasons (1991-97). He was named Assistant Coach of the Year by the N.W.C.A. in 1992 and 1997. Undefeated as a junior and senior, Zalesky ended his career on an 89-match winning streak.
LAST WEEK — Iowa lost a 30-10 decision to top-ranked Oklahoma State Sunday afternoon in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Cowboys snapped Iowa’s 10-match winning streak in Carver-Hawkeye and handed the Hawkeyes their 10th arena loss. Iowa fell to 5-2 with the loss, while Oklahoma State improved to 8-1. Bright spots for the Hawkeyes were wins by sophomore Joe Johnston (157) and seniors Luke Eustice (125) and Cliff Moore (133). Johnston scored a 5-3 decision over Oklahoma State’s Johny Hendricks. Luke Eustice picked up Iowa’s second win of the day with his 10-4 win over Cowboy Cody Stites. Moore closed out the dual with an 18-7 major decision over Oklahoma State’s Ronnie Delk.
The Hawkeyes also had two placewinners at the annual Brand Open in Omaha, NE. Junior Chas DeVetter won the 157-pound title, with a technical fall, pin and two decisions. Sophomore Matt Morkel placed third at 125, scoring two pins and two decisions in the consolation bracket.
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY — Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 768-195-30 (.789) in 92 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles, including nine of the last 13, and 30 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 46 NCAA Champions have won a total of 71 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 13 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 98 Big Ten Champions have won a total of 179 conference individual titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 24 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 124 all-Americans have earned all-America status 250 times, including 16 four-time, 26 three-time and 30 two-time honorees.
HAWK TALK WITH Jim Zalesky — Hawk Talk with Head Coach Jim Zalesky and host Mark Allen will air Jan. 14 from 6-7 p.m.on KXIC Radio (Iowa City) and WMT Radio (Cedar Rapids). The broadcast is live from LaCasa Mexican Restaurant in Iowa City.
BRANDS NAMED TO OLYMPIC STAFF — University of Iowa Assistant Coach Tom Brands has been selected by USA Wrestling as one of the coaches for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team that will participate in Athens, Greece. Brands joins USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson and Zeke Jones on the staff. The selection has been forwarded, for final approval, to the U.S. Olympic Committee. Brands served as the Assistant Coach of the 2003 U.S. Freestyle World Team, which placed second in the World Championships. He was also the Assistant Coach of the 2002 U.S. Freestyle World Team, which did not compete in the World Championships in Iran due to a threat of violence. All three Olympic Coaches were teammates on the only U.S. Men’s Freestyle World Teams to win the World Team title (1993 in Toronto, Canada and 1995 in Atlanta, GA).
OH BROTHER — Brothers Luke and Ty Eustice are the 10th set of brothers to wrestle together in the Hawkeye varsity lineup since the 1950s. The 10 other brother pairs were Don and Tom Huff (1961), Mark and Scott Trizzino (1981), Lenny, Larry and Jim Zalesky (1981-82), Ed and Lou Banach (1981-83), Marty and Lindley Kistler (1984-85), Jim and John Heffernan (1987), Tom and Terry Brands (1989-92), Troy and Terry Steiner (1991-93), and Ryan and Randy Fulsaas (2001).
Freshmen Ben and Brett Stedman are the fifth set of twins to wrestle for the University of Iowa. Ed and Lou Banach, Tom and Terry Brands, Troy and Terry Steiner and Randy and Ryan Fulsaas are the other four.
Several brother pairs have also had wrestling success at Iowa. The Banach’s and Brands’ each won Big Ten and NCAA titles the same year twice in their careers, and earned all-America honors three times. The Zalesky’s, Kistler’s and Steiner’s each earned all-America honors twice in their careers, with the Kistler’s winning Big Ten titles the same year twice and the Zalesky’s winning conference titles once. The Heffernan’s earned all-America honors in 1987.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE — The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Jim Zalesky, Tom Brands, Joe Williams, Royce Alger and Bill Zadick all wrestled at the University of Iowa. They earned a total of 12 NCAA titles, 12 Big Ten titles and 17 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 637-48-6 (.926), including five undefeated seasons.