Hawkeyes to Open Season at No. 1

Nov. 15, 2011

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa wrestling program will open the season Saturday on top of the first regular season NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Hawkeyes bumped defending NCAA Champion Penn State, who was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll. Iowa reached the top of the coaches poll for the first time since finishing the 2010 season with its third straight national title. Iowa finished third at the 2011 NCAA tournament. The Hawkeyes return seven NCAA qualifiers and four All-Americans in 2011-12.

The Hawkeyes open the season Saturday at the Lindenwood Men’s Wrestling Joe Parisi Open in Saint Charles, Mo. The day-long tournament begins at 9 a.m. inside Hyland Arena on the Lindenwood campus. Iowa returns home Nov. 25 to host the Iowa City Duals on Mediacom Mat inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes will put their 77-dual unbeaten streak on the line against Baker University (3 p.m.), Cornell College (5 p.m.) and Iowa Central CC (7 p.m.).

Season and single-meet tickets are now available for purchase on hawkeyesports.com. Season tickets for nine home duals (including the Iowa City Duals) are available for $67. Single-meet tickets for the Iowa City Duals (11/25), Illinois (12/2), Northern Iowa (12/8), Northwestern (1/15) and Wisconsin (2/5) are $10 for adults, $5 for children. Single-meet tickets to Oklahoma State (1/7) and Minnesota (1/29) are $13 for adults, $7 for children. Kids under five-years old are admitted free to all home events.