Seedings for next week’s NCAA wrestling championships were announced on Wednesday, and top-ranked Iowa pulled zero No. 1 seeds.

The Hawkeyes did manage three No. 2 seeds in seniors Daniel Dennis (133), Brent Metcalf (149), and Big Ten champion Jay Borschel (174).

Dennis has a first-round matchup with Kevin Smith of Buffalo, and Metcalf will face Northern Iowa’s Trenton Washington. Borschel is slated to square off with Scott Giffin of Pennsylvania.

Both Minnesota’s Jayson Ness (133) and Ohio State’s Lance Palmer (149), who defeated Dennis and Metcalf, respectively, in Sunday’s Big Ten championship finals, drew No. 1 seeds.

Redshirt freshman Matt McDonough managed a No. 3 seed; he will face the winner of the pigtail match between Edinboro’s Eric Morrill and Oregon State’s Jason Lara.

Big Ten champion heavyweight Dan Erekson received a No. 5 seed, and he will be on the mat with Oregon State’s Clayton Jack in the first round.

After finishing fourth at the Big Ten championships, Ryan Morningstar (165) grabbed a No. 7 seed; he is pitted against West Virginia’s Donald Jones in his first-round match.

The Hawkeyes also drew two No. 9 seeds in Phillip Keddy (184) and Chad Beatty (197). Keddy will face Virginia’s Michael Salopek, and Beatty will wrestle Alan Gelogaev of Oklahoma State.

The Hawkeyes will compete for their third-straight NCAA title starting March 18 at the Qwest Center in Omaha.

— by J.T. Bugos