Dan Gable won 15 NCAA Championships from 1978-1997. Tom Brands was on those championship teams in 1991 and 1992, and won NCAA individual championships in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Brands has led the Iowa Wrestling program since 2006, winning NCAA team titles in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

No team has dominated collegiate wrestling like Iowa since the mid 1970s. Iowa captured nine straight NCAA titles from 1978-86 and has won 23 of the last 44. During that span Iowa boasts 283 All‑Americans and 71 individual champions.

HODGE TROPHY

The WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS, is awarded annually to the nation’s most dominant college wrestler. It is named for the undefeated, three-time NCAA champion from Oklahoma University. Hodge has the highest pinning percentage in collegiate history, and was known for his dominating style of wrestling. The award was first presented in 1995. Iowa’s award winners are Mark Ironside (1998), Brent Metcalf (2008) , and Spencer Lee (2020).

“Oklahoma State, their style of wrestling was more back up, back up, back up, and then shoot. Where we were push, push, push. In Gable’s mind, I think he thought they wouldn’t be able to back up all the way to the edge."

- CHUCK YAGLA

The Grapple on the Gridiron set an NCAA dual attendance record of 42,287 when No. 3 Iowa defeated No. 1 Oklahoma State on Nov. 14, 2015. Iowa averaged 12,568 fans in seven home duals in 2020, setting an NCAA record for average dual attendance in a single season. Iowa has led the NCAA in attendance in 14 consecutive seasons.

Iowa’s 2020 Big Ten Championships title was the 36th in program history, more than any other school in the Big Ten.

NCAA Championships – Records Held or Shared by Iowa

Most team points: 170.00 (1997)
Margin of victory: 73.25 (1986)
Consecutive titles: 9 (1978‑86)
Most finalists: 6 (1986, 1991, 1997)
Most champions: 5 (1986, 1997)