Nov. 13, 2006
IOWA CITY, IA –
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SEASON OPENER
Iowa will open the 2006-07 wrestling season Saturday at the Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, NE. Competition starts at 9 a.m. at Lee & Helene Sapp Fieldhouse on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. A total of 42 teams are expected and approximately 650 wrestlers will compete in the meet. It’s easily the country’s largest single-day collegiate meet. The tournament will be wrestled in two divisons – an open division and 20 & under division.
FIVE HAWKEYES WIN TITLES UNATTACHED
Five Hawkeyes won titles while competing unattached at the Spartan Classic in Dubuque and the Harold Nichols Open in Fort Dodge Saturday. Freshman Billy Murphy (133), juniors Mark Perry (165) and Matt Fields (Hwt.) and senior Eric Luedke (174) took home individual tournament titles from the Spartan Classic, while redshirt freshman Joe Slaton (133) won at the Harold Nichols Open.
Perry recorded the quickest fall of the tournament in his first match, pinning Luke Karner of Knox College in 10 seconds. He totaled two pins, a technical fall and a major decision on the day. Luedke pinned his first three opponents and scored a major decision in the finals.
Iowa’s other placewinners at the Spartan Classic were freshmen Matt Ballweg (2nd-149), Brooks Kopsa (7th-149) and Jake Kerr (165-3rd), and sophomore Dan Erekson (3rd-197). Placing for the Hawkeyes at the Harold Nichols Open were redshirt freshmen Dan LeClere (2nd-141) and Jay Borschel (3rd-174).
ON THE AIR
Radio – Steven Grace and four-time Hawkeye all-American Mark Ironside will call this season’s action live on AM-800, KXIC. All dual meets, not including the NWCA National Duals, will be broadcast live, as will action from the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. Audio broadcasts from all of the season’s competition will be available online. To listen to the broadcast online, go to the wrestling schedule page on www.hawkeyesports.com. and click on the event. Broadcasts are available using the Hawkeye All-Access subscription, which can be purchased for $6.95 per month or $49.95 per year. The CSTV XXL Premium subscription is also available for $99.95 per year.
Television – Six of Iowa’s duals will be aired on television. The Iowa State (Dec. 3), Michigan State (Feb. 11) and Minnesota meets (Feb. 18) will be broadcast live on Iowa Public Television (IPTV), which is in its 31st year of televising college wrestling. Tim Johnson and Jim Gibbons will call the season’s action for IPTV. Iowa’s dual at Oklahoma State (Jan. 19) will be aired on ESPNU, the Hawkeyes’ dual at Penn State (Feb. 4) will be shown on FOX Sports Pittsburgh and Iowa’s dual against Ohio State (Feb. 16) will be aired on CSTV.
The Internet – Livestats are available for all Hawkeye home duals on the University of Iowa’s website, www.hawkeyesports.com. Go to the wrestling schedule page, select the event and click on the Livestats link.
2005 KAUFMAN-BRAND OPEN REVIEW
Senior Ty Eustice (149) and freshman Ryan Morningstar (157) won titles at the 2005 Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, NE. Iowa sent 26 competitors to the tournament, which featured 650 wrestlers from 42 teams. Eustice scored a major decision and four decisions en route to his 149-pound open division title. Morningstar scored two pins, a technical fall and two decisions on his way to the 20-and-under title at 157.
Also placing for Iowa in the open division were sophomore Alex Tsirtsis (141-2nd), senior Joe Johnston (157-2nd), junior Eric Luedke (165-3rd), senior Cole Pape (165-4th) and sophomore Matt Fields (Hwt.-2nd). Placing for the Hawkeyes in the 20-and-under division were freshmen Thomas Magnani (125-5th), Daniel Dennis (133-5th) and Dan Erekson (197-3rd), and redshirt freshmen Jacob Neuzil (174-5th) and Michael Bucklin (Hwt.-6th).
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 795-209-30 (.783) in 94 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles, including nine of the last 16, 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 titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 24 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 129 all-Americans have earned all-America status 263 times, including 16 four-time, 27 three-time and 32 two-time honorees.
IOWA TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets and single meet tickets for Iowa’s eight 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. University of Iowa students will be admitted free of charge for all matches with a student ID. Season tickets are $56 for the general public and $49 for University faculty and staff. Single match tickets purchased in advance are $8 for adults and $4 for youth/non-University of Iowa students. Single match tickets purchased at the door are $10 for adults and $5 for youth/non-University of Iowa students
CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Carver-Hawkeye Arena has been the home of Iowa wrestling since 1983. The Hawkeyes are 150-15 (.909) 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.
INTERNET INFORMATION
Press releases, meet results and audio broadcasts of dual meets can be found at www.hawkeyesports.com. Current staff and student-athlete head shots can be found at pics.hawkeyesports.com.
OH BROTHER
Seniors Ben and Brett Stedman from Sioux City, IA, are the lone set of brothers on the 2006-07 Hawkeye roster. 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).
The Stedman’s are also the fifth set of twins to wrestle at 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 Tom Brands, Dan Gable, Wes Hand, Doug Schwab and Mike Zadick earned a total of two Olympic gold medals, seven NCAA titles, 10 conference titles and 15 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 605-84-2 (.877), including three undefeated seasons.
NEXT COMPETITION
Junior Mark Perry will represent the Hawkeyes at the 41st annual NWCA All-Star Dual presented by the United States Marine Corps. The dual will be held November 20 at the Dallas Convention Center and Arena in Dallas, TX. Start time is scheduled for 7 p.m. Perry, who is ranked second in the country, will face top-ranked Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State at 165 pounds. Hendricks is a two-time NCAA champion and three-time all-American for the Cowboys. Perry is 0-3 against him, losing a 7-5 decision in sudden victory at the 2004 Kaufman-Brand Open, a 3-1 decision in the 2005 Iowa-Oklahoma State dual and a 5-2 decision in the 2005 NCAA Championship finals. The two did not meet last season because Perry wrestled at 174 pounds.
The Hawkeyes will open the 2006-07 dual meet season November 21 at Northern Iowa. The meet will be held at 7 p.m. in the new McLeod Center in Cedar Falls. Iowa will host Arizona State in it’s first dual of the season November 25. Match time is set for 1:30 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.