Nov. 25, 2009
THIS WEEK
The top-ranked Iowa wrestling team will take its 5-0 record and 43-dual match winning streak East for two duals Friday in Lewisburg, PA. The Hawkeyes will wrestle Bucknell (1-2) at 3 p.m. (CT) and Rutgers (3-1) at 4:30 p.m. at Bucknell’s Sojka Pavilion.
Tickets for the duals are available at the Bucknell ticket office at www.bucknell.edu/boxoffice or 570/577-1000. Prices for mat-side seats are $50; chair-back seats are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 18 and younger; and bleacher seats are $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 18 and younger.
ON THE AIR
Radio – Steven Grace will call the action for both duals live on AM-800, KXIC and www.hawkeyesports.com. Web audio broadcasts are available using the XXL All-Access subscription ($14.95 per month or $119.95 per year).
Online Video – Bucknell is providing a live video web cast of the Iowa-Bucknell dual at www.bucknellbison.com through the XXL All-Access subscription ($14.95 per month or $119.95 per year).
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY BISON
Bucknell is 2-2 (0-1 EIWA) with a win over North Carolina (19-14) and Army (25-6), and losses to Virginia (13-20) and Virginia Tech (17-19). The Bison also crowned four individual champions at the Navy Classic on Nov. 21.
Head Coach Dan Wirnsberger is 34-31-2 in five years at Bucknell, and 60-53-2 in seven years as a collegiate head coach. He is assisted by Dave Hoffman and Donny Ooton. Hawkeye Head Coach Tom Brands coached Hoffman and Ooton at Virginia Tech.
Bucknell is led by returning all-American Andy Rendos (165), and five other NCAA qualifiers in seniors David Marble (133), and Shane Riccio (174), juniors Kevin LeValley (149) and David Thompson (184), and sophomore Derek Reber (125).
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rugters is 3-1 with wins over Sacred Heart twice (43-0 and 42-6) and Northern Iowa (25-10) and a loss to Penn State (17-18). Head Coach Scott Goodale is 34-16 in three years at Rutgers. He is assisted by Lehigh alums John Leonardis and Cory Cooperman.
The Scarlet Knights return NCAA qualifiers Dominick Russo (Hwt.) and Scott Winston (157) from the 2008-09 team that went 20-8 overall and 8-1 in the EIWA. Senior Lamar Brown (197), junior Bill Ashnault and redshirt freshman Joe Langel have also made individual appearances in national rankings this season.
THE SERIES
Iowa leads the series with Bucknell, 1-0, winning the only meeting (40-3) last season in Iowa City. This will be the first meeting with Rutgers.
LAST MEETING – HAWKEYES POUND BUCKNELL, 40-3
Hawkeye Head Coach Tom Brands collected his 70th career victory Jan. 30 as his top-ranked Iowa wrestlers defeated Bucknell, 40-3, in front of 5,525 fans in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The top-ranked Hawkeyes improved to 18-0 on the season with the win, while Bucknell fell to 8-8.
The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 23-0 lead with wins at the first six weights. Hawkeye senior Charlie Falck opened the dual at 125 with a 9-3 decision over Derek Reber. Iowa junior Daniel Dennis followed a 14-4 major decision over David Marble. Hawkeye senior Alex Tsirtsis showed no ill effects after having a wisdom tooth removed earlier in the week, sticking Adam Healey in 1:22 at 141. Iowa junior 149-pounder Brent Metcalf posted his 55th straight win with a 4:20 pin over Kevin LeValley. Hawkeye sophomore Matt Ballweg posted an 8-0 win over Tyler Riccio at 157. Iowa junior Ryan Morningstar posted his a 2-1 win over Andy Rendos at 165.
Bucknell won its only match of the dual at 174. Iowa sophomore Colby Covington was wrestling for injured Hawkeye starter Jay Borschel. Covington lost a 7-2 decision to Bucknell’s Shane Riccio. Hawkeye junior Phillip Keddy won a 14-0 major decision over David Thompson at 184. Iowa junior Chad Beatty scored 13 takedowns to post a 26-11 technical fall in 6:20 over Rob Waltko at 197. Iowa junior Dan Erekson closed out the dual by accepting a forfeit at heavyweight. Following are the match-by-match results.
Iowa 40, Bucknell 3
125 – Charlie Falck (I) dec. Derek Reber (B), 9-3
133 – Daniel Dennis (I) maj. dec. David Marble (B), 14-4
141 – Alex Tsirtsis (I) pinned Adam Healey (B), 1:22
149 – Brent Metcalf (I) pinned Kevin LeValley (B), 4:20
157 – Matt Ballweg (I) maj. dec. Tyler Riccio (B), 8-0
165 – Ryan Morningstar (I) dec. Andy Rendos (B), 2-1
174 – Shane Riccio (B) dec. Colby Covington (I), 7-2
184 – Phillip Keddy (I) maj. dec. David Thompson (B), 14-0
197 – Chad Beatty (I) tech. fall Rob Waltko (B), 26-11 in 6:20
Hwt. – Dan Erekson (I) won by forfeit
HAVEN’T WE MET?
Hawkeye senior Brent Metcalf is the only Iowa wrestler to face a Bucknell wrestler outside of last season’s dual. He pinned junior Kevin LeValley in 6:01 in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Championships. There have been no previous meetings between Iowa and Rutgers wrestlers.
HAWKEYES GO 5-0 AT IOWA CITY DUALS
Iowa opened the 2009-10 dual meet season Nov. 20, going 5-0 at the Iowa City Duals. A crowd of 5,468 fans attended the event at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes posted a 49-1 record on the day beating Coe College (39-3), Cornell College (57-0), Iowa Lakes Community College (52-0), University of North Carolina Pembroke (47-0) and Southern Illinois Edwardsville (51-0).
The five victories extended Iowa’s dual match winning streak to 43, which breaks the school record of 42 (1994-97). The Hawkeyes recorded 25 pins, nine technical falls, seven major decisions and eight decisions on the day. Iowa also tallied 139 takedowns, while giving up none.
Hawkeye seniors Brent Metcalf (149) and Jay Borschel (174) led Iowa, pinning all five of their Iowa City Duals opponents. Borschel pinned each of his foes in the first period, including one in 13 seconds which is the fastest on the team this season. His combined pin time total was 8:28, while Metcalf’s was 16:14. Seniors Daniel Dennis (133) and Dan LeClere (141), and redshirt freshman Matt McDonough (125) each scored team bonus points in all five of their victories. Senior Phillip Keddy (184) scored two pins, two technical falls and a decision; senior Ryan Morningstar (165) recorded two pins, one technical fall, one major decision and one decision; while senior Chad Beatty (197) scored one pin, one technical falls, one major decision and two decisions on the day. Sophomore Jordan Johnson (Hwt.) recorded three pins and two decisions, while junior Jake Kerr (157) scored two pins and two decisions.
DENNIS WINS AT NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC
Hawkeye senior Daniel Dennis scored two takedowns in the third period to beat Maryland’s Steve Bell, 9-8, in the 133-pound match at the 44th annual NWCA All-Star Classic Nov. 22 in Fullteron, CA. A standing room only crowd of 4,000 filled Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Gymnasium for the event.
BALLWEG, MARION WIN TITLES AT KAUFMAN-BRAND OPEN
University of Iowa junior Matt Ballweg (157) and sophomore Montell Marion (141) each won titles at the 2009 Ryan Kaufman-Glen Brand Open Nov. 21 in Omaha, NE. A total of 18 Hawkeye wrestlers competed at the tournament and 14 finished in the top five of their respective weight classes. The Kaufman-Brand Open, which is annually hosted by the University of Nebraska-Omaha, is one of the largest single-day collegiate events in the nation.
Matt Ballweg won the 157-pound title in the elite division, scoring a 7-2 win over Iowa State’s Andrew Sorenson in the finals. Ballweg scored a pin, two major decisions and two decisions on the day. His closest match was a 3-2 quarterfinal win over Hawkeye freshman Derek St. John, who placed third.
Marion, who was competing unattached, won the 141-pound title in the elite division. He won all four bouts by decision, including a 7-2 win over Nebraska-Omaha’s Mario Morgan in the finals.
The Hawkeyes had a total of six finalists in the elite division, with junior Tyler Clark (133) and sophomores J.J. Krutsinger (125), Vinnie Wagner (184) and Blake Rasing (Hwt.) all placing second at their respective weights.
Iowa had the most placewinners at 133 pounds as redshirt freshmen Nate Moore and Mark Ballweg placed third and fourth, respectively, in the elite division. Moore scored a 3-2 victory over Ballweg in the third-place match. Freshman Nick Trizzino (133) also placed fourth in the amateur division. Placing fourth for Iowa in the elite division were junior Luke Lofthouse (197) and freshman Ethen Lofthouse (174). Redshirt freshman Grant Gambrall placed fifth at 184 in the elite division, while freshman Joe DuCharme placed fifth at 165 in the amateur bracket.
HAWKEYES LOOK TO EXTEND STREAKS
Iowa set a new school record for consecutive victories (43) with its five wins at the Iowa City duals last week. The previous record of 42 spanned the 1994-97 seasons. The Hawkeyes have also won their last 29 duals away from Iowa City, which ranks second in school history. The school record for consecutive road wins is 31 (1994-97).
WWW.HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
Press releases, meet results, and audio and video broadcasts are available on the University of Iowa’s website, www.hawkeyesports.com. To access live scoring for home meets, go to the wrestling schedule page, select the event and click on the Live Results link. Results will be updated after each bout during the dual. Current staff and student-athlete head shots can be found at pics.hawkeyesports.com.
IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 859-215-30 (.792) in 100 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 22 national titles and 33 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 49 NCAA champions have won a total of 57 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 14 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 101 Big Ten champions have won a total of 184 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 26 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 138 all-Americans have earned all-America status 278 times, including 17 four-time, 27 three-time and 35 two-time honorees.
HAWKEYE WRESTLING TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for Iowa’s six remaining home meets are on sale at the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-464-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com. Following are this season’s prices.
Single Meet vs. Northern Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern
Advance Purchase: $10 – Adult, $5 – Youth
Door Purchase: $12 – Adult, $6 – Youth
Free Admission: UI students, Children ages 5 and under
Single Meet vs. Oklahoma State, Penn State and Ohio State
Advance Purchase: $13 – Adult, $7 – Youth, $2 – Age 5 and under
Door Purchase: $15 – Adult, $8 – Youth, $2 – Age 5 and under
Free Admission: UI students
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Iowa’s 11 seniors – Chad Beatty, Jay Borschel, Daniel Dennis, Dan Erekson, Michael Fahrer, Phillip Keddy, Dan LeClere, Rick Loera, Brent Metcalf, Ryan Morningstar, Joe Slaton – bring a wealth of talent and experience to the mat.
The group has a combined career record of 539-197, going 327-105 in duals, 94-48 in Big Ten duals and 126-36 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The group has scored 1,330 team points in dual competition and has started a combined 435 dual matches. Iowa’s seniors have won one NCAA individual title, three Big Ten individual titles, nine all-America honors and qualified for the NCAA Championships 16 times.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Tom Brands, Terry Brands, Doug Schwab, Mike Zadick and Danny Song earned a total of one Olympic gold medal, one Olympic bronze medal, six NCAA titles, 10 conference titles and 13 all-America honors.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS SET FOR OMAHA
The 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships are scheduled for March 18-20 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, NE. The NCAA, University of Nebraska and the Omaha Sports Commission will co-host the event. Tickets to the event are available at (402) 422-1212 or ticketmaster.com.
WRESTLING SUMMER CAMPS
For dates and more information about 2010 Iowa Wrestling Summer camps visit www.iowawrestlingcamps.com.
UP NEXT
Top-ranked Iowa (5-0) will take on second-ranked Iowa State (1-0) Dec. 6 in Ames. The intra-state rivals will face off at 6 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum. The match will be aired live on Iowa Public Television, and it will be the sixth event in the sixth annual Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series. Iowa State holds a 6-5 lead in the current standings. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth, and are available at the Iowa State University Athletic Ticket Office at (888) 478-2925, (515) 294-1816 or www.cyclones.com.