The Iowa wrestling team will appear on the Big Ten Network a conference-best three times in 2011-12, the league announced on Monday.
The Hawkeyes’ dual matches at Nebraska on Jan. 3, at defending Big Ten and national champion Penn State on Jan. 22, and at home against Minnesota on Jan. 29 will all appear on the network on tape delay. All three will air at 9 p.m. on their respective days; actual match times are set for 7 p.m. against the Cornhuskers and 2 p.m. for both the Nittany Lions and Gophers.
The Big Ten Network will also broadcast the Big Ten championships live from West Lafayette, Ind., in March.
The Black and Gold will open the 2011-12 campaign on Nov. 19 at the Lindenwood University Open in St. Charles, Mo., and the team will host the Iowa City Duals on Nov. 25 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes will host Baker University, Cornell College, and Iowa Central Community College in the meet.
Head coach Tom Brands and Iowa will try to rebound from a 2010-11, season when the team finished third at the NCAAs and had no individual champions — a disappointing finish after the team won the national title three-straight years from 2008-10. The Hawkeyes also failed to repeat as conference champions, a title they had held each of the past three years as well.
Tickets are now available at the Iowa ticket office. Those who buy season tickets will have the option to purchase a special package of tickets to the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials, which will be held in Carver-Hawkeye Arena in April 2012.
— by Seth Roberts
