Concluding a fourth-place finish at the NCAA championships in March, Iowa men’s wrestling began a nationwide search via the transfer portal to bring new additions with one end goal in mind — getting over the hump.
Since the opening of the transfer portal on March 19, college wrestlers around the nation have flocked to enter their name in the portal in hopes of finding new opportunities elsewhere. This frenzy, from drama at Penn State to the next destination of AJ Ferrari, is now the norm in collegiate wrestling.
The Iowa men’s wrestling team has been the recent beneficiary of the new “adapt or die” mindset that the name, image, and likeness world has brought to college athletics. Spending a hefty dime on Kyle Parco, Jacori Teemer, and Stephen Buchanan last season, a precedent has been set — and a risky one at that.
Now three new faces— Dean Peterson, Nasir Bailey, and Jordan Williams — have joined Iowa wrestling in the pursuit of perfecting their craft.
Starting with a post by Williams alongside Bailey on Instagram, the two Little Rock Spartans made the announcement with decorated Hawkeye jackets on, exciting Iowa wrestling fans for a new age of college wrestling.
Before becoming a Spartan, Bailey finished his high school career as a four-time state champion for Rich Township High School. Due to the unknowns of wrestling in the state of Illinois in 2020-21, Bailey made the move to Texas where he won a Texas state title at 132 pounds.
The Park Forest, Illinois, native brings a multitude of experience to Iowa City, as Bailey won the highly famed junior freestyle crown at 132 pounds in Fargo in the summer of 2021. Bailey also won the Christmas Sparty folkstyle tournament in Texas.
Listed at 133-pounds, Bailey might have fans wondering if he is going to be battling it out with 2025 NCAA and Big Ten runner-up Drake Ayala. However, Bailey has the ability to gain weight and provide some much-needed support for the Hawkeyes at the 141-pound division.
There, his postseason experience — fourth at the NCAA championships in 2024 and reaching the final 16 in 2025 — trumps that of head coach Tom Brands’ options before.
Teammate Williams, who spent time at Oklahoma State but was dismissed due to an alcohol-related arrest, was a Big 12 runner-up at 149 pounds and has qualified for the NCAA championships twice. Williams will likely start at 149 pounds for the Black and Gold with the graduation of Parco.
Peterson is the most recent addition to Iowa and was a three-time NCAA qualifier at Rutgers. Peterson will presumably be battling it out with lightweight Joey Cruz who accumulated a 16-14 record this season, but the former’s experience makes him a solid starter with the ability to coach younger guys like incoming freshman Leo DeLuca.
Peterson, now with one year of eligibility, went 22-8 this past season as a Scarlet Knight and included a 4-1 win over first-year Penn State phenom and 2025 Big Ten champion Luke Lilledahl.
Peterson has qualified for three NCAA championships and placed in three Big Ten championships but has yet to push to All American status, something he will hope to change with his new school and the drive Brands and Co. offer.