Feb. 14, 2006
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THIS WEEK
Iowa will wrap-up the regular season Friday with a dual meet against the Boise State Broncos. First bout will start at 7 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The meet will also serve as “Senior Night”, when the Hawkeyes honor their departing senior class.
ON THE AIR
Radio – Morrie Adams and four-time Hawkeye all-American Mark Ironside will call this season’s action live on AM-800 KXIC. To listen to the broadcast online, go to the wrestling schedule page on www.hawkeyesports.com. Broadcasts are available using the CSTV All-Access subscription, which can be purchased for $6.95 per month or $49.95 per year.
Television – Iowa Public Television, in its 30th season of televising college wrestling, will air a live telecast of Iowa’s dual vs. Illinois Friday. Tim Johnson, Jim Gibbons and former Iowa Wrestling Coach Dan Gable will call the action.
The Internet – Livestats are available for all Hawkeye home duals on the University of Iowa’s website, www.hawkeyesports.com. Just click on the Livestats link on the schedule page.
HEAD COACH Jim Zalesky
Jim Zalesky is in his ninth season as head coach at the University of Iowa. He has a school and career record of 126-34 (.803). Named National Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999, and Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2004, 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 40 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.
HAWK TALK WITH Jim Zalesky
KXIC Radio (AM-800) will air the Hawk Talk with Jim Zalesky radio show this season. The show will be live from LaCasa Mexican Restaurant in Iowa City from 6-7 p.m. on the following dates: Jan. 3, Jan. 17, Jan. 31, Feb. 15, Feb. 28 and March 7.
BOISE STATE BRONCOS
The Boise State Broncos are 8-4 on the year and have a 4-3 mark in the Pac-10 Conference. The Broncos are on a two-meet winning streak, coming off wins over UC Davis (25-14) and Portland State (46-0).
The Broncos are coached by former Hawkeye Greg Randall, who is in his fourth year at the helm. Randall has posted a 37-17 record during his tenure a Boise State. He has coached three all-Americans and seven Pac-10 Champions. Randall was a three-time all-American and two-time runner up at the NCAA Tournament at Iowa.
Boise State is led by three-time NCAA Qualifier and 2005 Pac-10 Champion Ben Cherrington, who is undefeated (11-0) on the year. He missed the first part of the season with a knee injury. Senior Casey Phelps qualified for the NCAA Championships last year and currently boasts a 23-7 record at 197 pounds. Scott Jorgenson is a two-time Pac-10 Champion and NCAA Qualifier at 133 pounds. He is 19-6 on the year.
THE SERIES
The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series with Boise State 2-0. The Hawkeyes defeated the Broncos 36-7 at the 2000 Lone Star Duals and 33-6 in 1994.
HAVEN’T WE MET? NOPE.
No wrestlers from the Hawkeyes and Broncos have met in collegiate competition.
LAST MEETING
The Hawkeyes defeated Boise State, 36-7, in the first round of the 2000 Lone Star Duals in Dallas, TX. Iowa went on to win the Lone Star Duals with a 3-0 record.
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FULLER ON A ROLL
Junior heavyweight Ryan Fuller is undefeated (5-0) since replacing the injured Matt Fields in the starting lineup. The Lisbon, IA, native has dropped just one decision in his past ten matches.
YOU LOOK FAMILIAR
Freshman 197-pounder Dan Erekson and Boise State senior 133-pounder Scott Jorgensen both attended the same high school in Eagle, ID.
OH BROTHER
There are four sets of brothers on the 2005-06 University of Iowa wrestling roster. Lucas and Thomas Magnani from Long Island, NY, Jacob and Justin Neuzil from Riverside and Ainsworth, IA, Cole and Dane Pape from Maquoketa, IA, and Ben and Brett Stedman from Sioux City, IA.
There have been 10 sets of brothers to wrestle together in the Hawkeye varsity lineup since the 1950s. They are 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), Ryan and Randy Fulsaas (2001) and Luke and Ty Eustice (2003-04).
Juniors 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.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Jim Zalesky, Troy Steiner, Tim Hartung, Luke Eustice and Mike Zadick earned a total of six NCAA titles, 10 Big Ten titles and 15 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 596-90-1 (.881), including four undefeated seasons.
LAST WEEK
The Hawkeyes split a pair of Big Ten home duals, falling to Illinois 24-13 before topping Northwestern 20-16.
The meet wth Illinois started at 197 pounds, where Illini senior Tyrone Byrd defeated Hawkeye freshman Dan Erekson, 4-3. At heavyweight, junior Ryan Fuller evened the score by defeating Matt Weight 4-3. The Hawkeyes dropped the next two matches, Kyle Ott pinned Trent Goodale (3:30) and Gabe Flores beat Daniel Dennis by a major decision (10-2). The Hawkeyes came back strong winning the next three matches. Sophomore Alex Tsirtsis defeated Casio Pero 6-2, Alex Grunder decisioned Troy Tirapelle 9-4, and Joe Johnston beat Dan Zeman by major decision, 14-6. Johnston’s win tied the team score at 13. The final three matches, and the meet, went the way of the Illini. Eric Luedke fell to Mike Poeta (10-2) at 165, Ben Stedman lost a major decision (9-0) to Donny Reynolds, and in the final match of the night, Paul Bradley dropped to Pete Friedl, 4-2.
In the opening match against the Wildcats, John Velez won a major decision over Goodale. The next five matches went the way of the Hawkeyes and Iowa opened up a 17-4 lead. Dennis snapped an eight-match losing streak and picked up his first Big Ten win with an 8-2 decision over Daniel Quintela. The win of the day for Iowa was Tsirtsis’ 10-7 victory over No. 6 Ryan Lang at 141-pounds. Lang opened a 2-0 lead with an early takedown, but Tsirtsis escaped, then immediately took Lang to his back to take a 5-2 advantage. Lang took a 6-5 lead with a second period reversal, but Tsirtsis came roaring back in the third with a reversal and a takedown – eventually taking the 10-7 win. Johnston and Luedke continued Iowa’s winning ways with a pair of victories. Johnston scored a 14-6 major decision over Greg Hagel, while Luedke won an 8-2 match with Will Durkee. The Wildcats struck back at 174 pounds, where second-ranked Jake Herbert pinned Stedman in 4:21. Bradley won a 3-2 decision at 184 pounds before Northwestern won the meet’s final two matches.
PERRY UPDATE
Hawkeye sophomore 174-pounder Mark Perry missed the last four dual meets with a neck injury. Perry, who is 12-2 on the season and ranked No. 3, originally injured his neck at the National Duals and missed three of Iowa’s five duals there. He may be in uniform this week and is expected to return in time for the Big Ten Championships, March 4-5.
FIELDS OUT
Hawkeye sophomore heavyweight Matt Fields will miss the remainder of the season with torn ligaments in his knee sustained during his match with No. 1 Cole Konrad Jan. 22. The Lowden, IA, native tore both the ACL and MCL.
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 795-210-30 (.787) in 94 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles, including nine of the last 15, 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 127 all-Americans have earned all-America status 258 times, including 16 four-time, 27 three-time and 29 two-time honorees.
CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Carver-Hawkeye Arena has been the home for Iowa wrestling since 1983. The Hawkeyes have a record of 148-15 (.925) 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 2002-03. The dual wrestling attendance record for Carver-Hawkeye Arena is 15,291, set when Iowa defeated Iowa State on February 22, 1992. The arena seats 15,500 for a dual wrestling meet.
IOWA TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for Iowa’s home duals are on sale at the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-424-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com. Tickets for Saturday’s dual with Oklahoma State are $10 per person. Single-match tickets for Iowa’s other five duals purchased in advance are $8 for adults and $4 for youth. Single-match tickets purchased at the gate are $10 for adults and $5 for youth. Groups of 15 or more can purchase tickets for $4. University of Iowa students will be admitted free of charge for all duals except Oklahoma State.
NEXT COMPETITION
The Hawkeyes have a week off before heading to the Big Ten Tournament in Bloomington, IN, March 4-5.