The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Beatty tries to heal knee before NCAA championships

Iowa 197-pounder Chad Beatty is already making good on his pledge to be mat ready by the NCAA championships, which begins on March 19.

Just days after beating Minnesota’s Gordon Bierschenk with an injured right knee in the consolation semifinals of the Big Ten championships, the Hawkeye junior is feeling good about his damaged appendage.

Earlier in the week, Beatty said, he was fitted for a brace, similar to the one he wore after first injuring his knee against Central Michigan’s Eric Simaz at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Duals last November.

“It’s just to keep it from going side to side,” he said of the brace. “It’s not really so much pain right now. It’s just getting the ligament strong and rehabbing.”

But with Beatty eyeing his first NCAA individual title, the recuperation process has begun.

Prior to Tuesday’s practice, he underwent a rehab session with Iowa assistant athletics trainer Matthew Doyle, who also works with the Hawkeye men’s and women’s golf teams. For a workout, Beatty said, he rode one of the many stationary bikes housed inside the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex.

But as far as a timetable for when he expects to be completely healed, the 15th-ranked wrestler in the country said he doesn’t have one. He said his deadline is March 19, and he’ll compete regardless of how he feels.

“It’s not quite as severe as my other one,” Beatty said. “My other one took quite awhile, but it doesn’t really matter how long it is supposed to take. I have to be feeling good by nationals anyway.

At the conclusion of the conference tourney last weekend, Iowa head coach Tom Brands commended his wrestler’s efforts to qualify for the national championships, labeling the Wilton native as one of the toughest wrestlers on the team.

The Big Ten’s Coach of the Year once again echoed those statements during an afternoon press conference on Tuesday, giving a favorable thumbs up when asked about Beatty’s medical progress throughout the past three days.

“It’s just very unique when you have a guy who did what Chad Beatty did, and that is wrestle when he really had no business being out there in that consolation semifinal match,” Brands said. “But he had to do it — had to — because you don’t leave it to chance.

“If you’re going to a committee decision, maybe he gets in — maybe he doesn’t. But we wouldn’t find out until Tuesday or Wednesday.”

Seniors grapple with final NCAA tourney

When Charlie Falck and Alex Tsirtsis roomed together as freshmen during their first season at Iowa, dreams of becoming NCAA champions danced in their heads.

For five years, though, the title has eluded them. The closest Falck and Tsirtsis have gotten is sixth and seventh respectively.

Now as seniors approaching the last stretch of the postseason, they know their last window of opportunity will soon close.

“We haven’t reached that, and we have a week and a half to do it,” Falck said. “This is it. This is my last chance to do it.

“I just have to perform each match like I can. If I do that and perform like I can, I mean, I’ll get what I want.”

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