March 1, 2004
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
THIS WEEK
Iowa will got after its 31st Big Ten team title, and its 27th in the last 31 seasons, at the 2004 Big Ten Championships, Saturday and Sunday in Columbus, OH. All matches will be held at St. John Arena on the Ohio State University campus.
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.
Television — College Sports Television (CSTV) will air the championships Monday, March 8 at 7 p.m. (CT).
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
The following is the schedule for the Big Championships. All times are Central.
Session I-Saturday, March 6-10 a.m.
Session II-Saturday, March 6-5 p.m.
Session III-Sunday, March 7-11 a.m.
Session IV-Sunday, March 7-1 p.m.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are still available from the Ohio State Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-462-8257 or www.hangonsloopy.com . All-session tickets are $30 for reserved seats, $24 for adult general admission and $12 for students and youth general admission. Individual session tickets are $10 for adult general admission and $5 for youth and student general admission.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
Big Ten Championships results will be available throughout the tournament at www.bigten.org and www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com .
NCAA QUALIFIERS
The Big Ten is allocated 72 qualifiers for the 2004 NCAA Championships, held March 18-20 in St. Louis, MO. That means the top seven placewinners in each weight class will automatically advance to the national tournament. Big Ten coaches will select an additional two wildcard qualifiers after the meet’s conclusion. The Hawkeyes advanced seven qualifiers in 2003.
MEDIA INFORMATION
A pre-championships press conference will be held Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) at the Huntington Club Level at Ohio Stadium. Credentials may be picked up there Friday from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (CT). Credentials may also be picked up Saturday and Sunday at the Media Will Call located at the center entrance on the west side of St. John Arena under the breezeway connecting St. John Arena and French Field House.
BIG TEN RECORDS
Iowa holds records in five of seven Big Ten Championship categories. The Hawkeyes hold records for most individual champions in one tournament (nine in 1983), most consecutive team titles (25 – 1974-98), most falls by a team in one tournament (12 in 1979), greatest victory margin by a team champion (118 1/2 points in 1983) and fastest fall in all matches (Bart Chelesvig’s 23-second pin over Illinois’ Keith Bolman in the 177-pound quarterfinals in 1992). In addition, seven of the 10 Big Ten wrestlers to win four conference titles were Hawkeyes. Iowa also has 18 of the 43 three-time Big Ten champions.
2003 BIG TEN REVIEW
Iowa crowned three champions and qualified seven wrestlers for the NCAA Championships at the 2003 Big Ten meet, held in Madison, WI. The Hawkeyes placed second with 121 points. Minnesota won its third consecutive team title with 126.5 points.
Iowa’s individual champions were junior Cliff Moore (133), senior Jessman Smith (184) and sophomore Steve Mocco (Hwt.) It was the first Big Ten title for all three Hawkeyes. Moore scored a takedown in sudden victory to defeat top-seed Ryan Lewis of Minnesota, 3-1, in the finals. It was the eighth meeting between Moore and Lewis, resulting in Moore’s third victory in the series. Smith scored an escape in the third period and acquired 1:01 riding time to defeat Penn State’s Mark Becks, 2-1, in the finals. Mocco beat defending NCAA and Big Ten champion Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State for the fifth time in seven meetings and the third time in 2003, scoring a 4-1 decision in the heavyweight finals. Mocco, the 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, was named 2003 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year.
Five other Hawkeyes placed in the tournament, with junior Tyler Nixt (174) and redshirt freshman Ty Eustice (149) placing second; junior Luke Eustice (125) and redshirt freshman Joe Johnston (157) placing fifth and senior Matt Anderson (157) placing eighth.
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 774-197-30 (.788) 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.
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).
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Jim Zalesky, Tom Brands, Royce Alger and Bill Zadick all wrestled at the University of Iowa. They earned a total of nine NCAA titles, 10 Big Ten titles and 13 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 508-39-6 (.919), including four undefeated seasons.
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).