Ryder Block is once again a national champion!
Incoming University of Iowa wrestler Ryder Block won a national title at the Junior Nationals Freestyle Championships on Wednesday. Block mowed through opponents in the Fargo Dome, winning his seven matches by a combined score of 75-10. The Waverly, Iowa, native successfully defended his crown at 138 pounds with a 10-0 victory over California’s Daniel Zepeda.
Block comes to Iowa as a two-time junior national champion and a three-time IHSAA State Champion. He finished his high school career with a 159-1 record.
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Incoming freshman @ryder_block is a Junior National Champion! #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/yHxeWAn8kn
— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) July 19, 2023
Block was not the only incoming Iowa signee to achieve All-American status, though. Incoming freshman Kale Peterson took second at 132 pounds. Petersen outscored his opponents, 56-20, before falling to Arizona’s Kyler Larkin 8-0.
Petersen is another big-time recruit for Iowa. He is a three-time IHSAA State Champion, Iowa Class 2A Mr. Dan Gable Wrestler of the Year, and a finalist at the 2023 U20 U.S. Open at 61 kg. A star at Green County, Petersen finished high school with a 111-9 record.
Two All-Americans at the Junior National Championships is not bad at all for the Hawkeyes, especially considering the dominance their top wrestler Block displayed. Block and Petersen are just two recruits in a highly decorated 2023 class that includes state champion Gabe Arnold and undefeated four-time state champion Ben Kueter.
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