Sunday proved to be another average day in the office for Iowa wrestling. It quickly handled Tennessee at Chattanooga at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, sweeping all 10 matches for a 39-0 win.

After Spencer Lee opened up the match with a victory, Iowa fans got a look at a familiar face at 133-pounds.

With both senior Paul Glynn and redshirt freshman Gavin Teasdale listed as options, Glynn was the Hawkeye that actually found his way onto the mat. He saw quite a bit of dual meet action in 2017-18, but only wrestled in two duals last season.

Despite trailing 5-6 at the end of the first period, Glynn won his match, 11-7.

“Paul Glynn had to suck it up,” head coach Tom Brands said. “It’s a tough sport. We’re asking a lot out of him, and he did a good job. He was gritty, gutsy.”

Some new faces also made an impact for Iowa this afternoon. Nelson Brands and Tony Cassioppi both contributed to Iowa’s blowout victory.

Nelson Brands picked up an 8-4 win over UT-Chattanooga’s Matthew Waddell. In his first collegiate match, he never trailed. The victory was undoubtedly impressive as Waddell came into the match with a 5-1 record on the season.

The statement of the afternoon came from Honenegah, Illinois, native Tony Cassioppi. It was no secret that Cassioppi would draw the start at 285.

Cassioppi pinned the Mocs’ Grayson Walthall in one minute and 45 seconds. Walthall left Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a 2-6 record.

“I just need to go out there and do my job,” Cassioppi said. “When I’m preparing for matches, I like to look at the work I’ve put in so I know I’m ready for that match. I always lean back on my [previous] practices and matches for confidence. [Today’s win] is a great stepping-stone for the rest of the season.”

Tom Brands praised Cassioppi’s performance.

“Good debut,” Tom Brands said. “Heavy hands, light feet, do what you do best, go out and then you get that explosion.”

Explosive is certainly the proper adjective to describe Cassioppi’s pin. It nearly took the roof off of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The electrifying finish brought fans to their feet in an uproar. The moment proved to be the highlight of the day for fans, athletes and coaches alike.

“It was awesome,” Cassioppi said. “I heard my walkout song going. There are tons of great fans here.”
The day was a definite success for Cassioppi. However, the redshirt freshman is ready for more. His attention is already on the Iowa State Cyclones.

“It’s a different match,” Cassioppi said. “It’s a different environment, but it doesn’t matter. It’s still a wrestling match, and I’m just going to go out there and do my job.”

The No. 2 Hawkeyes will travel to Ames for a collision with the No. 12 Cyclones to kick off Thanksgiving week. The match is slated for 2 p.m. on Nov. 24.

The CyHawk wrestling series is 65-16-2. The Hawkeyes have also taken home the Dan Gable Traveling Trophy all nine times since its inception.