Jan. 16, 2013
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ON THE MAT
The fourth-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team travels to the state of Michigan this week to face No. 18 Michigan and Michigan State. The Hawkeyes meet the Wolverines on Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) at Cliff Keen Arena, and face the Spartans at 1 p.m. (CT) Sunday at Jenison Field House.
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 live call from Cliff Keen Arena and Jenison Field House.
VIDEO STREAM
Hawkeye All-Access will provide a video stream of both duals via the Big Ten Digital Network. 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.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Live Hawkeye wrestling updates are available @IowaWRLive; @Hawks_Wrestling; facebook.com/iowahawkeyewrestling.
IOWA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Hawkeyes are 4-1 this season in duals against ranked opponents. Iowa defeated No. 17 Virginia, 26-12; No. 23 Lehigh, 26-9; No. 4 Ohio State, 22-9; and No. 21 Purdue, 29-9. The Hawkeyes lone loss was to No. 2 Oklahoma State, 18-12. Including No. 18 Michigan, six of Iowa’s remaining seven opponents are ranked in the latest NWCA Division I Coaches Poll. Michigan State is the only opponent left on Iowa’s schedule not ranked in the USA Today/Coaches Poll. Individually, the Hawkeyes own a 19-18 mark against ranked opponents. Matt McDonough (125) leads all Hawkeyes with victories over five rated foes (5-0).
Iowa lineup vs. ranked opponents
125 — Matt McDonough (5-0)
133 — Tony Ramos (1-0)
141 — Mark Ballweg (3-1)
149 — Michael Kelly (1-2)
149 — Brody Grothus (0-2)
157 — Derek St. John (3-0)
165 — Nick Moore (1-2)
174 — Mike Evans (1-1)
184 — Ethen Lofthouse (2-2)
197 — Nathan Burak (1-3)
285 — Bobby Telford (1-2)
LIGHT-MIDDLE-HEAVY
Iowa’s three lightest weights have a combined 35-1 record with 27 bonus point victories. Matt McDonough (125), Tony Ramos (125) and Mark Ballweg (141) are all ranked among the top 10 at their respective weights. From 149-174 pounds, the Hawkeyes have four wrestlers ranked in the top 20 and a 40-8 combined record. Derek St. John, the nation’s top-ranked 157-pounder, leads the middle weights with a 13-0 record. Iowa’s lineup from 184-285 owns a 32-11 overall record. Ethen Lofthouse (184) and Bobby Telford (285) are both 11-2 and ranked among the top 11 at their respective weights.
THE SERIES — MICHIGAN
Iowa has won the last five meetings against the Wolverines and own a 28-25-1 lead in the all-time series. The Hawkeyes won the series’ first meeting, 21-12, in 1924, and won the most recent meeting, 30-7, in 2011. The Hawkeyes are 12-13 all-time in Ann Arbor, but they’ve won their last two trips to Cliff Keen Arena, including a 36-0 shutout in 2010. Iowa’s last loss at Michigan was a 20-16 setback in 2004.
THE SERIES — MICHIGAN STATE
The Hawkeyes have won four straight meetings with the Spartans and hold a 34-15-2 lead in the all-time series. Iowa is 13-9-1 all-time at Michigan State. The Hawkeyes won 22-15 in their last visit to East Lansing, Mich. Their last road loss to the Spartans was a 19-17 setback in 2006. Michigan State won the first meeting in the series, 22-5, in 1953. Iowa won the most recent meeting, 29-10, on Dec. 4, 2010.
LAST OF THE UNBEATENS
Matt McDonough (10-0), Tony Ramos (13-0) and Derek St. John (13-0) enter the weekend with undefeated records. St. John’s active streak is the longest of his career to start a season. He started 11-0 in 2011-12 before injuring his knee. He lost his first match back after the injury. Ramos won his first 15 matches of 2011-12 before falling in the finals of the Midlands Championships. McDonough is one win away from matching his longest win streak to start a season. He was 11-0 his freshman year before losing in the finals at the 2010 Midlands Championships. In the history of Iowa wrestling, 15 wrestlers have finished the season with a perfect record (minimum 20 matches).
MCDONOUGH STREAK HITS 38
Senior Matt McDonough extended his win streak to a career-best 38 matches when he scored a 10-4 decision against Oklahoma State’s Eddie Klimara last week. McDonough finished last season with an NCAA title and a 28-match winning streak. He is a perfect 10-0 this season. McDonough’s last loss was an 11-7 overtime decision to Illinois’ Jesse Delgado (Dec. 2, 2011). He has since defeated Delgado twice — first at the National Duals tournament (6-3) and most recently in the semifinals at the 2012 Big Ten Tournament (4-3).
HAVING A BALL-WEG @ 141
Senior Mark Ballweg owns a career record of 37-4 competing at 141 pounds. Entering his senior season, he had recorded five major decisions in 55 career matches. This year he is 12-1 with a team-high seven major decisions. He has scored bonus points in nine of his 12 wins and is 3-1 against ranked opponents. His only loss this season was a 6-4 decision to No. 2 Hunter Stieber (Ohio State).
MOUNT ST. JOHN
Junior Derek St. John, rated No. 1 at 157, is 13-0 this season with two pins, four major decisions, and a team-best two technical falls. He owns a career dual record of 36-3 and an overall career record of 57-9. St. John has not surrendered a takedown this season and is 3-0 against ranked opponents.
165 WANTS MOORE
Sophomore Nick Moore is 8-3 this season and has scored 33 dual points, more than three times his total from a year ago (10). Moore has scored bonus points in five bouts, including three falls and two major decisions. Moore was 3-1 competing at 165 pounds last season. Including his 11-2 mark wrestling unattached in 2010-11, he is 22-6 all-time while competing at 165.
EVANS SPLITS VS. 1-2
Sophomore Mike Evans suffered his first loss of the season last week against top-ranked Chris Perry of Oklahoma State. Perry used 1:19 of riding time advantage to beat Evans, 4-3. Evans is now 9-1 overall and 1-1 vs. ranked opponents. He defeated Ohio State’s second-ranked Nick Heflin, 9-4 in overtime, on Jan. 4. Evans has started eight of Iowa’s last nine duals at 174 pounds after opening the season at 165. He owned a 2-0 record at 165, and since moving up a weight class he has gone 7-1 with two pins, one technical fall and three major decisions. Including his true freshman season in 2010-11, Evans is 26-2 with 16 bonus point victories at 174 pounds.
LOFTHOUSE MAKING WAVES AT 184
Junior Ethen Lofthouse owns an 11-2 record in his first season competing at 184 pounds. Lofthouse has scored bonus points in eight of his 11 wins, including three pins and five major decisions.
ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR TELFORD
Sophomore Bobby Telford has a pair of ranked opponents on his schedule this week. Michigan’s Ben Apland is rated No. 19 and Michigan State’s Michael McClure is ranked No. 7. Telford is 1-2 this year against ranked opponents. He defeated No. 15 Matt Gibson (Iowa State), 3-2, and lost to No. 13 Peter Capone (Ohio State), 3-2, and No. 3 Alan Gelogaev (Okla. St.), 7-3. Telford is 1-0 in his career against Apland. He defeated the Michigan senior 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the 2012 Big Ten Championships. Telford wrestled McClure as a true freshman at the 2010 Midlands Championships. McClure scored a takedown in sudden victory to win 3-1. It is the only meeting to date between the heavyweights.
THREE WITH AN EYE ON FOUR
Senior Matt McDonough is a three-time NCAA finalist. He won NCAA titles in 2010 and 2012, and finished runner-up in 2011. With a top eight finish at the 2013 NCAA tournament, McDonough would become the 18th four-time All-American in school history. With a trip to the NCAA finals he would join Ed Banach, Duane Goldman and Lincoln McIlravy as the school’s only four-time NCAA finalists. A third national title would make McDonough the seventh wrestler in school history to earn three NCAA Championships (Ed Banach, Tom Brands, Barry Davis, Lincoln McIlravy, Joe Williams, Jim Zalesky).
MCDONOUGH CHASES HISTORY
Senior Matt McDonough has four pins this season and a career total of 39. He scored nine falls as a freshman, 14 as a sophomore and 12 as a junior. He is five falls from matching Chuck Yagla (44) for 10th on the all-time career falls list. Ed Banach owns the school record with 73. Terry Brands sits No. 6 with 48 and Tom Brands ranks No. 8 with 46.
MCDONOUGH AMONG THE BEST
Senior Matt McDonough owns a career record of 109-4. His .965 winning percentage ranks fourth in program history among wrestlers with a minimum 95 decisions. 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) .973
3. Lincoln McIlravy (96-3-0) .970
4. Matt McDonough (110-4) .965
5. Tom Brands (158-7-2) .952
6. Terry Brands (137-7) .951
39 YEARS OF DOMINANCE
Since 1974, only seven schools have captured the NCAA Championship. During that 38-year span, the Hawkeyes have won 23 team titles, including nine straight from 1978-86. The other schools include Oklahoma State (7), Minnesota (3), Iowa State (2), Penn State (2), Arizona State (1) and Oklahoma (1).
HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 918-220-31 (.799) in 102 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 23 national titles and 34 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 51 NCAA Champions have won a total of 79 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 16 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 105 Big Ten champions have won a total of 190 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 28 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 147 All-Americans have earned All-America status 297 times, including 17 four-time, 31 three-time and 37 two-time honorees.
MICHIGAN — THE LAST MEETING (FEB. 13, 2011 — IOWA CITY)
Iowa extended its consecutive dual unbeaten streak to 76 and improved to 7-0 in conference play with a 30-7 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With the win, Iowa wrapped up its 19th undefeated season in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, posting an 8-0 record at home in 2010-11.
#2 University of Iowa 30, #10 University of Michigan 7
125 – Matt McDonough (I) pinned Sean Boyle (M), 3:56
133 – Tony Ramos (I) dec. Zac Stevens (M), 7-2
141 – Kellen Russell (M) dec. Montell Marion (I), 9-5 SV
149 – Eric Grajales (M) maj. dec. Mark Ballweg (I), 13-3
157 – Derek St. John (I) dec. Brandon Zeerip (M), 10-3
165 – Aaron Janssen (I) dec. Dan Yates (M), 11-4
174 – Ethen Lofthouse (I) dec. Justin Zeerip (M), 6-4
184 – Grant Gambrall (I) dec. Hunter Collins (M), 9-6
197 – Luke Lofthouse (I) dec. Anthony Biondo (M), 7-3
Hwt. – Blake Rasing (I) pinned Ben Apland (M), 6:11
MSU — THE LAST MEETING (DEC. 4, 2010 — IOWA CITY)
The Hawkeyes opened the 2010-11 Big Ten dual season with a 29-10 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes used wins at seven weights to improve to 6-0 overall, while handing the Spartans (4-1) their first loss of the season.
#6 Iowa 29, Michigan State 10
125 – Matt McDonough (I) pinned Eric Olanowski (MSU), 3:48
133 – Tony Ramos (I) tech. fall Josh Harper (MSU) 16-1, 5:13
141 – Mark Ballweg (I) pinned Joel Trombly (MSU), 2:05
149 – Dan Osterman (MSU) maj. dec. Jeret Chiri (I), 12-2
157 – Derek St. John (I) dec. David Cheza (MSU), 9-7
165 – Jake Kerr (I) dec. Ben Boudro (MSU), 4-2
174 – Curran Jacobs (MSU) dec. Ethen Lofthouse (I), 6-5
184 – Grant Gambrall (I) dec. Ian Hinton (MSU), 3-1
197 – Luke Lofthouse (I) dec. Tyler Dickenson (MSU), 12-5
Hwt. – Mike McClure (MSU) dec. Blake Rasing (I), 4-2