Team to watch this NCAA Wrestling season
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by Chicksheartfights Chicksheartfights
This team is ready to make the leap back to the stage. (For those unfamiliar with the NCAA wrestling tournament, teams take the stage when they place in the top four.) Without further adieu, I present…
The Hawkeyes of Iowa.
Growing as a wrestling fan in Chicago, the only college that mattered in wrestling was Iowa. My mind was open to two places for outstanding wrestling: the Chicago Catholic League (where my high school wrestled) and Iowa. When I started college, that landscape had not changed. Iowa won, then Dan Gable retired, but Iowa still won. Of course, events over the past few years caused Iowa to fall from that ivory tower. Though I am a Missouri fan, I never enjoyed seeing Iowa struggle. Iowa has that Tiger Woods aura-people who know nothing about wrestling know about Iowa and Dan Gable. Iowa struggling meant that wrestling was struggling. Also-I liked the way Iowa beat their opponents; they never left a doubt about who the better wrestler was. But now… I feel like Iowa is ready to get back to where they were. Tom Brands has one of the best coaching staffs in the country - two world team members, one legend, and one two time AA - not a bad group to work with. (Not to mention, they have my wrestling crush in the room!) The Brands/Hokeyes soap opera was not fun to watch - I prefer watching the Hills for my drama - but now we will finally get to see Brands’ boys out on the mat. If they live up to ten percent of their hype, they will be quite the force on the mat. I think that Alex Tsirtsis will finally have the year that everyone has been waiting for. Finally, Mark Perry will return without the Johny Hendricks monkey on his back. He and Eric Tannenbaum are poised for some huge battles this season. Iowa’s complete schedule is below, but mark these dates on your calendar: December 9 at Iowa State, January 6 against Oklahoma State in Iowa City, February 1 at Minnesota, and February 17 against Michigan at Carver-Hawkeye. At NCAAs, I believe that they will shock everyone and take 2nd or 3rd.Date Opponent / Event Location Time
11/10/07 Iowa Central Open TBA All Day
11/17/07 Kauffman-Brand Open Omaha, NE All Day
11/24/07 Quad at St. Edwards Cleveland, OH All Day
12/09/07 vs. Iowa State Ames, IA 2:00 PM
12/13/07 vs. Northern Iowa Iowa City, IA 6:30 PM
vs. Cornell College Iowa City, IA 8:00 PM
12/29/07 Midlands Evanston, IL All Day
12/30/07 Midlands Evanston, IL All Day
01/06/08 vs. Oklahoma State Iowa City, IA TBA
01/12/08 NWCA Duals Cedar Falls, IA All Day
01/13/08 NWCA Duals Cedar Falls, IA All Day
01/18/08 at Ohio State Columbus, OH TBA
01/20/08 vs. Penn State Iowa City, IA TBA
01/27/08 vs. Northwestern Iowa City, IA TBA
02/01/08 at Minnesota Minneapolis, MN TBA
02/03/08 at Wisconsin Madison, WI TBA
02/08/08 at Arizona State Tempe, AZ 8:00 PM
02/10/08 at Boise State Boise, ID 3:00 PM
02/15/08 vs. Indiana Iowa City, IA 7:00 PM
02/17/08 vs. Michigan Iowa City, IA TBA
02/24/08 at Illinois Champaign, IL TBA
03/08/08 Big Ten Tournament Minneapolis, MN All Day
03/09/08 Big Ten Tournament Minneapolis, MN All Day
03/20/08 NCAA Tournament St. Louis, MO All Day
03/21/08 NCAA Tournament St. Louis, MO All Day
03/22/08 NCAA Tournament St. Louis, MO All Day
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 4th, 200
