Nov. 22, 2004
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THIS WEEK
Iowa will open the 2004-05 dual meet season Saturday in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes will host Arizona State at 7 p.m.
ON THE AIR
Radio – Morrie Adams will call the action live on AM-800 KXIC-AM Iowa City. Coverage of Iowa wrestling via the multimedia area of hawkeyesports.com will begin later this month.
HEAD COACH Jim Zalesky
Jim Zalesky is in his eighth season as head coach at the University of Iowa. He has a school and career record of 106-22 (.828). Named National Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999, and Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2000, he has led the Hawkeyes to three NCAA (1998-00) and three Big Ten titles (1998, 2000, 2004). Zalesky has coached 10 NCAA Champions, 20 Big Ten Champions and 36 all-Americans at Iowa. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in June 2004, the University of Iowa Letterman’s Club Hall of Fame and the Iowa High School Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1994.
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.
ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
The Arizona State Sun Devils officially opened the 2004-05 season last weekend by crowning four champions at the Cal State Fullerton Open. Senior Patrick Williams (149) and juniors Jeremy Mendoza (125), C.B. Dolloway (184) and Cain Velasquez (Hwt.) each won titles in their respective weight classes.
Head Coach Thom Ortiz, a former Iowa State assistant coach, is 32-20 in his fourth season at Arizona State. The Sun Devils return three NCAA qualifiers and one all-American from last year’s squad that went 11-8 overall and 6-1 in the Pac-10 Conference. Junior Ryan Bader (197) is the lone returning all-American. The Sun Devils will complete their swing through the state of Iowa Sunday, when they face Iowa State at 2 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum.
THE SERIES
Iowa leads the series with Arizona State, 19-1-1. The Hawkeyes have won the last 13 meetings between the two teams, and are 8-0 against the Sun Devils in Iowa City.
HAVEN’T WE MET?
At 149 pounds, Iowa’s Ty Eustice is 2-0 against Arizona State’s Patrick Williams. Eustice won by medical forfeit at the 2002 Kaufman-Brand Open and by a 2-1 decision at the 2004 Iowa-Arizona State dual in Tempe. At 157 pounds, Hawkeye Joe Johnston is 0-1 vs. Sun Devil Brian Stith, losing a 9-7 decision in sudden victory at the 2004 dual. At heavyweight, Iowa’s Ryan Fuller is 0-1 vs. Arizona State’s Cain Velasquez, losing a 6-1 decision at the 2004 dual.
LAST WEEK
Hawkeye junior Joe Johnston (157) and freshman Alex Tsirtsis (141) each won their open division weight classes at the 2004 Ryan Kaufman-Glen Brand Open in Omaha, NE. Johnston recorded two pins, two major decisions and a decision en route to the finals, where he defeated Nebraska’s B.J. Wright, 12-5. Tsirtsis recorded two decisions, a pin and a medical forfeit before defeating Northern Iowa’s C.J. Ettelson, 3-2, in the finals.
Also placing for the Hawkeyes in the open division were sophomore Lucas Magnani (125-2nd), junior Gabe Ruhkala (133-3rd), junior Ty Eustice (149-3rd), redshirt freshman Mark Perry (165-3rd) and freshman Matt Fields (Hwt.-3rd).
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 774-197-30 (.788) in 93 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles, including nine of the last 14, and 31 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 47 NCAA Champions have won a total of 73 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 13 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 99 Big Ten Champions have won a total of 180 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 254 times, including 16 four-time, 27 three-time and 28 two-time honorees.
CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Carver-Hawkeye Arena has been the home for Iowa wrestling since 1983. The Hawkeyes have a record of 141-10 (.934) in the arena, which includes a record 10 victories during the 1986 season. Iowa has recorded 16 undefeated seasons in the arena, with the most recent (8-0) occurring in 2003. The dual wrestling attendance record for Carver-Hawkeye Arena is 15,291, which was set when Iowa defeated Iowa State on February 22, 1992. The arena seats 15,500 for a dual wrestling meet. The Hawkeyes are scheduled to host the 2005 Big Ten Championships in Carver-Hawkeye.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Jim Zalesky, Troy Steiner, Tim Hartung, Cliff Moore and Mike Zadick earned a total of seven NCAA titles, 12 Big Ten titles and 17 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 619-88-1 (.875), including four undefeated seasons.
HAWK TALK WITH Jim Zalesky
KXIC Radio (AM-800) will air nine Hawk Talk with Jim Zalesky radio shows this season. The show will be live from LaCasa Mexican Restaurant in Iowa City from 6-7 p.m. Here are the show dates:
November 23
December 7
January 4, 18, 25
February 1, 15
March 1, 15
IOWA TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets and tickets for each of Iowa’s seven home duals and the 2004 Big Ten Championships are on sale at the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office.
Season tickets
$49 General Public
$42 University Faculty and Staff
$20 University of Iowa Students
*Single-Match Tickets (Purchased in Advance)
$8 Adults
$4 Youth
*All Iowa State tickets are $10.
*Single-Match Tickets (Purchased at the Door)
$10 Adults
$5 Youth
*All Iowa State tickets are $10.
Big Ten Championships
$35 All-Session Adult
$20 All-Session Youth
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
The University of Iowa will host the 2005 Big Ten Wrestling Championships March 5-6 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Contact Traci Wagner at 319/335-9411 or traci-wagner@hawkeyesports.com to request a credential.