Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling
Encyclopedia
The University of Iowa wrestling
program is one of the most successful athletic programs in NCAA Division I. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes are a member of the Big Ten Athletic Conference. Iowa is second in NCAA history with 23 national championships
, all of which have come since 1975. Sports Illustrated
recently named the Iowa program one of the top sports dynasties of the 20th century.
meet in 1926 under the direction of coach Mike Howard. Howard coached Iowa from 1921 until 1952. David McCuskey took over for Howard and coached the team until 1972 when Gary Kurdelmeier began a four season reign where his teams had an impressive 51-7-5 record. Kurdelmeier led the Hawkeyes to their first national championship in his third year as coach.
The great Dan Gable
, an assistant under Kurdelmeier for 4 years, began his Iowa dynasty in 1976. He was the Hawkeyes head coach for 15 NCAA Championships
and 21 consecutive Big Ten Championships. That included a streak of nine consecutive NCAA Team Championships
, starting in 1978 and ending in 1986. It equaled the longest streak of national titles won by any school, in any sport, also held by the Yale golf team (1905–13) and the Southern Cal track team (1935–43). The Hawkeyes also set NCAA records for total points (158), victory margin (73.25) and number of national champions (5), and tied the record for most finalists (6) in 1986.
Gable was so confident that his team would win their tenth straight championships that he had the Roman Numeral "X" put on their warm-up jackets to signify the tenth championships they thought they would win. However, they would finish as the runner-up at the 1987 NCAA Championships behind the Iowa State Cyclones, Gable's alma mater.
Gable retired after the 1997 season in which the team broke its own NCAA record for total points with its winning total of 170, and recorded the second-largest victory margin (56.50 points) in NCAA tournament history. The Hawkeyes also crowned five NCAA Champions out of six finalists, both tying NCAA records. Gable finished his Iowa head coaching career with a record of 355-21-5 (.940), 21 consecutive Big Ten Titles, and 15 NCAA Championships.
He was replaced by Jim Zalesky
, who had wrestled for Gable in the early eighties and had been his top assistant at Iowa for several years. Zalesky picked up right where Gable left off by winning the 1998 Big Ten and National championships. The following season, the Hawkeyes saw their 25-year Big Ten championship streak snapped by the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Nevertheless, Iowa was able to recover and defend their national championship. In 2000, Zalesky's Hawkeyes returned to Big Ten championship form and also won their sixth consecutive national title and their third under Zalesky. However, the program would find itself struggling over the next six years, with Iowa winning only one Big Ten title in 2004 and no national championships. The Zalesky era came to an end after the 2005-06 campaign, a season which found the Hawkeyes slipping to fourth place in the final Big Ten tournament standings.
Iowa hired Tom Brands
, another former Hawkeye wrestler who had also served as an assistant to Gable. Brands had been head coach at Virginia Tech
prior to his return to Iowa City. In Iowa's first season under Brands, they would finish third in the Big Ten championships and eighth at the NCAA championships. The Hawkeyes rapidly returned to the national spotlight during the 2007-08 season, winning their first Big Ten championship in four years and their first NCAA championship in eight years and 21st national title overall. They repeated as 2009 NCAA champions despite having no individual champions that year. Iowa returned to the NCAA championships with a dominant performance in 2010, having already locked up the team title before the end of the second day of competition. They finished with 3 individual champions and 2 runners-up. The team then smiled for the first time all year during the post event team picture.
in Iowa City. Several home matches each year are televised by Iowa Public Television
or the Big Ten Network
On Dec 6, 2008 Iowa set the national dual-meet attendance record for wrestling with a crowd of 15,955 against Iowa State University. It was a matchup of the #1 and #2 ranked schools in the country, which Iowa won 20-15.
: 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010
Iowa Big Ten Conference
team titles: 1958, 1962, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982,1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
program is one of the most successful athletic programs in NCAA Division I. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes are a member of the Big Ten Athletic Conference. Iowa is second in NCAA history with 23 national championships
NCAA Wrestling Team Championship
The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World War II 1943-1945. In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, there was only an unofficial title. Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, won the 1928, 1931...
, all of which have come since 1975. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
recently named the Iowa program one of the top sports dynasties of the 20th century.
History
Wrestling at the University of Iowa began in 1911 when the first head coach, E.G. Schroeder, led the team in a dual against Nebraska. The Hawkeyes competed in the first Big TenBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
meet in 1926 under the direction of coach Mike Howard. Howard coached Iowa from 1921 until 1952. David McCuskey took over for Howard and coached the team until 1972 when Gary Kurdelmeier began a four season reign where his teams had an impressive 51-7-5 record. Kurdelmeier led the Hawkeyes to their first national championship in his third year as coach.
The great Dan Gable
Dan Gable
Dan Gable is an American amateur wrestler. He is famous for having only lost one match in his entire Iowa State University collegiate career—his last, and winning gold at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany while not giving up a single point...
, an assistant under Kurdelmeier for 4 years, began his Iowa dynasty in 1976. He was the Hawkeyes head coach for 15 NCAA Championships
NCAA Wrestling Team Championship
The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World War II 1943-1945. In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, there was only an unofficial title. Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, won the 1928, 1931...
and 21 consecutive Big Ten Championships. That included a streak of nine consecutive NCAA Team Championships
NCAA Wrestling Team Championship
The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World War II 1943-1945. In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, there was only an unofficial title. Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, won the 1928, 1931...
, starting in 1978 and ending in 1986. It equaled the longest streak of national titles won by any school, in any sport, also held by the Yale golf team (1905–13) and the Southern Cal track team (1935–43). The Hawkeyes also set NCAA records for total points (158), victory margin (73.25) and number of national champions (5), and tied the record for most finalists (6) in 1986.
Gable was so confident that his team would win their tenth straight championships that he had the Roman Numeral "X" put on their warm-up jackets to signify the tenth championships they thought they would win. However, they would finish as the runner-up at the 1987 NCAA Championships behind the Iowa State Cyclones, Gable's alma mater.
Gable retired after the 1997 season in which the team broke its own NCAA record for total points with its winning total of 170, and recorded the second-largest victory margin (56.50 points) in NCAA tournament history. The Hawkeyes also crowned five NCAA Champions out of six finalists, both tying NCAA records. Gable finished his Iowa head coaching career with a record of 355-21-5 (.940), 21 consecutive Big Ten Titles, and 15 NCAA Championships.
He was replaced by Jim Zalesky
Jim Zalesky
Jim Zalesky is the head wrestling coach for the Oregon State Beavers and a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Prior to joining the Beavers, he was the coach of the University of Iowa wrestling team from 1998-2006. At Iowa, he succeeded Dan Gable as head coach, under whom he was a...
, who had wrestled for Gable in the early eighties and had been his top assistant at Iowa for several years. Zalesky picked up right where Gable left off by winning the 1998 Big Ten and National championships. The following season, the Hawkeyes saw their 25-year Big Ten championship streak snapped by the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Nevertheless, Iowa was able to recover and defend their national championship. In 2000, Zalesky's Hawkeyes returned to Big Ten championship form and also won their sixth consecutive national title and their third under Zalesky. However, the program would find itself struggling over the next six years, with Iowa winning only one Big Ten title in 2004 and no national championships. The Zalesky era came to an end after the 2005-06 campaign, a season which found the Hawkeyes slipping to fourth place in the final Big Ten tournament standings.
Iowa hired Tom Brands
Tom Brands
Tom Brands is the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. He won a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics....
, another former Hawkeye wrestler who had also served as an assistant to Gable. Brands had been head coach at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies
The Virginia Tech Hokies are the athletic teams officially representing Virginia Tech in college sports. The Hokies participate in the NCAA's Division I Atlantic Coast Conference in 19 varsity sports. Virginia Tech's men's sports are football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer,...
prior to his return to Iowa City. In Iowa's first season under Brands, they would finish third in the Big Ten championships and eighth at the NCAA championships. The Hawkeyes rapidly returned to the national spotlight during the 2007-08 season, winning their first Big Ten championship in four years and their first NCAA championship in eight years and 21st national title overall. They repeated as 2009 NCAA champions despite having no individual champions that year. Iowa returned to the NCAA championships with a dominant performance in 2010, having already locked up the team title before the end of the second day of competition. They finished with 3 individual champions and 2 runners-up. The team then smiled for the first time all year during the post event team picture.
Home meets
Home meets are held in the 15,500 seat Carver-Hawkeye ArenaCarver-Hawkeye Arena
Carver–Hawkeye Arena is a 15,500-seat multi-purpose indoor arena located in Iowa City, Iowa. Opened in 1983, it is the home court for The University of Iowa Hawkeyes men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the university's wrestling, gymnastics, and volleyball teams. It was named for the...
in Iowa City. Several home matches each year are televised by Iowa Public Television
Iowa Public Television
Iowa Public Television is a state network of Public Broadcasting Service member non-commercial educational Public television stations in the state of Iowa. A member of the PBS, it is owned by the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board, an agency of the state education department which holds the licenses...
or the Big Ten Network
On Dec 6, 2008 Iowa set the national dual-meet attendance record for wrestling with a crowd of 15,955 against Iowa State University. It was a matchup of the #1 and #2 ranked schools in the country, which Iowa won 20-15.
Team championships
Iowa NCAA Wrestling team titlesNCAA Wrestling Team Championship
The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World War II 1943-1945. In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, there was only an unofficial title. Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, won the 1928, 1931...
: 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010
Iowa Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
team titles: 1958, 1962, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982,1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010
NCAA individual champions
- Royce AlgerRoyce AlgerRoyce Alger is an American wrestler and mixed martial artist. A student of wrestling icon Dan Gable, he went on to become a three-time All-American, three time Big Ten champion, and two time NCAA National Champion at the 167 and 177 pound weight classes...
1987 1988 - Ed BanachEd BanachEdward Joseph Banach is an athlete who wrestled for the University of Iowa from 1980-1983. He was a standout wrestler, with a career record of 141-9-1 and the school record for most pins in a career . Banach was a four-time NCAA All-American, and a three-time NCAA national champion . He was named...
1980 1981 1983 - Lou BanachLou BanachLou Banach is a former wrestler for the University of Iowa wrestling team. He won NCAA championships in 1981 and 1983. His overall collegiate record was 92-14-3. In 1984, Banach won a gold medal in the 220 pound weight class at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He was born in Port Jervis, New...
1981 1983 - Leslie Beers 1928
- Jay Borschel 2010
- Terry BrandsTerry BrandsTerry Brands is an American Olympic wrestler who won a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. While wrestling at the University of Iowa, Brands won NCAA titles in 1990 and 1992, both at 126 pounds. He was a two-time world freestyle champion at 58 kg, winning titles in 1993 and 1995...
1990 1992 - Tom BrandsTom BrandsTom Brands is the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. He won a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics....
1990 1991 1992 - Pete Bush 1982
- Chris CampbellChris CampbellChris Cardell Campbell is an American football offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League.-References:...
1976 1977 - Rico ChiapparelliRico ChiapparelliRico Chiapparelli is a native of Baltimore Maryland. He is also known as the "Baltimore Butcher." Junior National champion as a senior in high school, he then was a standout wrestler for the University of Iowa, where he was an NCAA national champion in 1987 at 177 lbs. After college, he went on...
1987 - Jim Craig 1959
- Barry DavisBarry Davis (amateur wrestler)Barry Davis is an Olympic silver medalist and World champion medalist in freestyle wrestling. Since 1994, he has served as head wrestling coach at the University of Wisconsin.- Early life :...
1982 1983 1985 - Kevin DresserKevin DresserKevin Dresser is the head wrestling coach at Virginia Tech .A native of Humboldt, Iowa, Dresser was a two-time high school wrestling state champion at Humboldt High School. Kevin matriculated to the University of Iowa where he was an NCAA national champion at 142 pounds in 1986...
1986 - Lee Fullhart 1997
- Duane Goldman 1986
- Richard Govig 1954
- Jim Heffernan 1986
- Dan Holm 1975
- Mark Ironside 1997 1998
- Eric Juergens 2000 2001
- Bruce Kinseth 1979
- Marty Kistler 1985 1986
- Kenneth Leuer 1956
- Randy LewisRandy Lewis (wrestler)Randy Lewis is an American wrestler and olympic champion. He competed at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where he received a gold medal in freestyle featherweight. After winning three high school state titles in South Dakota, he was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion at the...
1979 1980 - Terry McCann 1955 1956
- Matt McDonough 2010
- Jeff McGinness 1995 1998
- Lincoln McIlravyLincoln McIlravyLincoln Paul McIlravy and wrestled for Philip High School in Philip, SD where he won 5 state titles is a former American wrestler who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics, for the United States....
1993 1994 1997 - Brent MetcalfBrent MetcalfBrent Metcalf is an American amateur wrestler currently competing in the international circuit for the United States of America....
2008 2010 - Steve MoccoSteve MoccoSteve Mocco is an American amateur wrestler originally from North Bergen, New Jersey. Starting his collegiate wrestling career at the University of Iowa, Mocco was the 285-pound NCAA Division I runner-up in 2002 and champion in 2003. After taking an Olympic redshirt year, Mocco transferred to...
2003 - Cliff Moore 2004
- Brad Penrith 1986
- Mark Perry 2007 2008
- Mark Reiland 1991
- Simon Roberts 1957
- Joe Scarpello 1947 1950
- Doug SchwabDoug SchwabDoug Schwab is a male freestyle wrestler from USA.He participated in Men's freestyle 66 kg at 2008 Summer Olympics. He lost a match in the 1/16 of final against Andriy Stadnik. In the first repechage round he lost and was eliminated by Sushil Kumar...
1999 - Joel Sharratt 1994
- Dan ShermanDan ShermanLester Daniel Sherman was a pitcher for the Chicago Whales professional baseball team in 1914.-External links:...
1973 - Brad Smith 1976
- Terry Steiner 1993
- Troy Steiner 1992
- Sherwyn Thorson 1962
- Daryl Weber 1996
- Jessie Whitmer 1997
- Joe Williams 1996 *1997 1998
- T.J. Williams 1999 2001
- Chuck Yagla 1975 1976
- Bill ZadickBill ZadickWilliam Michael Zadick is a male amateur wrestler from the United States. He won an NCAA college wrestling championship while competing with the University of Iowa and the 2006 World Wrestling Championships in freestyle wrestling.-International wrestling career:Bill Zadick was a resident athlete...
1996 - Jim ZaleskyJim ZaleskyJim Zalesky is the head wrestling coach for the Oregon State Beavers and a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Prior to joining the Beavers, he was the coach of the University of Iowa wrestling team from 1998-2006. At Iowa, he succeeded Dan Gable as head coach, under whom he was a...
1982 1983 1984
2007–08 Squad
- 125 Charlie Falc
- 133 Joey Slaton
- 125/133 Lucas Magnani
- 141 Dan LeClere
- 149 Brent Metcalf
- 157 Ryan Morningstar
- 165 Mark Perry/Jake Kerr/Aaron Janssen
- 174 Jay Borschel
- 184 Phillip Keddy
- 197 Chad Beatty/Rick Loera
- 285 Matt Fields
2008–09 Squad
- 125 Charlie Falck
- 133 Joey Slaton/Daniel Dennis
- 141 Alex Tsirtsis/Dan LeClere
- 149 Brent Metcalf
- 157 Matt Ballweg
- 165 Ryan Morningstar
- 174 Jay Borschel
- 184 Phillip Keddy
- 197 Chad Beatty/Luke Lofthouse
- 285 Dan Erekson
2009-10 Squad
- 125 - Matt McDonough
- 133 - Daniel Dennis
- 141 - Montell Marion
- 149 - Brent Metcalf
- 157 - Aaron Janssen/Jake Kerr
- 165 - Ryan Morningstar
- 174 - Jay Borschel
- 184 - Phillip Keddy
- 197 - Chad Beatty/Luke Lofthouse
- Hwt. - Dan Erekson
2010-11 Squad
- 125 - Matt McDonough
- 133 - Tony Ramos/Tyler Clark
- 141 - Mark Ballweg/Montell Marion
- 149 - Mark Ballweg/Matt Ballweg
- 157 - Derek St. John
- 165 - Aaron Janssen
- 174 - Ethan Lofthouse
- 184 - Grant Gambrall
- 197 - Luke Lofthouse
- Hwt. - Blake Rasing
See also
- National Wrestling Hall of Fame and MuseumNational Wrestling Hall of Fame and MuseumThe National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on the campus of Oklahoma State University. The museum opened on September 11, 1976...
- Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa