Match Notes: #3 Iowa at #21 Lehigh

Feb. 12, 2014

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ON THE MAT
The third-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team travels to Bethlehem, Pa., to face No. 21 Lehigh on Friday night. The Hawkeyes and Mountain Hawks meet at 6 p.m. (CT) inside Leeman-Turner Arena.

THE SERIES — LEHIGH
Iowa leads the all-time series 24-0. Iowa won the first meeting, 33-3, in Iowa City in 1972. Iowa is 10-0 in Bethlehem, and is making its first trip to Lehigh since 1991, a 42-4 Hawkeye victory. The teams met last season for the first time since 2003. Iowa won the dual, 26-9, in Iowa City. The largest margin of victory in the series was a 47-0 Iowa in on Jan. 11, 1986 in Iowa City. The slimmest margin during that same year, when Iowa squeaked out an 18-17 victory at Lehigh on Dec. 4, 1986.

IOWA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Hawkeyes are 7-2 against ranked dual opponents. Both of Iowa’s remaining dual opponents — No. 21 Lehigh and No. 15 Wisconsin — are ranked in the top 25 of the NWCA Coaches Poll. Individually, Iowa’s probable lineup is 45-34 against ranked opponents. Bobby Telford leads all Hawkeyes with seven wins over top 20 opponents.

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

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 14-0 record. Clark has scored 32 points in seven dual starts, and ties for third on the team with eight falls.
? Clark returned to the rankings this week. He is rated No. 9 nationally by WIN Magazine.
? Clark placed fourth at the 2012 and 2013 Midlands Championships.
? His only loss this year is not recognized by the NCAA (Jarrod Garnett, Bison Wrestling Club).

Thomas Gilman is 15-3 overall with seven wins by bonus point. He has five wins against ranked opponents, and has been ranked as high as No. 3 nationally.
? Gilman is ranked No. 5 this week by InterMat.
? He owns a 5-2 mark against ranked opponents.
? He has scored 23 points in eight dual starts.
? He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Dec. 31 after winning the Midlands Championships.

ANOTHER TOP 10 FOE FOR RAMOS
Senior Tony Ramos is 4-2 against ranked opponents, and 2-2 against opponents ranked in the top 10. Lehigh’s Mason Beckman is the fifth top 10 opponent Ramos will have faced this season. It is the first career meeting between the two wrestlers.
? Ramos was 10-0 at home this season and finished his career with a 34-0 all-time record at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Ramos won his 109th career match on Feb. 9 and is now tied for 26th in all-time wins.
? Ramos needs one victory to tie assistant coach Ryan Morningstar for 25th on the school’s all-time wins list.
? Ramos is 66-2 in 68 career dual starts. He is 14-1 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 67 dual points also lead the team.
? He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 14. It was his fourth career Wrestler of the Week honor.

DZIEWA IS THE 141
Junior Josh Dziewa has started all 15 duals at 141 pounds, and his 45 dual points scored rank fifth on the team. He is ranked as high as ninth by InterMat.
? He is 6-1 in Big Ten duals this season, and 11-4 in overall duals. His 11 dual wins rank fourth on the team.
? Dziewa’s next win will be the 50th of his career. He has a career mark of 49-12 (.817).
? 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 can win high or low. He defeated Ethan Raley (Indiana), 20-10, and Chris Dardanes (Minnesota), 1-0.

A SEASONED GROTHUS
Sophomore Brody Grothus has started Iowa’s last eight duals at 149 pounds. He was inserted into the lineup following a fourth place finish at the 2013 Midlands Championships.
? Grothus has never faced an opponent from Lehigh.
? Grothus has four wins over top 10 opponents, including: No. 8 David Habat (Edinboro), No. 3 Josh Kindig (Oklahoma State), No. 2 Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern), and No. 7 Eric Grajales (Michigan).
? Grothus is 20-8 overall and ranked No. 7 by InterMat. His 20 wins are a career best.
? He has three major decisions and a career-high four pins.

ST. JOHN CLOSES IN ON 100
Senior Derek St. John is two wins away from becoming the 40th wrestler in program history to reach 100 career wins.
? He won the only previous career meeting against Lehigh’s No. 12 Joey Napoli (6-0, 2012-13 dual).
? He has a 22-2 overall record this year, and his .917 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 5-2 against ranked opponents with an 8-2 win over No. 6 Dan Yates (Michigan) on Feb. 9. ? Moore is 17-2 overall, 13-1 in duals, and 5-2 this year against ranked opponents.
? He is 7-0 in the Big Ten, and his 52 dual points are the second most on the team (Ramos, 67).
? 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 18-of-21 wins this year. He has recorded seven falls and four major decisions, and leads the team with six 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 21-3 this season and has a career record of 70-18.

LOFTHOUSE UNBEATEN IN BIG TEN
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. 14 ranked sophomore is 2-0 in overtime.
? Burak is 11-3 overall and 5-2 in the Big Ten.
? He is 3-3 against ranked opponents.
? He has started all eight of Iowa’s duals at 197 since returning the lineup after the Midlands Championships (5-2).

TELFORD AMONG THE BIG DOGS
Junior Bobby Telford is ranked No. 3 in the InterMat rankings. His only losses this season have been to then-No. 3 Mike McMullan of Northwestern, who is now ranked No. 1, and No. 3 Adam Coon of Michigan, who is now ranked No. 2. Two of his three losses have been in overtime.
? Telford is 17-3 this season, 8-2 in duals, and 7-3 against ranked opponents.
? 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).
? 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 nine dual starts this season, five at 184 and four at 197. He is 6-3 in those duals with three wins over ranked opponents, including: No. 16 Nolan Boyd (Oklahoma State), No. 11 T.J. Dudley (Nebraska), No. 16 Domenic Abounader (Michigan).
? Brooks is 17-7 overall, and 15-5 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.

HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 939-224-31 (.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
A school record 67,556 fans attended University of Iowa wrestling meets inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 2013-14. It marked the second consecutive year Iowa set a single-season record for total home attendance. A then-record 66,904 fans attended Iowa home meets in 2012-13. Iowa averaged 8,835 fans in seven home dates (the Iowa City Duals are not included in national attendance records) — the second highest average in NCAA history entering this season. The all-time NCAA attendance average was set by Iowa in 2011-12 (9,014). This year marks the sixth consecutive season the Hawkeyes averaged at least 8,000 fans. Entering this year, Iowa has led the nation in attendance in each of the last seven seasons.