Iowa Wrestling Notebook — 2025 NCAA Championships

HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
The Hawkeyes have won 24 national titles and 37 Big Ten titles. 
• Iowa’s 55 NCAA Champions have won a total of 85 NCAA individual titles, crowning seven three-time and 16 two-time champions.
• The Hawkeyes’ 118 Big Ten champions have combined for 210 conference titles. There have been eight four-time, 20 three-time and 31 two-time Big Ten champions from Iowa.
• Iowa’s 166 All-Americans have earned All-America status 367 times, including two five-time, 25 four-time, 38 three-time and 40 two-time honorees.

NCAA TROPHIES
The Hawkeyes have earned a team trophy at the NCAA Championships 14 times in the last 16 championships.  Iowa has won 14 team trophies in head coach Tom Brands’ 17 seasons. (The 2020 season, in which Iowa was favored, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
• Iowa has won 48 team NCAA trophies in program history and have 69 top 10 finishes.  The Hawkeyes have been the NCAA runner-up seven times.

CHASING THE HAWKEYES
Gary Kurdelmeier led Iowa to its first NCAA Championship in 1975, and in the 49 years since, the Hawkeyes have accumulated 24 team titles, more than any other school -- Penn State (11), Oklahoma State (7), Minnesota (3), Iowa State (2), Ohio State (1) and Arizona State (1).

A LOOK BACK AT 2024 NCAAs
The Hawkeyes placed fifth as a team at the 2025 NCAA Championships, finishing with 67 points. Four Hawkeyes finished on the podium.  

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS OUTSTANDING WRESTLERS
Ten different Hawkeyes have been named NCAA Championships Outstanding Wrestler. They include Chuck Yagla (1976), Bruce Kinseth (1979), Jim Zalesky (1984), Barry Davis (1985), Mary Kistler (1986), Tom Brands (1992), Terry Steiner (1993), Lincoln McIlravy (1997), Joe Williams (1998) and Brent Metcalf (2008).

HAWKEYES IN THE FINALS
Drake Ayala advanced to the 125-pound finals of the 2024 NCAA Championships to extend Iowa’s streak of NCAA finals appearances to 34 consecutive tournaments. 
• Iowa has had at least one wrestler in the NCAA finals every year since 1990, and in 48 of the last 49 tournaments dating back to 1975.

ALL-AMERICAN STREAK
The Hawkeyes have crowned at least one All-American in 53 consecutive tournaments, a stretch dating back to 1972.  Iowa has totaled 327 All-America honors during that stretch.  

NINE QUALIFIERS 
The Hawkeyes are sending nine wresters to the NCAA Championships. The Hawkeyes have sent at least nine wrestlers for 13 straight years and 17 times since 2007, Tom Brands first year as head coach.
• Eight of Iowa’s nine qualifiers earned automatic bids to the NCAA tournament at the 2025 Big Ten Championships. Joey Cruz got an at-large bid at 125 pounds. 
• Iowa is one of 10 schools sending 9 wrestlers to the national tournament. 
•  Iowa has sent at least eight athletes to the NCAA Championships in each of head coach Tom Brands’ 18 seasons. 

NCAA EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeyes have six wrestlers with previous NCAA experience.  Those six wrestlers have wrestled in a combined 16 NCAA Championships. 
• Three Iowa wrestlers -- Joey Cruz, Gabe Arnold and Ben Kueter -- are making their national tournament debuts.  

1st: Joey Cruz (So. 125), Gabe Arnold (R-Fr., 184), Ben Kueter (R-Fr., 285)
2nd: --
3rd: Drake Ayala (Jr., 133), Michael Caliendo (Jr., 165), Patrick Kennedy (Sr., 174)
4th: Stephen Buchanan (Grad., 197), Jacori Teemer (Grad., 157)
5th: Kyle Parco (Sr., 149)

125 | #29 JOEY CRUZ | SOPHOMORE
• Joey Cruz enters the tournament with a 16-12 record with 4 bonus point victories -- all major decisions. 
• Cruz earned a spot in the NCAA Championship via an at-large bid. 
• Cruz is 3-8 against the NCAA field. 
• Cruz is making his NCAA Championship debut.
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today, Iowa has won five NCAA titles at 125 pounds (Matt McDonough 2010, 2012; Spencer Lee (2018, 2019, 2021).

133 | #2 DRAKE AYALA | JUNIOR
• Drake Ayala will be making his third NCAA Championships appearance.  He earned an automatic berth after finishing second at the Big Ten Championships.  
• Ayala is seeded 2nd at 133 pounds as he brings a 17-2 record to Philadelphia with nine bonus point victories -- three majors and six tech falls.   He is 10-2 against the NCAA field.
• Ayala is 5-3 all-time at the NCAA Championships, competing at 125 pounds in 2022 and 2024.  The Fort Dodge, Iowa, native was runner-up in 2024 at 125 pounds.
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today, Iowa has won four NCAA titles at 133 pounds (Eric Juergens 2000, 2001; Tony Ramos 2014 and Cory Clark 2017).

2022 - #13 Seed (125) - Lost in consolations (1-2)
2024 - #3 Seed (125) - Second Place, All-American (4-1)

149 | #5 KYLE PARCO | SENIOR
• Kyle Parco is making his fifth NCAA appearance and first as a Hawkeye after placing fourth at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth.  
•  The Danville, California, native enters the tournament with a 20-3 record with a 10 bonus point victories -- three majors and seven tech. falls.  He is 26-7 against the NCAA field. 
• Parco is a four-time All-American and is 16-10 at the NCAA Championships. 
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today, Iowa has won three NCAA titles at 149 pounds (T.J. Williams 1999, Brent Metcalf 2008, 2010).

2021 - #17 Seed (149) - Sixth Place, All-American (5-3)
2022 - #5 Seed (149) - Eighth Place, All-American (3-3)
2023 - #3 seed (149) - Fourth Place, All-American (4-2)
2024 - #2 Seed (149) - Fifth Place, All-American (4-2)

157 | #18 JACORI TEEMER | GRAD STUDENT
• Jacori Teemer is making his fourth NCAA appearance and first as a Hawkeye after placing seventh at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth.  The New York native enters the tournament with a 8-4 record with a two bonus point victories.  He is 10-4 against the NCAA field. 
• Teemer is 13-6 all-time at the NCAA Championships. Teemer was runner-up in 2024 at 157 pounds.
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today, Iowa has won three NCAA titles at 157 pounds (T.J. Williams 2001, Derek St. John 2013).

2020 - #9 seed (157) - Second Team All-American
2021 - #11 Seed (157) - Fourth Place, All-American (6-2)
2022 - #3 Seed (157) - Sixth Place, All-American (3-3)
2024 - #2 Seed (157) - Second Place, All-American (4-1)

165 | #3 MICHAEL CALIENDO | JUNIOR
• Michael Caliendo is making his third NCAA appearance and second for Iowa.  He earned an automatic berth after finishing second at Big Tens.  The Illinois native is 20-2 this season.  He has 16 bonus point victories (four majors, one fall, 11  techs).  
• Caliendo is 4-2 all-time at the NCAA championships.
• Caliendo is 24-5 against the NCAA field.
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today, Iowa has won two NCAA titles at 165 pounds (Mark Perry, 2006, 2007).

2023 - #7 seed (165) - Seventh Place, All-American (5-2)
2024 - #6 Seed (165) - Fourth Place, All-American (4-2)

174 | #11 PATRICK KENNEDY | SENIOR
• Patrick Kennedy is making his third NCAA appearance.  He earned an automatic berth after finishing fifth at Big Tens.  The Minnesota native is 13-4 this season.  He has 10 bonus point victories.
• Kennedy is 5-4 at the NCAA Championships. 
• Kennedy is 14-7 against the NCAA field.
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today, Iowa has won one  NCAA title at 174 pounds (Jay Borschel, 2010).

2023 - #6 Seed - Lost in consolations (2-2)
2024 - #12 Seed - Lost in consolations (3-2)

184 | #11 GABE ARNOLD | R-FRESHMAN
Gabe Arnold will be making his first career NCAA appearance.  He finished fifth at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth.
• Arnold is 17-5 this season with nine bonus point victories.  He is 9-4 against the NCAA field.
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today,  no Hawkeye has won the 184-pound NCAA title. 

197 | #2 STEPHEN BUCHANAN | GRAD STUDENT
•  Stephen Buchanan is making his fourth NCAA appearance after finishing as runner-up at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth.  The Wisconsin native is 21-1 this season, with his loss coming to No. 1 seed Jacob Cardenas. He has 16 bonus point victories (five majors, seven technical falls, and four falls).  
• Glazier is 25-4 against the NCAA field 
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today,  no Hawkeye has won the 197-pound NCAA title. 

2020 - #26 Seed (197) - National Qualifier
2021 - #8 Seed (197) - Eighth Place, All-American (3-3)
2022 - #2 seed (197) - Third Place, All-American (5-1)
2024 - #8 Seed (197) - Third Place, All-American (6-1)

285 | #5 BEN KUETER | R-FRESHMAN
• Ben Kueter is making his first NCAA appearance after finishing third at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth.  The Iowa City, Iowa, native is 18-6 this season with 7 bonus point victories (three majors, two techs, and two falls).  
• Kueter is 7-6 against the NCAA field. 
• Since 1999, when the NCAA implemented the weight classes used today,  Iowa has won one NCAA title at 285 pounds (Steve Mocco, 2003).

A PERFECT (BIG) TEN
Stephen Buchanan (8-0) finished the Big Ten duals season with perfect conference record. 
• Since 2007, Tom Brands’ first season as Iowa head coach, a wrestler has navigated a perfect Big Ten regular season 24 times. 
• From 2014-15 to 2020-21 when the conference went to a nine-dual regular season schedule, eight Hawkeyes posted perfect 9-0 records: Spencer Lee, Kaleb Young, and Michael Kemerer in 2019-20, Alex Marinelli did it in 2018-19, Thomas Gilman did it three times (2015, 2016, 2017), and Alex Meyer, Brandon Sorensen, and Sam Stoll were all 9-0 in 2015-16.
• Austin DeSanto and Jayden Eierman had perfect 5-0 records during the Big Ten only season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Hawkeyes had three duals cancelled that season.  
• Since the conference switched back to eight duals in 2020-21 two Hawkeyes have gone a perfect 8-0 (Buchanan this season and Lee in 2022-23)

FRESHMAN TRACKER
Eight Hawkeye freshman have competed as attached competitors during the 2024-25 season.  Under new NCAA guidelines, freshmen can compete in five dates of competition during the student-athlete’s initial year of collegiate enrollment without using a season of competition.
• Here is a list of competitions for Iowa’s freshmen in 2024-25: Miguel Estrada (8), Angelo Ferrari (5), Kael Voinovich (4), Keyan Hernandez (3), Dru Ayala (2), Brady Benham (2), Anthony Lavezzola (1) and Brody Sampson (1)

ALL-AMERICANS
The Hawkeyes have six past All-Americans on the 2024-25 roster in Drake Ayala (125), Kyle Parco (149), Jacori Teemer (165), Michael Caliendo (165), Nelson Brands (174), Stephen Buchanan (197).
• The Hawkeyes have crowned at least one All-American in 53 consecutive tournaments, a stretch dating back to 1972. Iowa has totaled 327 All-America honors during that stretch. 

TV TIME
Seven University of Iowa men’s wrestling duals will be televised on BTN during the 2024-25 season. 
• Iowa’s BTN appearances include home duals against Stanford, Illinois, Ohio State, Nebraska and Oklahoma State and road duals at Penn State and Minnesota. 
• The duration of the Big Ten Championships, which will be held March 8-9 in Evanston, Illinois, will also be televised on BTN.
• Iowa’s duals against Iowa State, Wisconsin, Maryland and Northwestern will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required). The Journeymen Wrestling “Uncivil War” against Princeton and Army will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass (subscription required).

STARTING AT 125
In the 320 matches that Iowa has wrestled under head coach Tom Brands the Hawkeyes have started at 125 pounds 268 times. Iowa is 240-27-1 in those matches. 
• Iowa is 50-1 under Brands when starting at a weight other than 125.
• Since 2003, Iowa is 251-32-1 when starting at 125 and 68-10 at when starting at a different weight. 

SOLD OUT X 4
Iowa wrestling’s season ticket allotment at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is sold out for a fourth straight season.  The Hawkeyes have led the nation in attendance every year since 2006-07.  Iowa set an NCAA record, averaging 14,905 fans in 2021-22.

BROTHERHOOD
Drake and Dru Ayala, Joey and Patrick Kennedy and Victor and Kael Voinovich are the latest sets of brothers to compete for Iowa men’s wrestling. 
 • There have been 48 sets of brothers to come through the Iowa wrestling program, including head coach Tom Brands and associate head coach Terry Brands. 
• Terry and Nelson Brands are the ninth father son duo and Tom and Nelson are the fifth uncle nephew duo to wrestle for Iowa.  

CAMBUS SHUTTLE
Free parking is available in the Hancher Auditorium Parking Lot on dates where no performances are scheduled. When the Hancher Auditorium Lot is available, complimentary Cambus shuttles to Carver-Hawkeye Arena will begin 90 minutes prior to the start of the meet and run until one (1) hour following the conclusion of the meet. 

KUETER EARNS SILVER AT U20 WORLDS
Ben Kueter earned a second-place finish on Sunday evening at the U20 World Championships.
• The Iowa City, Iowa, native is now a two-time U20 World medalist having won gold at 97kg in 2022.
• Kueter faced Iranian Amirreza Fardin Masoumi Valadi – a now five-time age-level World champion – in his finals matchup and lost via a 4-2 decision.
• En route to the finals Kueter outscored his opponents, 24-3. He won his opening match against Alikhan Kussainov of Kazakhstan, 7-0. In his quarterfinal matchup with Individual Neutral Athlete Stsiapan Mandryk he needed only 27 seconds to win via fall.

HAWKEYES AT AGE GROUP NATIONALS
University of Iowa wrestlers Patrick Kennedy and Ben Kueter won age-group National Titles and seven Hawkeyes placed at U23 Nationals and U20 World Team Trials at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
• In the U20 division, Kueter brought home the title at 125 kg, and Gabe Arnold was runner-up at 79 kg for the second straight year.
• Kueter won the 125 kg division winning five straight matches to make the world team. Kueter defeated Jimmy Mullen of the South East Regional Training Center and Virginia Tech in the best-of-three finals. Kueter won 5-4 and 5-3 against Mullen.
• In the U23 division, Kennedy won the 79 kg title, Drake Ayala (61 KG) finished in third, Caleb Rathjen (70 kg finished in fifth and Joey Cruz finished in seventh at 57 kg.
• In the best-of-three finals Kennedy defeated Julian Ramirez of the Spartan Combat RTC via a 10-0 technical superiority in both matches. In seven matches in the tournament Kennedy outscored his opponents, 75-4.

A NEW HOME FOR IOWA WRESTLING
Construction on the $31 million Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center finished in May 2024. 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.
• 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, 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 room. An adjacent strength and conditioning room on the lower level flows seamlessly into the wrestling room.

WRESTLETOWN, USA
Iowa City, Iowa, was dubbed Wrestletown, USA by NBC Sports when hosting the 2016 Olympic Team Trials. 
• The University of Iowa men’s wrestling program led the nation in attendance for the 17th straight year last year.
•  The Hawkeyes drew an average of 14,847 fans per home date during the 2023-24 season with 89,082 fans entering the doors of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa drew capacity crowds of 14,847 in all six of its home duals.
• Iowa has led the nation in attendance in each season of head coach Tom Brands’ tenure (attendance totals weren’t tracked during the 2020-21 season due to most venues having no-spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic). This was the 15th straight year the Hawkeyes have averaged more than 8,000 fans.

NEWCOMERS
The Hawkeyes have 12 newcomers on the 2024-25 roster, including three transfers. 
• Stephen Buchanan is a three-time All-American at Wyoming (2021-22) and Oklahoma (2024).  He finished third at both the 2022 and 2024 NCAA Championships.
• Kyle Parco is a four-time All-American at Fresno State (2021) and Arizona State (22-24). He is a three-time PAC-12 Champion. Parco finished fifth at the 2024 NCAA Championships. 
• Jacori Teemer is a four-time All-American at Arizona State (2020-22, 2024) and was the NCAA runner-up in 2024.  

NCAA EXPERIENCE
The Hawkeyes have nine wrestlers on the roster with NCAA Championships experience. Drake Ayala was the 2024 runner up at 125 pounds. Caleb Rathjen (2024) and Victor Voinovich III (2023) have both qualified once at 149 pounds.  Kyle Parco (149) and Jacori Teemer (157) are both four-time All-Americans. Parco’s highest finish came in 2023 when he finished fourth and Teemer was the runner up in 2024. Michael Caliendo (165) is a two-time All-American and finished fourth in 2024. Patrick Kennedy is a two-time national qualifier at 165 and 174 pounds. Nelson Brands (174/184) is a two-time All-American and finished fifth in 2023 at 174. Stephen Buchanan (197) is a three-time All-American finishing 3rd in both 2022 and 2024. 

A LOOK BACK
The University of Iowa wrestling team finished the 2023-24 season with a 12-2 overall and a 6-2 Big Ten mark. 
• The Hawkeyes placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships and fifth at the NCAA Championships. Iowa had four All-Americans. The program had 20 Academic All-Big Ten selections — the highest total in school history.

SPENCER LEE THE OLYMPIAN
Former University of Iowa All-American and three-time National Champion Spencer Lee won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the 11th Hawkeye wrestler in school history to medal at the Olympic Games

ACADEMIC ALL-BIG TEN
20 Hawkeye wrestlers were among the 59 University of Iowa student-athletes named to the 2023-24 Big Ten Winter Academic All-Conference Team. The 20 honorees are the most in program history.
•  To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten status, students must be on a varsity team, as verified by being on the official squad list as of March 1 for winter sports, who have been enrolled fulltime at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. 
•  The list of honorees includes Drake Ayala, Nelson Brands, Tony Cassioppi, Easton Fleshman, Kolby Franklin, Zach Glazier, Joel Jesuroga, Patrick Kennedy, Carter Martinson, Gage Marty, Charles Matthews, Aidan McCain, Drake Rhodes, Jace Rhodes, Aiden Riggins, Cullan Schriever, Leif Schroeder, Cade Siebrecht, Cobe Siebrecht, and Brennan Swafford. 

HAWKEYES AND CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Iowa is 138-14 (.907) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena since Tom Brands took over the program prior to 2006-07. The Hawkeyes are 287-27 (.914) all-time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena since moving from the UI Field House in 1983. Iowa went 5-1 in Carver in 2023-24.
•  Carver-Hawkeye Arena has hosted two United States Olympic Team Trials, four Big Ten Championships (1983, 1994, 2005, 2016) 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.