Jan. 18, 2012
- Order Tickets to 2012 USA Olympic Team Trials
- USA Olympic Trials – Iowa City, Iowa
- Hawkeyes Going for Gold
- Big Ten Championships
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- 2011-12 Iowa Wrestling Media Guide
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
ON THE MAT
The University of Iowa wrestling team competes at No. 7 Ohio State on Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) inside St. John Arena. The Hawkeyes then travel to State College, Pa., to wrestle No. 3 Penn State on Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT).
AUDIO COVERAGE
Both weekend duals will be broadcast on AM-800 KXIC and streamed online at hawkeyesports.com via Hawkeye All-Access. Steven Grace and Mark Ironside will have the call live from St. John Arena and Rec Hall.
TELEVISION COVERAGE
The Penn State dual will be televised on a same-day tape delay by BTN. Tim Johnson and Jim Gibbons will have the matside call from Rec Hall. The dual will air Sunday night at 9 p.m. (CT).
INTERNET COVERAGE
Hawkeye All-Access will provide a video stream of the Ohio State dual via BTN.com. BTN.com is a subscription service that provides quality coverage of Big Ten sports. Hawkeye All-Access subscribers will be able to stream the match at no additional charge via hawkeyesports.com.
7-7-7
The OSU dual marks the third time this season Iowa has faced the No. 7 team in the country (Illinois and Nebraska).
TOP 10 FOES
The Hawkeyes will face their fourth and fifth top 10 opponents when they travel to No. 7 Ohio State and No. 3 Penn State this weekend. The Hawkeyes are 2-1 against top 10 teams. They defeated No. 7 Illinois, 20-13 (12/2) and won at No. 7 Nebraska, 24-9 (1/13). Iowa’s lone loss was to No. 2 Oklahoma State, 17-16 (1/7).
STREAKING VS. THE BUCKEYES
Iowa has not lost to Ohio State in 34 consecutive duals. The Hawkeyes own a 36-2 series advantage against the Buckeyes, with losses coming in 1929 (13-17) and 1966 (11-14). Iowa has outscored Ohio State 114-28 under Tom Brands, who is 4-0 vs. the Buckeyes.
LION TAMERS
Iowa owns a 25-6-2 series lead over Penn State dating back to their first meeting in State College in 1983 (Iowa, 34-9). The Hawkeyes have won the last four meetings, including a 22-13 win last season at Rec Hall. The No. 8 Hawkeyes won six bouts and received a pin from Matt McDonough (125) and a major decision from Luke Lofthouse (197) to upset top-ranked Penn State. Tom Brands is 4-1 against the Nittany Lions, with his only defeat coming at State College in his first year at Iowa (2007, 13-24).
BUILDING ON 50
Iowa’s win at Nebraska on Jan. 13 marked the Hawkeyes’ 50th straight road dual without a loss. The current streak is a school record. That streak started with a 20-13 win at Iowa State on Dec. 9, 2007.
1-2-3 SHOOT
Iowa’s three lightest weights have a combined 55-3 (.948) record this season with 38 bonus-point victories. Junior Matt McDonough (125) leads Iowa with nine pins. Sophomore Tony Ramos (133) owns a team-best five technical falls and senior Montell Marion (141) leads the Hawkeyes with seven major decisions.
THE RIGHT TO DRAW
Iowa’s dual opponents have elected to draw for the starting weight five times. Only Iowa State and Indiana have agreed to start the meet at 125 pounds. Illinois (149), Northern Iowa (184), Oklahoma State (Hwt.), Nebraska (197) and Northwestern (Hwt.) have drawn for starting weights. Iowa is 2-0 without the draw and 4-1 with the draw (not including Iowa City Duals).
RAMOS IS DUAL DOMINANT
Sophomore Tony Ramos is undefeated in 22 career duals, including a perfect 10-0 record this season. Ramos has recorded four falls and four major decisions in 10 duals this season, racking up a team-high 46 points.
MCDONOUGH AMONG THE BEST
Junior Matt McDonough owns a career record of 83-4 (.954). Iowa’s top wrestlers in program history based on winning percentage include: 1. T.J. Williams (98-1-0) .990
2. Brent Metcalf (108-3-0) .972
3. Lincoln McIlravy (96-3-0) .970
4. Tom Brands (158-7-2) .952
5. Terry Brands (137-7) .951
#900
The Hawkeyes topped Nebraska, 24-9, Jan. 13 to earn the 900th dual win in program history. Iowa owns a 901-215-31 (.797) dual record in 101 seasons. Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Oregon State are the only other schools to record at least 900 dual wins.
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE
Sophomore Derek St. John won his first 11 bouts of the season before suffering a knee injury Dec. 8 against Northern Iowa. He has missed the last five Hawkeye events and remains 11-0 on the season. In the history of Iowa wrestling, 15 wrestlers have finished the season with a perfect record (minimum 20 matches). Four of those wrestlers were able to perform the feat twice. They include Mark Ironside, Lincoln McIlravy, T.J. Williams and Jim Zalesky. Iowa coaches Tom Brands and Terry Brands are among the 15 wrestlers. Tom went 45-0 in 1990-91 and Terry went 35-0 in 1991-92.
RAMOS NABS 2ND BIG TEN HONOR
Tony Ramos earned his second career conference honor when he was named Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 10 Ramos, a sophomore from Carol Stream, Ill., pinned Indiana’s Joe Duca in the second period at Indiana (1/6) before earning a 4-3 overtime decision against Oklahoma State’s top-ranked Jordan Oliver (1/7). He had previously won the award after a pair of bonus point victories against No. 7 Illinois (12/2) and Iowa State (12/4). He posted a 13-5 major decision over the Illini’s B.J. Futrell, then-ranked No. 2 in the country, and recorded a second period pin against Iowa State’s Shayden Terukina. Ramos, currently ranked No. 2, owns an 19-1 record with four major decisions, five technical falls and five pins.
HAWKEYES BUILD ON RECORD
Iowa grabbed its record 22nd Midlands team title Dec. 30, scoring 152 points and putting 11 wrestlers on the medal stand at the 49th annual event. Matt McDonough (125) earned his second career Midlands title. Tony Ramos (2nd, 133) Tyler Clark (4th, 133), Montell Marion (2nd, 141), Mike Kelly (5th, 149), Nick Moore (7th, 157), Mike Evans (7th, 165), Ethen Lofthouse (2nd, 174), Vinnie Wagner (7th, 184), Grant Gambrall (7th, 197) and Bobby Telford (2nd, Hwt.) placed for the Hawkeyes.
GAMBRALL AT 197
Junior Grant Gambrall has started at 197 pounds in five of Iowa’s 10 duals (3-2). Gambrall, a junior from Iowa City, Iowa, made his first career appearance at 197 pounds on Nov. 25, recording a 4-3 decision over Cornell College’s Alex Coolidge. He is 7-4 this season and earned a seventh-place finish at the Midlands Championships competing at 197. Gambrall was an All-American while competing at 184 pounds in 2010-11.
BRANDS HITS 100
Iowa head coach Tom Brands earned his 100th career dual win as Iowa’s head coach Nov. 25 vs. Iowa Central (37-6). It took Brands 107 duals to reach 100 career victories. Only Dan Gable, Iowa’s all-time winningest coach, reached win No. 100 faster. Gable hit the century mark in his 105th dual. Brands owns a 106-7-1 career record since taking over the Iowa program in 2006.
MCDONOUGH’S MIDLANDS SUCCESS
Junior Matt McDonough won his second Midlands title in three years Dec. 30 at the 49th annual event in Evanston, Ill. McDonough recorded two pins, including a second period fall in the finals, and one major decision en route to the title. Since 2009, McDonough owns a 15-1 record at the Midlands, including two championships (2009, 2011) and a runner-up finish (2010). McDonough is 19-1 this season with five major decisions and a team-high nine pins.
NCAA EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeyes have seven wrestlers with previous NCAA championships experience. Junior Matt McDonough has advanced to the NCAA finals each of the past two seasons, winning the championship in 2010 and finishing runner-up in 2011. Montell Marion is a two-time All-American at 141 pounds. The senior from Des Moines, Iowa, placed second in 2010 and earned a fourth place finish in 2011. Sophomore Derek St. John and junior Grant Gambrall also earned All-America honors in 2011. St. John placed fourth at 157 pounds, and Gambrall earned third place at 184 pounds. Sophomores Tony Ramos (133) and Ethen Lofthouse (174), and senior Blake Rasing (Hwt.) also earned NCAA berths last season.
HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 901-215-31 (.797) in 101 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 23 national titles and 34 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 51 NCAA Champions have won a total of 78 NCAA Individual titles, crowning six three-time and 15 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 104 Big Ten champions have won a total of 188 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 27 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 144 All-Americans have earned All-America status 291 times, including 17 four-time, 29 three-time and 38 two-time honorees.
IOWA UNBEATEN/WINNING DUAL STREAKS
? Unbeaten Road Streak: 50
? Winning Streak vs. Big Ten Opponents: 39
? Big Ten Home Winning Streak: 18
? Big Ten Road Winning Streak: 21
ABOUT THE UNBEATEN/WINNING DUAL STREAKS
Against Big Ten foes, the Hawkeyes have won their last 39 duals, including 18 at home and 21 on the road. All three marks rank second in school history. Iowa’s school record for consecutive Big Ten wins is 98 (12/13/1975-1/28/1989), while the records for Big Ten home wins is 63 (1/17/1975-1/3/1998) and road wins is 54 (1/19/1974-1/28/1989). The Hawkeyes are unbeaten in 50 consecutive road duals, which is also a school record. That streak started with a 20-13 win at Iowa State on Dec. 9, 2007. Iowa tied Oklahoma State’s record of 84 consecutive duals without a loss when they topped Indiana, 26-12, on Jan. 6, 2012. The streak came to an end the following night when Oklahoma State defeated Iowa, 17-16, in Iowa City. The Cowboys and Hawkeyes were tied 16-16 after splitting 10 duals, but Oklahoma State earned the victory based on the third tiebreak criteria — match points (54-51). The loss also ended the Hawkeyes 38-dual home winning streak.
TIEBREAK CRITERIA
The Hawkeyes saw their 84-match dual unbeaten streak end Jan. 7, 2012, when Oklahoma State topped Iowa 17-16. The two teams were tied at 16 after splitting 10 bouts, so officials used the NCAA tiebreak criteria inserted during the offseason to determine a winner. The first tiebreak is match victories (5-5) and the second is falls/tech. falls (0-0). Oklahoma State eventually won on the third tiebreak criteria, match points (54-51).
ATTENDANCE LEADERS AT IT AGAIN
The third largest dual crowd in NCAA history (15,400) watched Iowa host Oklahoma State on Jan. 7, 2012. Through five home dates, the Hawkeyes have averaged 9,257 fans. That includes duals vs. Oklahoma State, the Iowa City Duals* (8,527), Illinois (7,330), Northern Iowa (7,078) and Northwestern (7,954). Iowa has led the nation in attendance for five straight seasons. The Hawkeyes averaged a national record 8,209 fans in six home duals last season. It marked the third straight year Iowa averaged over 8,000 fans per dual. Iowa’s dual vs. Iowa State (Dec. 3, 2010) was the largest dual crowd in the country last year (11,895). *The IC Duals do not count towards attendance figures.
LAST MEETINGS
#8 IOWA 33, Ohio State 3 (Jan. 22, 2011)
184 – Grant Gambrall (I) dec. C.J. Magrum (OSU), 10-3 *
197 – Luke Lofthouse (I) dec. Peter Capone (OSU), 6-4
Hwt. – Blake Rasing (I) maj. dec. Zach Stolarsky (OSU), 12-1
125 – Matt McDonough (I) pinned Bo Touris (OSU), 4:37
133 – Tony Ramos (I) dec. Ian Paddock (OSU), 5-2
141 – Mark Ballweg (I) maj. dec. Randy Languis (OSU), 10-2
149 – Matt Ballweg (I) maj. dec. Mike Fee (OSU), 12-3
157 – Derek St. John (I) dec. Sean Nemec (OSU), 9-3
165 – Colt Sponseller (OSU) dec. Aaron Janssen (I), 5-3 SV
174 – Ethen Lofthouse (I) dec. Nick Heflin (OSU), 3-1
* – Warnings were given to both the Iowa and Ohio State benches during the 184-pound match.
#8 IOWA 22, #1 Penn State 13 (Jan. 30, 2011)
125 – Matt McDonough (I) pinned Nate Morgan (PSU), 4:16
133 – Tony Ramos (I) dec. Andrew Long (PSU), 3-2
141 – Montell Marion (I) dec. Andrew Alton (PSU), 11-9
149 – Frank Molinaro (PSU) dec. Mark Ballweg (I), 10-3
157 – David Taylor (PSU) maj. dec. Derek St. John (I), 12-4
165 – Aaron Janssen (I) dec. Jake Kemerer (PSU), 6-2
174 – Ed Ruth (PSU) dec. Ethen Lofthouse (I), 10-3
184 – Grant Gambrall (I) dec. Quentin Wright (PSU), 8-3
197 – Luke Lofthouse (I) maj. dec. Justin Ortega (PSU), 17-6
Hwt – Cameron Wade (PSU) dec. Blake Rasing (I), 1-0
TICKET INFORMATION
Single-meet tickets are now available for purchase on hawkeyesports.com. Single-meet tickets to the Minnesota dual (1/29) are $13 for adults, $7 for children and $2 for kids five and under. Tickets to the to Wisconsin dual (2/5) are $10 for adults, $5 for children and free for kids five and under. Tickets
2012 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS
All-Session Tickets are available for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials April 21-22 in Iowa City, Iowa. All-Session tickets are $75 for adults, $40 for youth. Nearly 6,000 tickets were sold as of Dec. 13. The trials attendance record was set in 2000 when Dallas, Texas, hosted 7,000 fans inside Reunion Arena.
UP NEXT
The second-ranked Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to host No. 4 Minnesota on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. (CT). The contest will be broadcast by AM-800 KXIC and audio streamed online at hawkeyesports.com via Hawkeye All-Access. BTN will televise the dual live. Tim Johnson, Jim Gibbons and Shane Sparks will have the call.