A lot to unpack here. Tom Brands is heading into his 21st season as the head of Iowa wrestling. Over the past two decades Brands & Co have led the Hawkeyes to 15 team trophies. Including four team titles, two silver trophies, four bronze trophies & five fourth place trophies. Quite an impressive resume. Only four times as head coach, has Brands went home without a team trophy. 8th in his first season, which everyone forgives. Then 5th, which is one place from a trophy in both 2016 & 2024. It was the 6th place finish last year that many point to.
Now wrestling is a funny sport. I know many teams & many coaches that would celebrate & rejoice over a 6th place finish in DI nation. Not Tom Brands. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Tom has had a good night's sleep since. I think the B&G faithful overall continue to support and believe in Brands, but I also know having been around it for 35 years, they won't put up with their expectations not being met.
It seems in many ways the world of college wrestling coaching is a young man's game. We're seeing more & more coaches in their 30's, some even still in their 20's taking over programs. Out with the John Smith, in with the David Taylor. Brent Metcalf taking over for Kevin Dresser at Iowa State. Brands is pushing 60 & it makes me wonder how much longer he'll have at the helm. Then again, Mark Manning is 65 years old, & he's in the very best years of his coaching life.
Iowa enjoys holding on to information as long as humanely possible. Times when schedules come out a week post the first competition of the season. I wouldn't be all that surprised if a few more huge announcements came within the next couple of months.
Here's what I do know....
Gone....
Dean Peterson finished up his collegiate wrestling career a four-time NCAA DI qualifier. Heart goes out to the kid, who finished R12 three out of those four times. 6th-7th-5th-5th at the BIG 10s, he won 77 matches during his career.
Drake Ayala, who I would call one of the best to never win a BIG 10 title. 3rd-2nd-3rd in what is easily the toughest conference in all of DI wrestling. Had a great NCAA DI run too going 2nd-2nd-5th at the national championships. 83 career wins. Going to be an assistant at Iowa State now. Ironic isn't it? He'll now be a big reason why the rival Cyclones will improve drastically in the lower weights.
Kale Petersen hasn't announced where he's going yet, but he is in the transfer portal. 18 wins on the season last year, really showed a lot of talent & skill taking 3rd at the Soldier Salute where he defeated Cayden Riccardi for that bronze showing.
UPDATE: Petersen has decided to stay with the Hawkeye program. Doesn't seem to be much room for him in the varsity lineup, but he'll remain a very strong, solid & important backup.
Mikey Caliendo. Would have to conclude him one of the best to not win an NCAA DI title & one of the best to not win a BIG 10 title. 7th-4th-2nd-2nd in the DI nation, he was 3rd-2nd-2nd during his time in the BIG 10. 103 career wins.
Mo Endene was another who ended up not matching up well with Iowa. He gave us previews & glimpses last year about how well he's going to do in NCAA Division I, but the overall verdict is still out. The three-time NCAA DIII champion will be representing Little Rock in 2026-2027, this time at HWT
Back....
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125
Leo DeLuca Or Joey Cruz |
We have an East Coast/West Coast clash here at 125 lbs. Blair Academy has produced a ton of phenomenal talent over the years, and Leo DeLuca is one of them. We haven't seen a whole heck of a lot out of DeLuca on the collegiate scene yet, but a win over Mack Mauger provides good suggestion.
Joey Cruz, was an NCAA DI qualifier in 2025. I think most are giving the nod to DeLuca, but I do expect the Fresno, California native to put up a fight for that starting spot.
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133
Ryan Crookham |
Every season Iowa heads into the year with question marks, and the biggest question mark regarding Hawkeye wrestling in 2026-2027 is Ryan Crookham. If healthy the 2024 NCAA DI bronze medalist is no question about it, a top contender for the 2027 national title. If healthy, if 100%. Yet '24-25 ended with injury & '25-'26 ended with injury too. Health seems the obstacle here.
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141
Nasir Bailey |
4th in the NCAA DI tournament as a freshman, Nasir Bailey has been searching for his way back onto the award stand ever since. Came within one match last season. I really think he will once again earn All-American status this season & I'll tell you why. He learns & he improves. He really impressed me with his bronze medal run at the BIG 10's last year. Saw him get manhandled 10-1 against Vombaur earlier in the season & he came back to defeat Vombaur 7-4 in the BIG 10's. Looking over the names for 141, it's loaded, but I don't see any names in there that Bailey at his best can't overcome.
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149
Ryder Block |
Ryder Block's 6th place NCAA DI All-American run was one of my favorite moments of the 2026-2027 season last year. When you think about the history of Iowa wrestling, the tradition of the black & gold, it's moments like Ryder Block in Cleveland, Ohio. That's what Iowa wrestling is. That's what the Hawkeyes are all about. Going in, being doubted, and silencing the critics. As I said earlier, 6th (as a team) isn't where anyone involved with the B&G wanted to finish but just think about where Iowa might have finished if Block hadn't have stepped in and stepped up. The soul of Iowa wrestling, the spirit, whatever it is, Block has it.
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157
Victor Voinovich Or Miguel Estrada |
Victor Voinovich got the nod right towards the tail end of the season & in my opinion that's the only reason he didn't qualify for the NCAA DI championships last year. The 2023 qualifier has some skills & we'll get to see them this year if he's the starter. I know many have a lot of faith in Bakersfield, California native Miguel Estrada & he could end up our starter as well.
Then again...
UPDATE:
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157
Jordan Williams |
Looks like Jordan Williams is going to remain a Hawkeye after all. This one sort of surprised me a bit, but anymore I suppose the beauty of college wrestling is to expect the unexpected. I'll probably catch hell for saying this, but at the present moment, I'm not completely counting Voinovich out of the conversation. Their one & only official meeting was now three seasons ago, with Williams winning a 7-3 match. One match shy of being an All-American in 2025, both he & the Brands expect nothing less than a top 8 finish in 2027.
And yet another UPDATE: Victor Voinovich was not granted further eligibility & his career has unfortunately come to an end.
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165
Carter Schubert |
Forced to leave California Baptist due to the greed & stupidity of Dr. Micha Parker, Carter Schubert put together a 22-8 record this past season for the Sooners of Oklahoma. Among his victories, M.J. Gaitan, Lenny Pinto & Jared Simma. 4th at the BIG 12, he was one match shy of being an All-American. Iowa picked up a good one in the transfer portal.
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174
Gabe Arnold |
The soul, the spirit of Iowa wrestling? The heart has various parts that carry blood to the body & if Block is the aorta, then Gabe Arnold is superior vena cava. Tony Ersland is my all-time favorite Hawkey, with Tyler Nixt & Jamie Heidt being two other favorites, but I'll be if Gabe Arnold isn't slowly creeping up to that #1 spot for me. He's everything that you could want in a wrestler. He wrestled at three different weight classes last year! He was willing to go anywhere where it helped out the team. The Georgia native not only wrestled up two weight classes, he took 7th in the DI nation! Again, like Block, take away Arnold's miraculous performance & then tell me where Iowa finishes at the end of last season. Very anxious to see how he does wrestling a full season at 174 where his weight is managed & maintained the whole season. I think he can be a national champion. Post his career, I think Iowa should create a new team award in his honor. Perhaps I'm saying that a little premature, but if this guy gets a bloody nose this season, I doubt it'll be red. It'll be gold, cause he breaths & bleeds B&G.
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184
Angelo Ferrari |
Another question mark for Iowa was we head into 2026-2027. As focused and fixated as Angelo Ferrari seems to be, I can't see him being all that distracted by everything going on with his brother A.J. Angelo, A.J. & Anthony, all three brothers seem to be individuals, concerned with doing their own thing. With that said, it still lingers in the back of my mind. I'll say it now for the fifth time. 6th isn't where Iowa wanted to finish, and had Ferrari finished higher than 6th himself that probably would have propelled the Hawkeyes to a higher finish. Ferrari is still among the DI title contenders at 184 lbs this season. One who for good reason, has a lot that will be expected out of him in '26-'27.
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197
Harvey Ludington |
17-4 on the year, I don't feel that Harvey Ludington has really been tested yet at the NCAA Division I level. As of right now, I await to see how he matches up against the other 197'ers within the BIG 10 & the NCAA.
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HWT
Ben Kueter |
Here's another Hawkeye that has impressed me the past two seasons. 8th & 5th thus far in the DI nation, Ben Kueter heads into his junior year, Y3, whatever we call it now, a two-time All-American. He's a learning wrestler. One that consistently makes improvements & adjustments to get better. HWT cleared out quite a bit last year with Trumble, Bastida, Ghadiali, Doucet & Szuba now all out of eligibility. Ferrari, who knows? I realize a lot of good talent is coming back, as well as coming in too. However, at the rate that Kueter improves, could he possibly contend for the national title this year?
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HWT
Michael Mocco |
Some 25 years ago, fans everywhere were super hyped & excited about an incoming freshman from Blair Academy by the name of Steve Mocco. 1/4 of a century later, here we are equally excited about his son.
