The Iowa wrestling team held its media day on Thursday and one wrestler that came up during head coach Tom Brands’ opening statements was 125-pounder Drake Ayala. 

The redshirt sophomore filled in for an injured Spencer Lee in his freshman year and impressed, posting a 17-8 overall record with a 4-2 record in dual meets. Ayala placed eighth at the Big Ten Championships, earning him an automatic bid to the NCAA championships.

“It’s about opportunities. It always is. Our guys every one of them that you’re going to see downstairs have an opportunity,” Brands said. “[Ayala] is very excited about these opportunities. He did spend a long year. He wrestled as a true freshman when Spencer [Lee] decided to get those corrective surgeries and he stepped up for us. That’s not something that we take lightly.”

Ayala redshirted last season because Lee was back and healthy. Ayala went 13-1 while competing unattached. His lone loss came against Lee at the Soldier Salute. He won titles at the UNI Open, Flanagan Open, and Don Parker Open. 

“Last year, [I] went through some ups and downs for sure,” Ayala said. “But I just learned a lot about myself. What makes me tick.”

Ayala added the experiences he gained in different opens last season helped him grow as a wrestler. 

“I learned a lot about what makes me tick really, and I had to get back to that,” Ayala said. “ Everything starts moving so quick that you forget to go back to how you grew up and what made you tick when you were younger. And I think I’ve been doing that a lot more recently and just having fun with it.”

It was tough for Ayala to watch from the sideline while his team competed in duals. But it made him even more hungry for this season.

“I mean, He’s still a pretty little guy,” sixth-year heavyweight Tony Cassioppi joked about Ayala.”I think his body is healthier than it’s ever been. I think he’s in great shape. I think you know, he’s obviously got great partners in the room that have graduated and are still on the team, and I think he’s poised for some great wrestling.”

Even though Ayala has some experience, he doesn’t feel like his role or approach has changed. Ayala said he is just going to keep trying to get better every day and  “lead by example.”

“Drake Ayala is awesome, he’s a leader, he’s everything you want lifestyle wise,” Brands said. “I know that he knows that he has work to do, and he’s humbly working. He’s coming off some adversity as well, and he’s as strong as ever.”

Ayala is ranked in the top 15 in Intermat, Win Magazine, and FloWrestling’s preseason rankings. 

Some notable matchups Ayala could face this season include Nebraska’s Caleb Smith on Jan. 12, Minnesota’s Patrick McKee on Jan. 15, Wisconsin’s Eric Barnett on Feb. 18, and Purdue’s Matt Ramos, who upset Lee, a three-time NCAA Champion, in the national semifinals in March. 

“I feel great,” Ayala said. “I feel I’m healthy, ready to go, my weight getting good and in check, and I’m feeling good.”