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ON THE MAT
The second-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team hosts No. 20 Indiana on Friday at 7 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Mat at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for youth, and free for UI students and children five years old and younger. Everyone must have a ticket to enter Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
SENIOR RECOGNITION
The Hawkeyes will recognize six graduating seniors following Friday’s dual. They include Nathan Burak, Edwin Cooper, Jr., Brody Grothus, Jake Kadel, Kris Klapprodt, and Patrick Rhoads.
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BIG TEN CLINCH
A win Friday guarantees Iowa at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title. The Hawkeyes are 8-0 in the conference, one-half game ahead of Penn State. The Nittany Lions close the conference schedule hosting Ohio State on Friday, and Michigan State on Saturday, Feb. 13. The Hawkeyes have won or shared seven of the last eight Big Ten dual championships, and have won or shared the regular season title eight times since the conference started recognizing a dual meet champion in 1999. Iowa won the title outright in 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015, and shared the title in 2003 and 2014.
THE SERIES — INDIANA
Iowa leads the all-time series 36-4-3. The Hawkeyes are 19-3-1 all-time in Iowa City, and have won the last 21 meetings in the series. Indiana’s last win in the series was in 1968, a 19-13 win at Indiana. Their last win in Iowa City was in 1967 by a score of 23-15.
GOLDMAN RETURNS TO CARVER
Indiana head coach Duane Goldman was a four-time All-American at Iowa from 1983-86. Goldman was a runner-up at the NCAA tournament in his first three years before breaking through with a national title in 1986. He is a four-time Big Ten champion, went 36-0 as a senior, and his 132 career wins rank sixth in school history. Goldman is one of six Big Ten coaches to graduate from Iowa. The others include Tom Brands, Barry Davis (Wisconsin), Tony Ersland (Purdue), Jim Heffernan (Illinois) and Tom Ryan (Ohio State).
IOWA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Iowa is 7-0 against ranked opponents, with four wins at home and three on the road. Individually, Iowa’s probable lineup is 37-25 against ranked opponents. Two Hawkeyes — Thomas Gilman (5-0), Brandon Sorensen (6-0) — are undefeated against ranked opponents.
STREAKING THROUGH THE BIG TEN
The Hawkeyes are 8-0 in the Big Ten, and 65-15 in individual conference matches. The Hawkeyes have won 20 consecutive Big Ten duals, the longest conference winning streak since winning 39 straight from 2007-2012. Iowa has not lost a Big Ten dual since falling at home to Minnesota, 19-15, on Jan. 25, 2014. Iowa’s 20-dual win streak is the fourth longest in program history. The Hawkeyes won 21 in a row from 1989-92, 39 in a row from 2007-2012, and 98 in a row from 1974-1989.
4 GO FOR 9-0
Thomas Gilman, Brandon Sorensen, Alex Meyer and Sam Stoll are 8-0 in conference duals. Since 2007, Tom Brands‘ first season as Iowa head coach, a wrestler has navigated a perfect Big Ten regular season 13 times. Gilman did it last year to become the first Hawkeye to go 9-0 in conference duals (last season was the first year the Big Ten schedule included nine regular season duals). In 2010, Matt McDonough, Brent Metcalf, and Jay Borschel were 8-0 in the Big Ten. It is the last time, and the only time since 2007 that at least three wrestlers completed undefeated conference seasons. Sorensen was 8-0 in the Big Ten last year, but did not wrestle against Michigan State.
HOME COOKING
Junior Alex Meyer (13-0) and redshirt freshman Sam Stoll (8-0) are undefeated in their careers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Meyer faces Indiana’s Nate Jackson on Friday. Jackson is ranked No. 11 at 174 pounds with a 7-6 win over top-ranked Bo Nickal of Penn State. Meyer is 4-2 against ranked opponents this season, and 1-0 in his career against Jackson. He defeated Jackson 3-2 at the 2014 Midlands Championships.
ALL-AMERICAN DOMINANCE
Iowa’s four returning All-Americans — Thomas Gilman (125), Cory Clark (133), Brandon Sorensen (149), and Nathan Burak (197) — are a combined 71-2 with 46 wins by bonus points. Gilman, Sorensen, and Burak each won their respective brackets at the 2015 Midlands. Clark was 3-0 before withdrawing prior to the semifinals. The group is 20-2 against top 20 wrestlers, with two technical falls and three major decisions.
LAST OF THE UNBEATENS
Thomas Gilman (18-0) and Brandon Sorensen (20-0) enter February with unbeaten records. It is the first time since 2012-13 that two Iowa wrestlers are undefeated this late in the season. Derek St. John was 22-0 at 157 before losing to No. 19 Kyle Brady (Missouri) at the NWCA National Duals, 4-3. He went on to win the NCAA title with a 31-2 record. Tony Ramos was 26-0 at 133 before falling in the Big Ten finals. He finished runner-up to Logan Stieber at both Big Tens and nationals. 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.
A LITTLE EXTRA ON TOP
Junior Thomas Gilman has delivered bonus points in 15 of 18 matches this season. He has opened 12 of Iowa’s 14 duals, picking up six pins, four technical falls, and one major decision in those 12 outings. His 72 dual points scored lead the team. His seven falls are a career best and tie Sam Stoll for the team lead.
FALLS BIG AND SMALL
Junior 125-pounder Thomas Gilman and redshirt freshman 285-pounder Sam Stoll tie for the team with seven falls each. Six of Gilman’s seven falls have occurred in the first period, with his quickest coming in 56 seconds. The seven falls are a new career high; he had five pins in 2014-15. Three of Stoll’s sevens falls have been against Big Ten opponents. Stoll finished his high school career with a national record 63 consecutive pins. He pinned every opponent he faced his senior season. As a true freshman in 2014-15, Stoll was 18-5 with 11 pins competing unattached.
BATTLE TESTED AT 149
Sophomore Brandon Sorensen is 7-0 against ranked opponents, and 5-0 against top 10 foes, including two wins against No. 4 Jason Tsirtsis, and two wins against No. 5 Jake Sueflohn. Sorensen is 20-0 overall with five major decisions, three technical falls, and two pins at arguable the toughest weight class in the Big Ten. According to Intermat rankings, five of the top seven wrestlers in the country are in the Big Ten. Sorensen is ranked No. 2 by Intermat, one spot behind Penn State’s Zain Retherford, and ahead of Tsirtsis (4), Sueflohn (5), and Michigan’s Alex Pantaleo (7). Sorensen is 11-2 all-time against the Big Ten’s top-rated wrestlers. He has never faced Retherford.
BURAK SENIOR STREAK ENDS AT 17
Senior Nathan Burak opened the season with a career-high 17 straight wins. He lost the last time out to Minnesota’s fourth-ranked Brett Pfarr, 6-5. Burak is 17-1 with 10 wins by bonus points, including five major decisions, three technical falls, and two falls. The three technical falls are a single-season career high, and the two falls match his single-season career high.
CLARK WARMS UP
Junior Cory Clark has posted two shutouts and a fall his last three times out. He defeated Luke Welch (Purdue) 12-0 on Jan. 22, and No. 14 Eric Montoya (Nebraska) 2-0 on Jan. 24. He pinned Minnesota’s Sam Brancale in 4:59 on Jan. 29. Clark is 16-1 overall, including a 5-1 mark against ranked opponents. Clark defeated No. 7 Earl Hall of Iowa State, 9-2, on Nov. 29, earned a decision against No. 15 Brance Simms of SDSU on Dec. 4, scored a major decision over Rutgers’ No. 17 Anthony Giraldo on Dec. 10, won by 7-3 decision against Wisconsin’s No. 7 Ryan Taylor, and shutout No. 14 Montoya, 2-0. His only loss this season was to Illinois’ No. 7 Zane Richards, 5-3, on Jan. 8. Clark is 27-10 all-time and has won nine of his last 11 matches against ranked opponents. He has a career record of 24-1 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
HAWKEYES HIT CAREER LONGS
Junior Thomas Gilman and sophomore Brandon Sorensen are all riding career-best winning streaks. Sorensen has won 20 straight to open the season. He is 16-0 all-time in Big Ten duals. Gilman has won 18 in a row to open the season. He has won his last 17 Big Ten duals. He has a 21-1 career Big Ten record, and an 19-1 career record at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
DUAL DOMINANT
Junior Thomas Gilman has scored 72 of a possible 84 points in 14 duals. He has two major decisions, five technical falls, and six pins.
54-0 IS A PROGRAM RECORD
Iowa recorded the largest margin of victory against a Big Ten opponent in school history on Jan. 10 at Northwestern. The Hawkeyes scored bonus points in nine matches — including five pins and a technical fall — to win 54-0, topping the previous mark of 53-0 against Illinois in 1992. The 54 points scored are the most against a Big Ten team in program history, and the 54-0 win is the largest win in series history (50-0, 1979).
DOMINANT SINCE NO. 1
Gary Kurdelmeier led Iowa to its first NCAA Championship in 1975, and in the 41 years since, the Hawkeyes have accumulated 23 team titles, more than any other school — Oklahoma State (7), Penn State (4), Minnesota (3), Iowa State (2), Ohio State (1) and Arizona State (1).
ALL-AMERICAN STREAK
Iowa returns four All-Americans this year — Thomas Gilman (125), Cory Clark (133), Brandon Sorensen (149), and Nathan Burak (197). The Hawkeyes had a tournament-high six All-Americans in 2015. Mike Evans (6th/174) and Bobby Telford (5th/285) won All-America honors for the third time, Nathan Burak (7th/197) and Cory Clark (2nd/133) became two-time All-Americans, and Thomas Gilman (4th/125) and Brandon Sorensen (4th/149) are first-time All-Americans. The Hawkeyes crowned at least one All-American for the 44th consecutive season, a stretch dating back to 1972. Iowa has totaled 267 All-America honors during that stretch.
HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 972-225-31 (.799) in 104 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 23 national titles and 35 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 53 NCAA Champions have won a total of 81 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 16 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 109 Big Ten champions have combined for 195 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time, and 29 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 152 All-Americans have earned All-America status 313 times, including 18 four-time, 34 three-time and 40 two-time honorees.
HAWKEYES AT HOME
The Hawkeyes are 232-22 all-time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena since moving from the UI Field House in 1983. The Hawkeyes have recorded 20 undefeated season in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the most recent in 2012-13 (9-0). Carver-Hawkeye Arena has hosted three Big Ten Championships (1983, 1994, 2005) and four NCAA Championships (1986, 1991, 1995, 2001). The Hawkeyes have won five tournament titles on their home mat, including the 1983 and 1994 Big Ten Championships, and the 1986, 1991 and 1995 NCAA Championships. Carver-Hawkeye Arena is hosting the Big Ten Championships for the fourth time March 5-6.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to the 2016 Big Ten Championships hosted by the University of Iowa are now on sale. All-Session tickets are $50 for adults, $40 for youth. Iowa will host the National Duals against an opponent not yet determined on Feb. 22. Visit hawkeyesports.com or call the UI Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS for ticket information.
