Iowa men’s wrestling head coach Tom Brands receives contract extension through 2029 season

The 16th-year head coach will remain in Iowa City for seven more seasons, Iowa Athletics announced Monday.

Iowa+head+wrestling+coach+Tom+Brands+watches+a+match+during+a+wrestling+meet+between+No.+2+Iowa+and+No.+9+Wisconsin+in+Carver-Hawkeye+Arena+in+Iowa+City%2C+Iowa%2C+on+Saturday%2C+Feb.+5%2C+2022.+The+Hawkeyes+defeated+the+Badgers%2C+29-6.

Grace Smith

Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands watches a match during a wrestling meet between No. 2 Iowa and No. 9 Wisconsin in Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022. The Hawkeyes defeated the Badgers, 29-6.

Chloe Peterson, Assistant Sports Editor


Iowa Athletics extended the contract of head men’s wrestling coach Tom Brands on Monday. Brands is now under contract through the 2029 season.

Brands is currently in his 16th year as the Hawkeyes’ head coach. He took the job prior to the 2006-07 season. He has earned Big Ten Coach of the Year five times and National Coach of the Year three times.

“There is no better person to lead the Iowa wrestling program than Tom Brands. His sustained success at the University of Iowa is unmatched,” Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta said in a release. “Tom epitomizes the ‘Win. Graduate. Do it Right.’ philosophy.  I could not be happier for Tom, his staff, student-athletes, and our fans.”

Brands has led the Hawkeye men’s wrestling program to four NCAA and six Big Ten Championships titles, and holds an overall record of 250-24-1 during his tenure as head coach.

Brands was previously extended through the 2026 season on Feb. 12, 2020. Assistant coaches Terry Brands and Ryan Morningstar were also extended until 2026 at that time. Iowa Athletics has not announced any additional extensions for Terry Brands or Morningstar.

Iowa men’s wrestling finished third at the 2022 Big Ten Championships. The Hawkeyes will travel to Detroit for the NCAA Tournament March 17-19.