After years of planning, fundraising, and development, the University of Iowa wrestling programs have a new training center that complements their world-class competition home at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Coaches, athletes, administrators, fans, and donors will celebrate the dedication of the Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center on May 30. The 38,000-square-foot facility is the new training home of the Iowa men’s and women’s wrestling programs. The wrestling room on the south end of the building is connected by underground tunnel to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, recognized as one of the best wrestling venues in the world.
“Iowa City is the mecca of wrestling and Carver-Hawkeye Arena is a destination for wrestlers and wrestling fans from around the world. This new facility is at that level. It is state of the art, and with the people we have in this room, it will only get better with time,” says Iowa men’s wrestling head coach Tom Brands.
The two-level building features a Hall of Champions that pays homage to the history of Iowa wrestling. The main entrance welcomes visitors with trophy displays celebrating Iowa’s All-Americans and national champions. The lower level includes locker rooms for the men’s and women’s teams, while the upper level houses student-athlete lounges and coaches’ offices that overlook the wrestling room.
The facility’s largest space, the Bob and Kathy Nicolls Wrestling Room, features 30-foot-high ceilings with nearly twice as much practice space as the former wrestling room. An adjacent strength and conditioning room on the lower level flows seamlessly into the wrestling room.
The underground tunnel that connects the two facilities serves as a gateway from the training center to the arena, where both programs will continue to compete in front of sold-out audiences.
“The new facility is beautifully designed, and we are grateful for the support we continue to receive from our donors and fans, and the entire wrestling community,” says Iowa women’s head coach Clarissa Chun. “I am also grateful for the hard work of the men’s program and the UI Center for Advancement for their fundraising efforts and commitment to this project.”
Hawkeye wrestling has been an international brand since 1973, when former Iowa head coach Dan Gable started the Hawkeye Wrestling Club to provide the training, coaching, and resources necessary to help postgraduates pursue their dreams of becoming world and Olympic champions.
