Hawkeyes celebrate Olympian at the expense of one of their own

IOWA CITY — The night was supposed to be cause for celebration.

And, for a faction of University of Iowa wrestling they had good reason.

The Hawkeyes added another Olympian to their storied listed of accomplished alumni. The unfortunate aspect is it came at the expense of another Hawkeye Wrestling Club member.

Daniel Dennis completed his improbable story of nomad to champion at the USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials last night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Dennis swept two-time U.S. World team member Tony Ramos in a best-of-3 series at 125 1/2 pounds, becoming the first Hawkeye Olympian since Doug Schwab and Mike Zadick competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

Dennis, a two-time All-American and 2010 NCAA runner-up, downplayed the magnitude of the achievement.

'Pretty good,' Dennis said of where it ranks in his career. 'I'll tell you after the Olympics where it rates.'

Ramos, who wrestled on two straight World teams since capping his Iowa career with the 2014 133-pound NCAA crown, saw his Olympic hopes come to a screeching halt. His time in Iowa City may have as well.

'I guess the biggest thing right now that I'm feeling, I'm not trying to put the blame on anyone for the loss,' said Ramos, who found out on social media that Iowa Coach Tom Brands would be in Dennis' corner, despite being told both Tom and twin brother and Iowa associate head coach Terry Brands would be in his. 'That's on me. I was the one out there wrestling. I feel this whole situation with me and Dennis was handled not in the best way.

'I was lied to a couple times. I feel like I was stabbed in the back. I feel like I was loyal to a fault to coaches and athletes from things that I've seen and right now the first thing I'm thinking is I need to move on and get out of this program.'

Brands said he had talked to Ramos' brother, but not Tony. He said he has been in his figurative corner since he came to Iowa. Brands said it was discussed that he would be in his corner and claimed to be, despite physically being in Dennis' for the finals. Brands said the relationship is salvageable from his side and the door is open for Ramos.

'I don't see it that way,' Brands said. 'I see two guys after the same thing. They're both Hawkeyes. They're both vital to our program. Because of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, they've had opportunities to pursue something that is the pinnacle of the sport and when you're talking about things that unravel a little bit it's easy to go the sour-grape route. Maybe that's easy. When you're accusing someone of lying and things that aren't true. I have a hard time believing that is true because from day one that guy walked on campus he's been my guy.'

Dennis stepped away from competition for a few years, placing second at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials and winning the 2016 U.S. Open. He said he didn't envisioned the Olympics when he returned but his supporters were excited about the potential.

'I really don't plan too far down the road,' Dennis said. 'It's not my personality. I don't do a good job of that.

Hlas: Daniel Dennis will take some Iowa to Rio

'I got a lot of support from friends in California ...

I was just testing the waters, seeing what the reaction would be and he was ecstatic about it. There were a couple of people like that.'

Their faith proved to be well founded in the No. 3 seed. Dennis surrendered just five points in four matches. His most impressive clinched the Olympic team spot, handing Ramos his only two losses ever in CHA.

With one win under his belt, Dennis was ready for another physical bout. He scored a go-behind for the first takedown and then rifled off four straight gut-wrenches, recording the 10-0 technical fall in just 64 seconds.