Tag: Iowa wrestling

Nation’s top-ranked 2024 wrestler commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes

It’s Iowa! The nation’s top-ranked 2024 wrestler, Angelo Ferrari, announced his commitment to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa just landed a massive recruit in the 2024 class. The top-ranked wrestler in 2024, Angelo Ferrari, announced his commitment to the Iowa Hawkeyes on FloWrestling.

He chose Iowa over Rutgers and Virginia Tech. A native of Melissa, Texas, Ferrari projects in the 184-pound weight class per FloWrestling’s JD Rader.

With an Iowa, Rutgers and Virginia Tech hat on the table, Ferrari pulled a Penn State hat out from underneath the table during his commitment announcement. For Iowa fans watching, that might have caused hearts to skip a beat just temporarily.

He promptly chucked the Nittany Lion hat aside as he made his announcement that would join Tom Brands and the Hawkeyes’ program.

“A lot of people know where I’m going. A lot of people think they know where I’m going, but I’d like to announce my commitment to the University of Iowa,” Ferrari said as he tossed the Tigerhawk hat on.

Ferrari is a two-time Ironman champion and Who’s Number One champion. In 2022 at Who’s Number One, Ferrari defeated Illinois commit Braeden Scores and Penn State’s commit and U17 world champion Joe Sealey.

When speaking with FloWrestling’s David Bray in mid-May, Ferrari noted several things that impressed him about Iowa.

“It’s like going to see Alabama football. (They have) such a dynasty over there,” Ferrari said of the Hawkeyes.

Then, when Ferrari came on his visit to the Hawkeyes, he was taken by the wrestling knowledge and appreciation by those in Iowa City.

“Walking around campus, everybody knows you. It’s amazing. Wrestling is part of the culture in Iowa,” Ferrari said.

Of course, Ferrari joins his older brother, Anthony Ferrari, now at Iowa. Anthony Ferrari committed to the Hawkeyes in March. He was rated the No. 23 overall prospect in the 2022 senior class by MatScouts and originally committed to Oklahoma State where he was projected to wrestle at 157 or 165 pounds.

Ferrari never officially enrolled or joined the Cowboy program. The Stillwater News Press reported in August of 2022 that two misdemeanor assault and battery charges had been filed against Anthony Ferrari. Anthony Ferrari was given a one-year deferred sentence on Tuesday, April 11.

Angelo Ferrari joins fellow top-100 Hawkeye commit in the 2024 class, Miguel Estrada.

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Top 2024 wrestling recruit includes Iowa Hawkeyes among final 3, sets commitment date

The Iowa Hawkeyes are one of three finalists alongside Virginia Tech and Rutgers for top-ranked 2024 recruit Angelo Ferrari.

The top recruit in the 2024 wrestling class has the Iowa Hawkeyes squarely on his radar.

Angelo Ferrari announced that Iowa joins Virginia Tech and Rutgers as his three finalists. His commitment will take place live on FloWrestling.com and on FloWrestling’s social channels on May 31 at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Ferrari visited Blacksburg, Virginia, in April, but it was Iowa that got his final official visit. He spoke with FloWrestling’s David Bray to discuss his recruitment and what he likes about the Hawkeyes.

“It’s like going to see Alabama football. (They have) such a dynasty over there,” Ferrari said of Iowa.

It also made an impression on Ferrari that he was a recognizable figure in Iowa City on his official visit.

“Walking around campus, everybody knows you. It’s amazing. Wrestling is part of the culture in Iowa,” Ferrari said.

Bray also wrote this about why Angelo Ferrari has Iowa in his top three.

Tom Brands is a key figure in Hawkeye lore, and Ferrari appreciated meeting Iowa’s head coach in person. Angelo has looked up to Brands since seeing his intense approach to wrestling in the intro of ESPN’s “The Season” series with the Iowa Wrestling program. Ferrari was further impressed with the Head Coach in person, but the intensity surrounding the Hawkeye program wasn’t the only differentiator. He was struck by Iowa’s medical staff and emphasis on recovery after training as well.

Iowa was also the only campus Angelo visited with his brother Anthony who committed to the Hawks in March. While Angelo emphasized that his college commitment decision is an individual one, not a family decision, he does like the idea of competing alongside his older brother Anthony, and if NCAA champ AJ Ferrari gets back to college wrestling, Angelo would love having him as a teammate as well. – Bray, FloWrestling.

As Bray notes, one of Angelo’s two older brothers committed to the Hawkeyes in March. Anthony Ferrari was rated as the No. 23 overall prospect in the 2022 senior class by MatScouts and originally committed to Oklahoma State where he was projected to wrestle at 157 or 165 pounds.

Ferrari never officially enrolled or joined the Cowboy program. The Stillwater News Press reported in August that two misdemeanor assault and battery charges had been filed against Anthony Ferrari. Anthony Ferrari was given a one-year deferred sentence on Tuesday, April 11.

The oldest brother in the family, A.J. Ferrari, is also a standout wrestler. He burst onto the collegiate wrestling scene as a true freshman when he won an NCAA title with a 4-2 decision over Nino Bonaccorsi at 197 pounds. A.J. Ferrari was 10-0 the following season before injuries sustained in an automobile accident in January of 2022 sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Then, in July of 2022, A.J. was dismissed from the Oklahoma State wrestling program after prosecutors filed a sexual battery charge. According to online documents, A.J. Ferrari’s pretrial is set for July 18 and his jury trial is set for Sept. 26.

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Iowa wrestling adds lightweight depth with OU transfer

The Iowa Hawkeyes added lightweight depth, earning a commitment from Oklahoma Sooners transfer Joey Cruz.

The Iowa Hawkeyes found the lightweight depth they were looking for.

Former Oklahoma Sooner Joey Cruz announced his commitment to the Hawkeyes via Instagram on Saturday.

“I’m excited to announce that I will be furthering my education and athletic career at the University of Iowa. Thank you for everyone who’s been on this ride, we’re just getting started. Go Hawks!” Cruz wrote in his Instagram post.

Cruz entered the NCAA’s transfer portal on May 5 after former OU head wrestling coach Lou Rosselli abruptly resigned. He chose the Hawkeyes as his transfer destination over Maryland, Oregon State, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Cruz arrived in Norman, Oklahoma, as the No. 13 overall prospect and as the No. 3 recruit at 120 pounds by FloWrestling in the 2022 signing class. The Fresno, California, native also spent time as the nation’s top recruit per MatScouts.

He originally picked Oklahoma over offers from Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Little Rock. Cruz went 2-2 during his redshirt season with OU. All four of his matches came at the Michigan State Open.

Andy Hamilton of FloWrestling caught up with Cruz to discuss his entrance into the NCAA’s transfer portal and why he chose the Hawkeyes.

“I figured since there was a change (at Oklahoma), it wouldn’t be a problem seeing different schools as well. Iowa hit me up and we made it happen. Their wrestling style, I really feel like it fits my style. I’ve always been a Hawkeye fan myself since I was little. That’s what I really like — their style,” Cruz said.

Iowa returns 2022 NCAA qualifier Drake Ayala at 125 pounds and three-time NCAA qualifier Brody Teske at 133 pounds.

The Hawkeyes had a commitment from rising star lightweight Nate Jesuroga, but then he opted to sign up and join the Navy instead. The reason? An understandable one. Jesuroga said he simply fell out of love with the sport.

That meant Iowa was back in the market for lightweight help. They’ve found another potential star youngster.

“I felt more comfortable with this (recruiting) decision, especially with the experience of (going through a year in) college this year. I know what I needed and I feel like being here will take me to the next level I need to get to,” Cruz said.

The Hawkeyes finished runner-up to Penn State with 82.5 points back in March.

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Who is Beth Goetz? Meeting Iowa’s potential next AD

As the Gary Barta news broke, one name seemingly arose as a prominent, popular candidate. Who exactly is possible Hawkeye AD Beth Goetz?

It’s a new era for University of Iowa athletics.

Iowa is known for many things: a passionate fan base, a steady stream of success across all sports and a traditional way of doing things. Change is not all that common in Iowa City. After 17 years of serving as Iowa’s athletics director, Gary Barta announced his upcoming August retirement.

An interim athletics director is set to be announced next week. Current Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer Beth Goetz is the likely favorite for the interim position and could perhaps take over the role permanently.

A former All-American soccer player, Beth Goetz has done a great deal in the world of collegiate athletics over the past few decades. She has worked in some notable athletics departments and is no stranger to taking over a role on short notice.

A rising star in the world of colligate athletics, Goetz has been recognized nationally for her efforts at Ball State, both on and off the field. Given her background and national recognition by the NCAA, Goetz appears to be a candidate perfectly suited to uphold Iowa’s great tradition, while bringing the Hawkeyes into a new era.

Here is a more detailed look at a name that many are speculating just might be the Hawkeyes’ next athletics director.

Gabe Arnold leads future Iowa Hawkeyes at Junior freestyle national championships

A series of current and future Iowa Hawkeyes showcased the future is bright at the U.S. Open junior freestyle national championships.

The future is bright for Iowa wrestling.

This of course was never in doubt. Every year Iowa has a new pack of incoming youngsters ready to take the reigns from graduating All-American contenders. This year it’s no different, with a new generation of Hawkeyes competing tremendously at the U20 Junior men’s freestyle national championships. This weekend was a part of USA Wrestling’s U.S. Open events last week in Las Vegas.

Gabe Arnold grabbed all of the headlines, with his dominant performance at the 79-kilogram weight class. Though he was the big winner from this weekend, it was not just him at all. Multiple other Hawkeyes reached the finals and the podium, showcasing why Iowa will keep on being a force in Division I wrestling.

Here is a roundup of Iowa performances from this weekend at the U20 Junior men’s freestyle national championships.

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Thank You, Spencer Lee

Spencer Lee’s journey at Iowa ends with him owning legend status. A look back at his Hawkeye career.

The NCAA world is full of top-tier athletes, but every so often comes a competitor who separates themselves from the rest of the pack. They go much further than the label of greatness, giving fans a taste of dominance that only occurs once in a generation. Their actions become the center of lore and stories passed down from generation to generation, their name not to be soon forgotten.

Wrestling fans, both Iowa supporters and rivals, have been blessed over the years to get the chance to watch 125-pounder Spencer Lee in action. At a program known for its wrestling prowess, in the best wrestling conference in the NCAA, Spencer Lee helped redefine the standard for dominance at the weight class.

Three Big Ten championships, three NCAA championships and a 58-match winning streak are part of Spencer Lee’s path toward legendary status. Although he unfortunately was unable to join the illustrious club of four-time national champions, no one in their right mind can take anything away from what Spencer Lee has been able to accomplish throughout his collegiate career. No one can deny the success he is going to have representing his country at the next level either.

Lee has been the face of Iowa wrestling for some time now, embodying what it truly means to be a Hawkeye. It has been a pleasure to watch him give it all on the mat for the Black and Gold, and we cannot wait to see him star for the Red, White, and Blue.

The purpose of this piece is simple. Thank you, Spencer Lee. Thank you for creating the memories in Iowa City. Best of luck in the future.

Here is a look at Spencer Lee’s legendary journey in Iowa City.

Iowa’s top ranked Spencer Lee upset by Purdue’s Matt Ramos

Three-time national champion Spencer Lee of Iowa was upset, ruining his bid for a fourth title.

One of the biggest upsets in wrestling history was lost in the craziness of yesterday’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, including No. 16 Farleigh Dickinson’s upset of No.1 Purdue. Perhaps even more unlikely than Fairleigh Dickinson’s own upset win.

Iowa’s Spencer Lee, the nation’s top-ranked wrestler at 125 pounds and a three-time NCAA Champion was upset by No.4 Matt Ramos of Purdue.

Lee, entered Friday night on a 58-match winning streak and a career record of 98-6. He was a heavy favorite to claim his fourth NCAA Championship. Conversely, Ramos entered with a career record of 55-14 including 35-4 this season.

Ramos pulled off the historical upset despite trailing 7-5 heading into the final minute of the match. In the closing seconds, Ramous would pin Lee to ultimately win the match as time expired.

Now with his upset win over Lee, Ramos will move onto the finals where he’ll take on Pat Glory of Princeton. Both wrestlers will be looking for their first career national championships on Saturday.

The NCAA Men’s Wrestling Championships will conclude on Saturday with the finals taking place throughout the day. The NCAA Team Championship, however, has already been claimed as Penn State on Saturday morning won their 10th championship in 12 years and second in a row.

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Iowa wrestling yet again posts staggering attendance numbers

Iowa fans and Hawkeye wrestling attendance numbers demonstrated once more what everybody already knew: This sport is special inside Carver.

Whatever you do, do not label wrestling as just another sport at the University of Iowa.

While football will always get the attention—it is by far the most popular sport in the country and the Hawkeyes tend to be quite good at it—the wrestling mat is the true symbol of the Hawkeye State.

From the high school level where we just saw future Hawkeyes dominate at the IHSAA State Wrestling Championships to the collegiate ranks with a combined 34 national championships within the state of Iowa (thank you for your contribution Cornell College), few states embody the spirit of wrestling like the Hawkeye State. I mean, the site of the first ever wrestling national championship was in the state of Iowa.

Wrestling isn’t the other sport coinciding with basketball in Iowa City as it is for other schools, it is the main attraction. It is the fire inside of Carver–Hawkeye Arena that keeps the fanbase going through the extremely cold Iowa winters.

The stats back up just how much Iowans love their wrestling, too. As reported by FloWrestling, Iowa averaged over 14,000 per home dual for the second year in a row this season. They have also averaged over 10,000 during five of the past seven seasons. The past two years post-Covid really tell the whole story. Carver-Hawkeye Arena is sold out for every Iowa dual, something we’ve known since the beginning of the season.

Iowa enters the postseason with a 15-1 dual record and very much in contention for both the Big Ten and national championships. With the success of the Iowa program this year as well as the pedigree of incoming recruits, don’t expect those attendance numbers to dip anytime soon!

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Spencer Lee is a Hawkeye legend, a look at his best moments with the Hawkeyes

Spencer Lee is among the greatest to ever do it at Iowa regardless of the sport. Here are some of his best moments with the Hawkeyes.

Regardless of the sport, Spencer Lee has more than a strong foundation to be arguably the best, most-decorated, all-time athlete to ever be a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes program.

Lee’s list of accomplishments is long: undefeated at home inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, a two-time Big Ten champion, a three-time NCAA champion, a two-time Junior World champion, a US National Champion, and No. 1 ranking through nearly all of his collegiate career at the 125-pound weight class.

An elite mentality is part of what makes Lee so phenomenal. Lee famously won the 2021 NCAA championship with both of his ACLs torn, just an incredible feat that shows his toughness and grit to go get something he has worked so hard for.

As Lee eyes this season’s Big Ten Championships and the NCAA Championships, let’s take a moment to look at some of the best photos of Lee’s time as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

 

Iowa recruits looking to make history at Iowa state wrestling championships

Iowa football signee Ben Kueter is looking to track down history at the state wrestling championships along with several other Hawkeyes.

Iowa football and wrestling signee Ben Kueter will look to make history this weekend at the Wells Fargo Arena. The Iowa City senior will look to end his illustrious high school career with an exclamation mark, becoming the 32nd wrestler in Iowa history to win four state championships.

As they have been the past few years, all eyes will be on the Class 3A 220 pound bracket. Iowa City’s Ben Kueter enters in as the top seed and heavy presumptive favorite en route to a historic undefeated career. Few have been as untouchable as Kueter over the past year, nor as fun. The 220-pounder is currently undefeated at 35-0 with no matches going to a decision.

That’s right, 31 of Kueter’s 35 wins have come via pin fall. He is more likely to win by forfeit (which he has twice) than by a decision. This has been the story over the past few years, with 51 pin falls in the last two years.

The World Champion does not simply look to win, he looks to dominate.

Kueter is not the only Hawkeye looking to win a state championship this weekend though. Fellow three-star 2023 recruit Maddux Borcherding-Johnson is the top ranked heavyweight in Class 3A as well. Looking at the 220 pound bracket that Kueter is in, two preferred walk-ons in Rusty VanWetzinga and Cael Winter are ranked sixth and seventh respectively.

Looking outside of Class 3A, 2024  recruit Cody Fox is the second-ranked heavyweight in Class 1A. The four-star went 33-1 this season as a junior, and placed fourth at state as a sophomore last year.

The action at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines will start on Wednesday and conclude on Saturday.

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