March 14, 2005
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THIS WEEK
Iowa will try for its seventh NCAA titles in 11 years, its 10th in the last 15 seasons and its 21st title overall at the 2005 NCAA Championships, Thursday thru Saturday in St. Louis, MO. All matches will be held at the Savvis Center, which has a capacity of 20,000.
ON THE AIR
Radio – Morrie Adams and four-time Hawkeye 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. Broadcasts using Real One Player software are available using the College Sports Pass, which can be purchased for $6.95 per month or $49.95 per year.
Television – The championship finals will be shown live on ESPN.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS INFORMATION
Following is the NCAA Championships schedule. Times are Central.
Session Times
Session – Date – Time (CT)
Session I – Thursday, March 17 – 11 a.m.
Session II – Thursday, March 17 – 6:30 p.m.
Session III – Friday, March 18 – 10 a.m.
Session IV – Friday, March 18 – 6 p.m.
Session V – Saturday, March 19 – 9:30 a.m.
Session VI – Saturday, March 19 – 4 p.m.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are available from the Savvis Center Box Office at 1-877-722-1604 or on the St. Louis Sports Commission’s web site at www.stlouissports.org/wrestling. All-session tickets are $100 and single session tickets range from $15-$25, depending on the session.
MEDIA INFORMATION
A pre-championships press conference will be held Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in the Savvis Center. Media credentials may be picked up Wednesday at the Savvis Center media entrance from noon-4 p.m. and throughout the rest of the tournament. No media parking passes will be available.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
Updated brackets and team standings will be available throughout the tournament at www.ncaasports.com.
NCAA QUALIFIERS
The University of Iowa is one of five schools to qualify seven wrestlers for the NCAA Championships. Minnesota is the only school to qualify its entire 10-man lineup for the meet. Central Michigan, Cornell, Hofstra, Illinois and Oklahoma State each qualified nine wrestlers, while Iowa State, Michigan, Northern Iowa and Wisconsin each qualified eight.
NCAA RECORDS
Iowa holds five NCAA Championships records. The Hawkeyes hold records for most team points (170 in 1997), largest margin of victory (73.25 points in 1986), number of consecutive team titles (nine from 1978-86), most finalists (six in 1986 and 1997) and most champions (five in 1986 and 1997).
HAWKEYES LEAD NATION IN ATTENDANCE
Iowa leads the nation in dual meet attendance figures. The Hawkeyes posted a season-average of 5,073 fans per home dual. Oklahoma State was second with a 4,542 average and Lehigh was third with a 2,488 average. Iowa’s largest home crowd of the season (6,832 vs. Iowa State) is the third-largest dual crowd of the 2004-05 season. The Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State dual in Stillwater, OK, drew the largest crowd of the season (8,697).
The Hawkeyes’ ability to draw crowds on the road has helped 10 schools set dual meet attendance records. In 2004-05, Cal Davis (5,150) and Illinois (3,573) set crowd records when they hosted the Hawkeyes. Iowa was a part of 11 of the top 20 reported dual crowds, hosting six (Iowa State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Indiana and Arizona State) and visiting for five (Oklahoma State, Cal-Davis, Illinois, Penn State and Northern Iowa).
2005 BIG TEN REVIEW
Iowa placed fourth at the 2005 Big Ten Championships in Iowa City, scoring 94.5 points. Illinois won its first team title since 1952, scoring 130.
The Hawkeyes crowned eight placewinners, led by redshirt freshman Mark Perry’s runner-up finish at 165 pounds. Perry lost a close 6-5 decision to Michigan’s Ryan Churella in the finals, dropping to 22-4 on the season. Juniors Ty Eustice (149) and Joe Johnston (157) placed third, junior Paul Bradley (184) placed fourth, junior Mario Galanakis (133) and freshmen Alex Tsirtsis (141) and Matt Fields (Hwt.) placed fifth, and junior Adam Fellers (197) placed eighth.
2004 NCAA REVIEW
The Hawkeyes placed second at the 2004 NCAA Championships, crowning one individual champion in senior Cliff Moore. Iowa scored 82 points in the tournament, finishing second for the fifth time in school history. Oklahoma State won its second consecutive team title, scoring 123.5 points.
Moore became Iowa’s 47th NCAA Champion with his 5-2 win over Nebraska’s Matt Murray at 141 pounds. Moore scored an escape in the second period and two takedowns in the third to win his 20th consecutive match and clinch Iowa’s second-place team finish. Moore became Iowa’s 27th three-time all-American with his national title. Hawkeye senior Ryan Fulsaas became Iowa’s 127th all-American, placing second at 197 pounds. He lost a 7-2 decision to defending NCAA Champion Damion Hahn of Minnesota.
Also earning all-America honors were senior Tyler Nixt (174) and sophomore Paul Bradley (184). Nixt placed third, defeating Lehigh’s Brad Dillon in the consolation finals. Bradley lost a 6-5 decision to defending NCAA Champion Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State in the consolation finals to place fourth.
Iowa was the only school in the nation to qualify all 10 wrestlers to the national tournament in 2004. It was the 17th time in school history that the Hawkeyes qualified their entire lineup.
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 784-202-30 (.786) in 93 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles 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.
STEINER & DUROE TO COACH WORLD TEAMS
Iowa Assistant Coach Troy Steiner and Administrative Assitant Mike Duroe were recently named coaches for the 2005 U.S. Freestyle World Championships teams by USA Wrestling. Steiner will coach the women’s team with Bill Scherr, while Duroe will coach the men’s team with Joe Seay. Both teams will participate in the World Championships at Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 27-Oct. 2.
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.