Feb. 4, 2004
Listen to today’s edition of Inside Iowa
The Eustice Brothers continue to play a key role on Coach Jim Zalesky’s nationally ranked Iowa wrestling team. hawkeyesports.com sat down with the pair recently to talk a little wrestling and more.
When did you start wrestling?
LE: Ever since I can remember. Probably about 4 or 5 years old. Our dad was the high school coach so we were always around it.
TE: I was probably about 3 or 4, and was Luke’s workout partner. I got beat up for a long time.
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“We would both pretended to be some of my dad’s high school wrestlers. We each had our favorites. We had a room with a wrestling mat in our basement and almost every night we would put on our singlets and go wrestle in the room.”
Iowa’s Luke Eustice
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What impresses you the most about Coach Zalesky? What was your first impression when you met him? ?
TE: His knowledge of the sport. I can ask him about any position or situation and he will know the answer. When I first met him, I actually thought he was a little goofy.
LE: He knows everything about positions with wrestling. I thought he had a dry sense of humor.
When your career at Iowa is completed, how do you want Hawkeye fans to remember you? ?
LE: That I went out and hustled, and wrestled to my ability. .
TE: That I got better every year and tried to wrestle the way Iowa is known for.
You are the 10th set of brothers to wrestle together in the Hawkeye lineup at the same time since the 1950s. Talk about what that’s like. ?
TE: In high school it was hard to watch his matches and not be nervous for him. In college, I’ve had to learn to worry about my matches and not get so worked up about his. It’s nice to have someone in the room that I’ve grown up with and worked with for so long.
LE: Having Ty here gives me someone to talk to and confide in. We are close with our teammates, but closer as siblings.
What activities or hobbies do you do in your spare time? ?
LE: We both like to hunt, fish and golf. .
TE: We also like to hang out with friends in the off-season and have fun.
When you were little, who did you pretend to be? ?
TE: We would both pretended to be some of my dad’s high school wrestlers. We each had our favorites. We had a room with a wrestling mat in our basement and almost every night we would put on our singlets and go wrestle in the room.
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“We would announce ourselves and run out, like we do at dual meets now.”
Iowa’s Ty Eustice
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LE: We would announce ourselves and run out, like we do at dual meets now.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? ?
LE: One thing that my dad always preached was “Never give up.” That is something that we’ve always been taught.
TE: When I first got here, Lincoln McIlravy told me that I had to be myself. I couldn’t try to be the next Doug Schwab or whoever – I could work hard like them – but I had to be as true to myself as I could be.
What is something that few people know about you? ?
LE: I’m unbelievably grumpy.
TE: I like all kinds of music, not just country.
What is your biggest pet peeve? ?
LE: All of mine are driving related. .
TE: Slow people driving in the fast lane.
What CD, tape or movie in your collection would you consider to be the most embarrassing? ?
LE: A cd of Sting’s Love Songs. .
TE: Jeff Pfaffinger’s copy of Red Heat that hasn’t been opened.