Nov. 20, 2007
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THIS WEEK
The Iowa wrestlers open the 2007-08 dual meet season Saturday at the St. Edward Duals in Lakewood, OH. The Hawkeyes will face the University of Findlay at 9 a.m. (CST), Iowa Central Community College at 10:30 a.m., Old Dominion University at 1:30 p.m. and North Carolina State University at 3 p.m. All matches will be held at the St. Edward High School Gymnasium. Admission for the entire day is $7.
FINDLAY ROUGHNECKS
The University of Findlay Roughnecks will open their dual season against the Hawkeyes. The Roughnecks competed at the Eastern Michigan and Michigan State Opens earlier this month.
Head Coach Shawn Nelson, who graduated from Penn State in 1994, is in his 10th year at Findlay. The Roughnecks return senior Antonion Guerra (157) and juniors Andy Zalaiskalns (197) and Travis Clark (Hwt.) from a team that placed 12th at the NCAA Division II national meet last season.
This is the first meeting between Iowa and Findlay.
IOWA CENTRAL TRITONS
Iowa Central is 1-0 with a 47-6 win over Rochester C&TC last week. The Tritons also competed in the South Dakota State, Harold Nichols and Kaufman-Brand Opens earlier this month.
Head Coach Luke Moffitt, who was a Big Ten champion for the Hawkeyes and earned outstanding wrestler honors at the 2002 conference meet, has a 33-3 mark in four seasons at Iowa Central. Moffitt is ranked fourth in Iowa school history for most pins in a season (19 in 2001-02). He has been named NJCAA Coach of the Year the last two seasons.
Iowa Central returns seven all-Americans and four national champions from the 2007 squad that won its second straight national team title. Top returnees for the Tritons are sophomores Terrance Young (125), Russell Weakley (133), David Greenwald (141), Matt Burns (149), Nate Carr (157), Colby Covington (165), Ahmad Motley (174) and Nate Willard (184). Iowa leads the series with Iowa Central, 1-0, winning the first meeting 49-0 in 2000 at Fort Dodge.
OLD DOMINION MONARCHS
Old Dominion is 1-0 with a 20-16 win over Michigan State earlier this month. It was the first time the Monarchs beat a Big Ten opponent since the 1990-91 season. Sophomore Kaylen Baxter also won the 149-pound title at the Michigan State Open.
Head Coach Steve Martin was an all-American and four-time letterwinner at Iowa (1987-90). He is 36-19-2 in four season at Old Dominion. The Monarchs are led by juniors Ryan Williams (141) and David Mendoza (197), sophomore Chris Brown (165) and redshirt freshman James Nicholson (125).
This is the first meeting between Iowa and Old Dominion.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK
North Carolina State is 0-3 with losses to Oklahoma (30-9), Michigan State (23-15) and Purdue (25-15). Head Coach Carter Jordan, a 2002 Wolfpack alum, is 32-23-1 in four seasons with the team.
Top returnees for the Wolfpack include juniors Joe Caramancia (141) and Ryan Goodman (184), and sophomores Taylor Cummings (125) and Darrion Caldwell (149).
Iowa leads the series, 3-0. The Hawkeyes won the last meeting, 38-9, Dec. 7, 2006, in Iowa City.
IOWA CROWNS SIX CHAMPS AT KAUFMAN-BRAND OPEN
The Hawkeyes crowned six individual champions at the 25th annual Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, NE, Nov. 17. All of Iowa’s champions and all but two placewinners were competing unattached.
Seniors Mark Perry (165) and Matt Fields (Hwt.), junior Charlie Falck (125) and sophomores Joe Slaton (133), Brent Metcalf (149) and Phillip Keddy (184) each won titles in the tournament’s elite division. It was Metcalf’s second straight individual title at the meet, while the other five won their first career Kaufman-Brand Open title. Iowa’s six individual titles was the most recorded by any team. Tournament host University of Nebraska-Omaha crowned four individual champions.
Also placing for the Hawkeyes in the elite division were juniors Dan Erekson (Hwt.-3rd) and Rick Loera (184-3rd), and sophomores Dan LeClere (141-3rd), Jay Borschel (174-5th) and Chad Beatty (174-6th). Placing in the amateur division were redshirt freshman Matt Ballweg (149-3rd) and true freshmen J.J. Krutsinger (125-3rd), Blake Rasing (Hwt.-3rd), Jordan Johnson (197-4th), Montell Marion (133-5th) and Brodie Ambrose (197-5th).
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 809-214-30 (.783) in 95 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles and 31 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 48 NCAA champions have won a total of 74 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 13 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 100 Big Ten champions have won a total of 181 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 24 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 130 all-Americans have earned all-America status 266 times, including 16 four-time, 28 three-time and 32 two-time honorees.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Tom Brands, Wes Hand, Doug Schwab and Mike Zadick earned a total of one Olympic gold medal, four NCAA titles, six conference titles and 12 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 487-83-2 (.853).
WWW.HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
Press releases, meet results and audio broadcasts are available on the University of Iowa’s website, www.hawkeyesports.com. To access live dual scoring, go to the wrestling schedule page, select the event and click on the Livestats link. Current staff and student-athlete head shots can be found at pics.hawkeyesports.com.
JOHNSON COUNTY I-CLUB WRESTLING LUNCHEON
The annual Johnson County I-Club wrestling luncheon will be held Jan. 4, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. at the First Avenue Club in Iowa City. Tickets for the event are $13.00 and must be purchased in advanced. To purchase tickets, make a check payable to the Johnson County I-Club and mail to:
Iowa Wrestling
ATTN: Luncheon
223 Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Iowa City, IA 52242
NEXT COMPETITION
The Hawkeyes will compete at the UNI Open Dec. 2 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, IA.
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