Match Notes: #3 Iowa vs. #11 Michigan

Feb. 5, 2014

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ON THE MAT
The third-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team hosts No. 11 Michigan on Sunday at 2 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Mat inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for youth, and free for UI students and children five years old and younger.

THE SERIES — MICHIGAN
Iowa leads the all-time series 29-25-1. The Hawkeyes have won six straight and own a 12-9-1 series advantage in Iowa City. Michigan won six-of-seven in the series from 2001-06, including a 21-11 win in Iowa City on Feb. 13, 2005, which was the Wolverines last win in Iowa City. Iowa head coach Tom Brands is 6-0 against the Wolverines since being named Iowa’s head coach in 2006.

IOWA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Hawkeyes are 6-2 against ranked dual opponents. Including No. 11 Michigan, all three of Iowa’s remaining opponents are rated in the top 25 of the NWCA Coaches Poll. Individually, Iowa’s probable lineup is 39-32 against ranked opponents. Bobby Telford leads all Hawkeyes with seven wins over top 20 opponents.

Iowa lineup vs. ranked opponents
125 — Cory Clark (1-0)
125 — Thomas Gilman (5-2)
133 — Tony Ramos (3-2)
141 — Josh Dziewa (3-3)
149 — Brody Grothus (3-5)
149 — Michael Kelly (0-1)
157 — Derek St. John (4-2)
165 — Nick Moore (4-2)
174 — Mike Evans (2-3)
184 — Ethen Lofthouse (2-2)
184 — Sammy Brooks (2-5)
197 — Nathan Burak (3-3)
285 — Bobby Telford (7-2)

CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA FINALE
The Hawkeyes will recognize six seniors following Sunday’s dual. They include Joe DuCharme, Tomas Lira, Ethen Lofthouse, Tony Ramos, Derek St. John, and Nick Trizzino. Collectively, the six wrestlers are a combined 90-10 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

THE 250-POUND OPTION
Iowa has two 125-pounders who have appeared in the national rankings this year. Redshirt freshman Cory Clark debuted at No. 4 in the preseason rankings and owns a 13-0 record. Clark has scored 29 points in six dual starts, and ties for third on the team with eight falls. Thomas Gilman is 15-3 overall with seven wins by bonus point. He has five wins against ranked opponents, and is currently ranked No. 5 in the country.

RAMOS LOOKS FOR CLEAN SWEEP OF CHA
Senior Tony Ramos is 33-0 all-time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena with one match left of the schedule. With a win Sunday, he could become the first Hawkeye since Brent Metcalf (25-0) to finish his college career with an undefeated home record.
? Ramos won his 108th career match on Jan. 31 and is now tied for 30th in all-time wins.
? Ramos needs three victories to tie assistant coach Ryan Morningstar for 25th on the school’s all-time wins list.
? Ramos is 65-2 in 67 career dual starts. He is 13-1 in duals this season.
? He leads Iowa with 10 pins this season after leading Iowa with 14 falls in 2012-13. He has 34 career falls. His 64 dual points also lead the team.

DZIEWA STILL PERFECT IN B1G
Junior Josh Dziewa is 6-0 in Big Ten duals this season. Prior to 2013-14, Dziewa had never competed in a Big Ten dual. He is 13-3 all-time in duals.
? Dziewa’s next win will be the 50th of his career. He has a career mark of 49-11 (.817).
? He has started all 14 of Iowa’s duals at 141 pounds, and his 45 dual points scored rank fourth on the team.
? He earned his third win of the season over a top five opponent when he defeated No. 5 Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) on Jan. 25. Dziewa twice beat fifth-ranked Rick Durso (Franklin and Marshall) at the Midlands Championships.
? Dziewa has wins in Iowa’s highest scoring and lowest scoring matches. He defeated Ethan Raley (Indiana), 20-10, and Chris Dardanes (Minnesota), 1-0.

A SEASONED GROTHUS
Sophomore Brody Grothus has started Iowa’s last seven duals at 149 pounds. He was inserted into the lineup following a fourth place finish at the 2013 Midlands Championships.
? Grothus has three wins over ranked opponents. He has wins over No. 8 David Habat (Edinboro), No. 3 Josh Kindig (Oklahoma State), and No. 2 Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern).
? Grothus is 19-8 overall and ranked No. 12. His 19 wins are a career best.
? He has three major decisions and a career-high four pins.

ST. JOHN LOOKS TO LEAVE ON TOP
Senior Derek St. John enters his final home match with a 30-1 all-time record at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. He has 97 career wins, three shy of becoming the 40th Hawkeye in program history to record 100 career wins.
? He has a 21-2 overall record this year, and his .913 win percentage is the best among varsity wrestlers.
? He has five pins this season, a single-season career high.
? He is a three-time All-American and has a chance to become the 18th four-time All-American in school history.

MOORE OF THE SAME
Junior Nick Moore improved to 4-2 against ranked opponents with a 7-3 win over No. 7 Pierce Harger on Jan. 31. He will face another top 10 opponent Sunday when No. 6 Dan Yates visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It is the first meeting between the wrestlers.
? Moore is 16-2 overall, 12-1 in duals, and 4-2 this year against ranked opponents.
? He is 6-0 in the Big Ten, and his 49 dual points are the second most on the team (Ramos, 64).
? He was named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week on Jan. 10 following a 3-1 win over No. 3 Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma State).

A LITTLE EXTRA EVANS
Junior Mike Evans has scored bonus points in 17-of-20 wins this year. He has recorded seven falls and four major decisions, and leads the team with five technical falls.
? Evans is 2-3 against ranked opponents. He defeated Logan Storley (Minnesota) 2-1 in overtime, and has a 10-1 major decision against No. 8 Tanner Weatherman (Iowa State).
? His three losses this year have been to the No. 2, 3, and 4 rated wrestlers in the country (Perry, Brown, Kokesh).
? Evans racked up three pins and two majors en route to his first Midlands title Dec. 30.
? He is 20-3 this season and has a career record of 69-18.
? Evans is 22-2 all-time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

LOFTHOUSE RETURNS TO LINEUP
Senior Ethen Lofthouse returned to the lineup Jan. 31 with an 11-5 win at Northwestern. Lofthouse improved to 17-2 overall, 9-1 in duals, and 3-0 in the Big Ten.
? Lofthouse has five pins this season, a single-season career best.
? Lofthouse has a career record of 23-6 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? He is 2-2 this year against ranked opponents.

BURAK WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
Sophomore Nathan Burak is 5-2 in matches decided by two points or fewer. The No. 16 ranked sophomore is 2-0 in overtime.
? Burak is 10-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten.
? He is 3-3 against ranked opponents.
? He has started all seven of Iowa’s duals at 197 since returning the lineup after the Midlands Championships (5-2).

TELFORD AMONG THE BIG DOGS
Junior Bobby Telford fell to No. 3 in the InterMat rankings following a loss to then-No. 3 Mike McMullan of Northwestern. McMullan and Telford swapped spots in the rankings. McMullan is now No. 1, followed by Adam Coon (Michigan) and Telford.
? Telford is 17-2 this season. His only losses have been to current No. 1 Mike McMullan (Northwestern) and current No. 2 Adam Coon (Michigan).
? Sunday marks the second career meeting between Telford and Coon. Coon won 3-2 in the 2013 Midlands finals.
? Telford has seven wins over ranked opponents, including: No. 12 Jimmy Lawson (Penn State), No. 13 Adam Fager (Utah Valley), No. 6 J.T. Felix (Boise State), No. 9 Mike McClure (Michigan State), No. 15 Austin Mardsen (Indiana), No. 7 Adam Chalfant (Indiana), and No. 2 Tony Nelson (Minnesota).
? Telford is 20-3 all-time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? He has five pins this season, matching his total from a year ago and raising his career total to 19.

BROOKS MORE THAN A FILL-IN
Freshman Sammy Brooks has made eight dual starts this season, four at 184 and four at 197. He is 5-3 in those duals with wins over No. 16 Nolan Boyd (Oklahoma State) and No. 11 T.J. Dudley (Nebraska).
? Brooks is 16-7 overall, and 14-5 competing at 184 pounds.
? Two of Brooks’ losses were to the No. 3 ranked 197-pounder in the country (Gadson, Sheptock).
? Brooks has a team-best three overtime wins (3-0).

HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 938-224-31 (.799) in 104 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 23 national titles and 34 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 52 NCAA Champions have won a total of 80 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 148 All-Americans have earned All-America status 301 times, including 17 four-time, 32 three-time and 38 two-time honorees.

ALL-AMERICAN STREAK
The Hawkeyes have crowned at least one All-American every year since 1972, a span of 42 seasons. Iowa has totaled 255 All-America honors during that stretch. The Hawkeyes return five All-Americans to this year’s squad. Tony Ramos (2nd-133), Derek St. John (1st-157), Mike Evans (6th-174) and Ethen Lofthouse (5th-184) join 2012 All-American Bobby Telford (5th-285) in the 2013-14 lineup.

40 YEARS OF DOMINANCE
Since 1974, only seven schools have captured the NCAA Championship. During that 40-year span, the Hawkeyes have won 23 team titles, including nine straight from 1978-86. The other schools include Oklahoma State (7), Minnesota (3), Penn State (3), Iowa State (2), Arizona State (1) and Oklahoma (1).

THE ATTENDANCE GAME
Through seven home dates the Hawkeyes have drawn nearly 60,000 fans to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Including the Iowa City Duals, 59,198 wrestling fans have visited Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 2013-14. Iowa set a single-season home attendance record last year with 66,904. The Hawkeyes are on pace to average over 8,000 fans for the sixth straight year. Through six home dates (the Iowa City Duals are excluded from official attendance averages), Iowa has averaged 8,914 fans. The all-time NCAA attendance average was set by Iowa in 2011-12 (9,014).