Iowa wrestling pauses in-person activities
The Hawkeyes’ matchup with No. 4 Penn State on Feb. 12 has been postponed out of an abundance of caution following Iowa’s activities pause.
Iowa head coach Tom Brands yells during a wrestling dual meet between Iowa and Nebraska at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. The Hawkeyes defeated the Huskers, 26-6.
February 8, 2021
Per a release, Hawkeye wrestling paused all team related in-person activities at the direction of the University of Iowa medical team Monday. The decision comes in response to positive COVID-19 test results within Iowa’s wrestling program.
Prior to the stoppage, head coach Tom Brands and seniors Alex Marinelli and Kaleb Young had all tested positive for COVID-19.
Brands tested positive Feb. 3 and missed Iowa’s Feb. 7 triangular meet with Purdue and Ohio State. Young also sat out of Sunday’s triangular meet in West Lafayette.
Marinelli was absent from both the Feb. 7 triangular and Iowa’s dual with Illinois Jan. 31.
The Hawkeyes’ road dual with No. 4 Penn State Feb. 12 has been postponed out of an abundance of caution surrounding the health and safety of the meet’s participants. Both institutions will work with the Big Ten Conference to identify rescheduling options.
Current league health and safety protocols dictate that all student-athletes that test positive for COVID-19 be sidelined for 17 days.
According to a release, Iowa wrestling will continue to follow conference medical protocols and Iowa’s medical team will make a determination on return to activity.
“We are appreciative of the Iowa medical staff and respect the decision to pause activities,” Brands said in a release. “We will continue to follow Big Ten protocols and look forward to a return to training and competition.”
