2023 NCAA DI The Season: Northern Iowa

 *NOTE* - I want to make it clear what this is and what this is not.  What this is NOT is an overview of the entire team. What this is, is a who’s who preview of THIS season 2022-2023. Meaning that I am going to talk about the starters who I feel will have an impact THIS year. Those who will win big matches in duals. Those who will earn placings in major tournaments like CKLV, RENO, MIDLANDS, MATMEN INVITE, SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, CONFERENCES & NCAA’s.  In some cases a weight class will have multiple talented wrestlers. I will note that & I will also be making posts later on about the best wrestle-offs to look forward to this season.  Then after that is determined I will make post later into the season of who our best backups are in the nation.

This post will NOT include redshirts. Those who are redshirting this season will be included in a separate post entitled “22’-23’ Best Redshirts.”  

I never did get my answer as to what became of Carter Isley last season. Was he hurt? Was he injured? Was Tyrell Gordon simply the better man on the mat? Don't know. What I do know is that Isley, a two time NCAA qualifier, 5th at both the Midlands & CKLV no longer has any eligibility. Transferring has also took two of the Panthers talents as Brody Teske is now at Iowa & Tristan Lara is now at Oregon State. On the bright side Northern Iowa returns seven NCAA qualifiers, one a national champion contender. 

133 lbs
Kyle Biscoglia     OR      Julian Farber

It would be nice if one of these two talents could move down to 125. Both of these guys are NCAA qualification material & I'd rather see one down at 125 earning another qualification for the Panthers than I would as a backup all season. As to who will win this wrestle-off? Could go either way.  Biscoglia owns an 8-3 decision over Farber & Farber owns a 5-3 decision over Biscoglia. As to accolades, Biscolgia 21-10 on the season was an NCAA qualifier last year & he also owns a 7th place Midlands finish in his resume as well. Farber was 16-7, placing 4th at the Mat Men Open. 

14l bs
Cael Happel

17-10 on the season last year, Cael Happel has yet to make an NCAA tournament, but I'd bet that he will this season. Among his victories of note, Alan Hart of Missouri & Marcos Polanco of Minnesota. 

149 lbs
Colin Realbuto 

An NCAA qualifier for the Panthers last season, look for Colin Realbuto to earn another qualification this year. 

157 lbs
Derek Holschlag

We saw some good things out of Derek Holschlag last year in his 21-14 NCAA qualification season.  An impressive win over 2021 NCAA All American Wyatt Sheets of Oklahoma State, I think we'll see more out of him this year. 

165 lbs
Austin Yant 

Two time NCAA qualifier Austin Yant was 19-8 on the season last year with an impressive 3rd place finish at the BIG 12's. With Keegan O'Toole of Missouri, David Carr of Iowa State & Peyton Hall of West Virginia, if he can manage it again, it'll be even more impressive. 

174 lbs
Lance Runyon 

Two time NCAA qualifier Lance Runyon strikes me as a top 12 wrestler very capable of making his way into the top 8.  174 is loaded as are the rest of the weight classes, but Runyon has the tools to make it happen. 

184 lbs
Parker Keckeisen

I've said it before & now I'm saying it again. I still feel that by the time Parker Keckeisen's career is all said & done, that he could very well be the best Panther of all time. Already 3rd in the nation the past two seasons, the only thing standing between him and a national title is Aaron Brooks of Penn State. Thus far the Nittany Lion has snuck past the Panther twice in 3-2 & 6-4 decisions. It's not like Brooks is miles ahead of Keckeisen. He's simply a step & once Keckeisen figures out how to make that step, Brooks will have himself a contender.  Trent Hidlay of North Carolina State is also in the mix. Keckeisen owns a 7-5 tiebreaker over the Wolfpack member. 

HWT
Tyrell Gordon 

An NCAA qualifier last season for the Panthers look for Tyrell Gordon to improve upon his record and earn another qualification this season. Zachary Knighton Ward of Hofstra & Luke Surber of Oklahoma State among his more notable wins.