University of Iowa Athletics
Drake Ayala - Men's Wrestling - University of Iowa Athletics

Drake Ayala

Height 5-6
Weight 133 lbs.
Class Jr.
Hometown Fort Dodge, Iowa
High School Fort Dodge

2023-24
• NCAA runner-up at 125
• Placed third at the Big Ten Championships
• 27-5 overall record; 18-5 mark against ranked opponents and 10-3 dual record
• Seven wins against top-10 ranked opponents, including victories over #1 Matt Ramos (Purdue) and #2 Braeden Davis (Penn State)
• 14 bonus-point wins including 10 technical falls and two pins
• Champion at both the Luther Open and Solider Salute
• NWCA Scholar All-American and Academic All-Big Ten

2022-23
• Posted a 13-1 record, competing unattached
• Won titles at the UNI Open, Flanagan Open and Don Parker Open and was runner-up at the Soldier Salute
• Won 10 of his 13 matches via bonus points (four majors, five technical falls, one fall)
• Only loss came against teammate Spencer Lee at the Soldier Salute
• Academic All-Big Ten selection

2021-22
• Posted a 17-8 record
• Went 4-2 in dual meets, making his collegiate dual meet debut vs. Minnesota on Jan. 7
• Scored 12 team points in dual competition
• Placed eighth at Big Ten Championships and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships
• Climbed as high as No. 10 in the national rankings
• Recorded four major decisions, two technical falls and two pins on the season
• Was the third true freshman to compete at the NCAA Championships under Head Coach Tom Brands
• Earned the John and Dorothy Sill Most Dedicated Wrestler team award
• Won title at Harold Nichols Open, placed second at UNI Open and third at Southern Scuffle
• Dean’s List honoree during fall semester
• Letterwinner

 

High School
• State champion in 2019, 2020, 2021
• State runner-up in 2018
• Team state champion in 2018
• 171-3 record throughout high school
• Champion at the Super 32 challenge in 2020
• Fargo Cadet Freestyle Champion in 2017
• Fargo Junior Freestyle Champion in 2019 and 2021

Personal
• Born Oct. 8, 2002
• Son of Sam and Angie Ayala
• Has two brothers, Dru and Knox
• Majoring in pre-business

 

Overall Dual Big Ten Dual Dual Pts. Big Ten NCAA OT MD TF Pins Fastest
Year Record Record Record Scored Place Place W/L W/L W/L W/L Pin
2021-22 17-8 4-2 4-2 12 8th X 0-0 4-0 2-0 2-0 1:34
*2022-23 13-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 4-0 5-0 1-1 0:47
Career 17-8 4-2 4-2 12 0-0 4-0 2-0 2-0 1:34

*Competed unattached