Moments before the highly anticipated match between Iowa’s unranked first-year phenom Angelo Ferrari and Penn State’s No. 1 Carter Starocci in the famed Bryce Jordan Center was set to take place, one member of the Iowa men’s wrestling bench couldn’t bring himself to watch.
With emotions running high in the sold-out Penn State crowd, fellow 184-pound wrestler Gabe Arnold was visibly upset on the Iowa bench prior to the start of the match.
Arnold’s disappointment over not getting the opportunity to face Starocci ultimately led head coach Tom Brands to escort Arnold back to the locker room. His exit was not due to sheer excitement but instead resulted from agonizing frustration.
Arnold was seen talking to assistant coach Terry Brands seconds before the start of the eighth bout. Arnold was later seen walking out of the arena alongside Brands with his head down, begging for an opportunity to prove himself.
The decision to start Ferrari was by no means Arnold’s, as he made it clear to the public that he wanted the chance to grapple with the veteran Starocci.
“We didn’t get the job done last year, and that sucks, but we’re going to get it done this year,” Arnold said of Penn State after a win over Ohio State on Jan. 25. “So this time, we’ll be in your home dojo. And I promise, your head’s mine.”
Arnold’s confidence and mentality are just some of the many attributes that made him such a sought-after 174-pound recruit coming out of high school. But at the end of the day, head coach Tom Brands trumps all decisions regarding the starting lineup.
Following the 30-8 loss to Penn State, Tom immediately spoke to the media to squash any predetermined rumours regarding the decision behind giving Ferrari the start.
“We’ve got to load manage Gabe Arnold. That’s a term in the NBA that people don’t like,” Tom said. “Gabe Arnold, we need to make sure that he’s feeling pretty doggone good. He’s our guy at 184.”
This is not the first time Arnold has had to step aside in a crucial match this season, as Ferrari also got the start against in-state rival Iowa State on Nov. 23. Ferrari was successful in his first match as a Hawkeye, recording an 8-2 win over No. 15 Evan Bockman.
Following the disappointment of not wrestling Starocci, Arnold could have easily let the emotions get the best of him and dictate the rest of his matches this season.
The red-shirt first-year Hawkeye quickly proved doubters wrong just two days later in Iowa’s dual meet against No. 25 Maryland. Arnold defeated No. 11 ranked Jaxon Smith in a narrow 2-1 decision that went into tiebreakers.
The maturity displayed from the freshman showed even the most pessimistic wrestling fans he is a force to be reckoned with at 184 despite previously being known for his prowess at 174 pounds in high school.
Now 12-2 on the season with his only losses coming against No. 8 Silas Allred in a sudden victory and a medical forfeit to teammate Angelo Ferrari in the Soldier Salute, Arnold’s teammate-centered attitude could be crucial for the No. 3 Hawkeyes as the postseason inches closer.
He’s always promoting his teammates, but he’s got the threat in his own matches, too, as he continues to progress under Brands’ leadership.
“I like putting points on the scoreboard,” Arnold said. “That’s my goal every time I step up on the mat, is to make that scoreboard look real lopsided one way and throw football scores on my side.”
With Ferrari’s potential at 184 pounds, Arnold could spend next year filling the void at 174 pounds as a powerful one-two punch in Brands’ back-end of the lineup.