RIVERSIDE, California – The second-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team won all 10 matches – eight via bonus points – in a 40-0 shutout of California Baptist on Saturday evening in its season opener at the Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center.
The Hawkeyes had two technical falls and six major decisions, while having a 31-1 advantage in takedowns as they notched their first victory of the 2023-24 season in blowout fashion.
“Guys that had opportunities came out ready to wrestle,” said associate head coach Terry Brands. “Looking to score points and for the most part they are wrestling through and protecting themselves with great wrestling position. Building leads. I learned that we have a room full of competitors. I learned that what I thought I knew, I knew. It’s every week though, now it’s in the past we gotta move forward.”
Iowa stormed out to a 13-0 lead in the first three matches. Sophomore Drake Ayala picked up a ranked win over Elijah Griffin via a major decision. Senior Brody Teske used a big third period to put away Hunter Leake with a major decision before Real Woods used just 2:04 to record a technical fall against Darren Green.
The next three weights saw three new faces make their Hawkeye debuts. Sophomore Victor Voinovich recorded a, 2-0, decision over Dayne Morton before grad student Jared Franek closed out the first half of the dual with an, 8-1, decision over Drayden Morton. Sophomore Michael Caliendo recorded the Hawkeyes second technical fall of the night and their first of five straight bonus point victories out of the break over Mateo De La Pena.
“I felt great, you know, not really more to it. I mean, I train every day, so no business as usual,” said Caliendo. “Business as usual you know, there’s not really any nerves. All the training is done once you get here. Just go out on the mat and do what I know how to do best, wrestle.”
Redshirt Freshman Aiden Riggins gave Iowa a bonus point victory after getting a pair of takedowns in the third period to defeat Peter Acciardi, 15-4. Grad student Brennan Swafford earned a major decision after a roll through in the second period led to a reversal and a four point near fall to break a scoreless tie and set Swafford up for what ultimately became a, 15-4, major decision over Nathan Haas.
“That’s just years of scrambling and stuff in the wrestling room, just getting after it,” said Swafford. “You get in those crazy situations all the time, especially when you go with guys like Cobe Siebrecht or back in the day when Kemerer was still around, me and him would get in crazy scrambles. And it really helped me grow in that aspect. So, I’m comfortable there. I like rolling around.”
Iowa closed out the dual with an 11-2 Zach Glazier major decision at 197 pounds over Eli Sheeran and a 16-4 major decision win from Bradley Hill at 285.
OF NOTE…
- Victor Voinovich III, Jared Franek and Michael Caliendo each tallied their first victories as Hawkeyes.
- Drake Ayala picked up his eighth career victory over a ranked opponent.
- The technical fall was the 12th of Wood’s career and fifth at Iowa.
- Redshirt freshmen Aiden Riggins and Bradley Hill both recorded their first career major decisions.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action on November 19, against Oregon State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The dual is scheduled for noon and will be streamed on B1G+.
#2 Iowa 40, California Baptist 0
125 – #7 Drake Ayala (I) major dec. #29 Elijah Griffin (C), 18-8
133 – Brody Teske (I) major dec. Hunter Leake (C), 12-1
141 – #1 Real Woods (I) tech. fall Darren Green (C), 15-0
149 – #12 Victor Voinovich III (I) dec. Dayne Morton (C), 2-0
157 – #3 Jared Franek (I) dec. Drayden Morton (C), 8-1
165 – #5 Michael Caliendo (I) tech. fall Mateo De La Pena (C), 23-7
174 – Aiden Riggins (I) major dec. Peter Acciardi (C), 15-4
184 – Brennan Swafford (I) major dec. Nathan Haas, 15-4 (C)
197 – Zach Glazier (I) major dec. Eli Sheeren (C), 11-2
285 – Bradley Hill (I) major dec. Max Acciardi (C), 16-4
Attendance: 4,676
Official: Titus Godbolt