By Pete Ruden
Through five duals this season, the Iowa wrestling team is unsurprisingly undefeated. And for the most part, not one of the duals was particularly close.
The Hawkeyes opened the season by absolutely destroying Division-3 and junior-college opponents Cornell College and Iowa Central, 45-0 and 55-0. The squad then traveled to West Lafayette, Indiana, where they smacked Purdue, 34-3.
The week after that win, Iowa whapped No. 20 South Dakota State on the road, 29-8, which was followed by the closest score of the season, a 26-9 win over Iowa State.
Even after all those points and wins, head coach Tom Brands is trying to do more. There has been a big emphasis throughout the season about becoming the best team in the country, and that is exactly what Brands is aiming for.
Right now, the Hawkeyes are ranked No. 3, just behind Oklahoma State and Penn State.
Iowa has the pieces to be one of the best in the country, and they will have the chance to prove that at the Midlands Championships at Northwestern Dec. 29 and 30.
Individual Rankings: 7
According to Intermat, Iowa has wrestlers at seven different weight classes ranked in the top 10 in the country. That includes two No. 1s, seniors Thomas Gilman and Cory Clark, at 125 and 133, as well as a No. 2 junior Brandon Sorensen.
All-Americans Alex Meyer and Sammy Brooks are ranked at No. 6 and No. 7.
Redshirt freshman Michael Kemerer is also ranked No. 7 at 157, and sophomore Sam Stoll is ranked No. 5 at heavyweight.
However, Stoll has been out all season since suffering an injury at last year’s NCAA Championships, and Clark has missed the last two duals with an undisclosed injury. But the good news for Iowa is that Clark will be back for the Midlands Championships, while Stoll has the potential to come back in a limited role.
With seven of the 10 grapplers from the starting lineup being among the best in the country, the Hawkeyes can make another run at nationals come March.
Freshmen in Starting Lineup: 4
While a lot of members on Iowa’s roster are experienced on the Big Ten and national levels, the same can’t be said for everyone. The Hawkeyes have four redshirt freshmen in their starting lineup, but most have held their own to this point.
Kemerer finished his freshman year with a 24-2 record competing unattached. That campaign included a fifth-place finish at the Midlands Championships. The nationally ranked 157-pounder has started his season out strong with a 10-0 record.
Also 10-0 on the season is Joey Gunther, who impressed Brands early in the season at 165 pounds. The native of Libertyville, Illinois, also wrestled up at 174 pounds against Cornell College, where he picked up a decision.
Stoll’s injury allowed both Cash Wilcke and Steven Holloway to see action, as Holloway moved up to heavyweight from 197, while Wilcke moved up to 197 from 184.
Consecutive Midlands
Championship Won: 3
Iowa has taken home the title at Midlands the past three years, and in the 53-year history of the tournament, the Hawkeyes have won it 25 times.
Gilman, Sorensen, and former Hawkeye Nathan Burak all won individual championships at last year’s championships, giving Iowa a boost in the team score.
In addition to the champions, Iowa also had someone from the program place in every weight class, except for 141 and 157.
2014 was more of the same, as Iowa crowned four more individual champions while also having someone place at every weight, on its way to winning the team title.
With a lot of Big Ten talent showing up, this will be a good test for a lot of the younger guys on Iowa’s roster.
While most of the wrestlers have held their own in all of the weight classes, the schedule will pick up soon after Midlands, meaning everyone will have to step up if the Hawkeyes are going to reach the top.