Hawkeyes Handle Stanford in Home Opener

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The second-ranked University of Iowa men’s wrestling team won seven of 10 matches – including six via bonus points – in a 32-9 win over No. 20 Stanford on Saturday afternoon in its home opener at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Hawkeyes tallied up three technical falls, two major decisions, a forfeit and a decision, while having a 25-10 advantage in takedowns.

“We have to get better,” said head coach Tom Brands. “We had some good things that happened, maybe asleep at the wheel at other times. We dug ourselves out of a big hole at 165, that shows the firepower that Caliendo has. We were asleep at the wheel in a couple other places, and we need to wake up.

No. 31 ranked Kale Petersen accepted a forfeit at 125 pounds to get the dual started for the Hawkeyes.

Stanford got on the board with #23 Tyler Knox upsetting #7 Drake Ayala, 15-10. Aden Valencia knotted things up for the Cardinal defeating #31 Ryder Block, 11-6.

Fourth ranked Kyle Parco got the Hawkeyes back on top with a technical fall at 141 pounds. A second period ride out and 12 near fall points set him up for the bonus point victory early in the third period.

“You see everything from the YouTube clips and the Instagram reels but there is nothing like it when you get out there,” said Parco. “The fans here are so passionate and so proud. I am thankful that I got the opportunity today… There is no other place that loves wrestling like Iowa.”

At 157, No. 1 Jacori Teemer added on another bonus point victory for the Hawkeyes in his Iowa debut. He notched four takedowns to defeat Gregor Cholakyan, 13-3, to send the Hawkeyes to the break leading 15-6.

At 165, No. 2 Michael Caliendo picked up a come from behind win over No. 7 Hunter Garvin, 17-12. Caliendo trailed 9-2 at the end of the first period before storming back to take the win with two takedowns in the second and two in the third.

“My confidence didn’t waiver at all that match,” said Caliendo. “If you take me down three times, I am going to take you four, five, six. I know no one can hold me down. All I am thinking about is the next scoring opportunity, that is really all there is to it.”

Stanford got their last win of the night at 174 pounds as 17th ranked Lorenzo Norman defeated No. 6 Nelson Brands in a tight bout that ended, 4-1.

The Hawkeyes rattled off three bonus point wins to close out the dual. At 184, No. 7 Gabe Arnold defeated Tye Montiero via major decision. At 197, No. 2 Stephen Buchanan had a tech. fall over No. 17 Nick Stemmet, 17-1, and at heavyweight No. 11 Ben Kueter defeated Jackson Mankowski with a 19-4 tech. fall.

#2 Iowa 32, #20 Stanford 9
125 – #31 Kale Petersen (I) won via forfeit.
133 – #23 Tyler Knox (S) dec. #7 Drake Ayala (I), 15-10
141 – Aden Valencia (S) dec. #31 Ryder Block (I), 11-6
149 – #4 Kyle Parco (I) tech fall. #12 Jaden Abas (S), 15-0
157 – #1 Jacori Teemer (I) major dec. Gregor Cholakyan (S), 13-3
165 – #2 Michael Caliendo (I) dec. #7 Hunter Garvin (S), 17-12
174 – #17 Lorenzo Norman (S) dec. #6 Nelson Brands (I), 4-1
184 – #7 Gabe Arnold (I) major dec. Tye Montiero (S), 14-3
197 – #2 Stephen Buchanan (I) tech. fall #17 Nick Stemmet, 17-1
285 – #11 Ben Kueter (I) tech. fall Jackson Mankowski (S), 19-4
Attendance:13,158
Officials: Conrad Duffy, Josh Hatfield