McDonough strives for best on and off the mat

IOWA CITY - University of Iowa's Matt McDonough has displayed his relentless nature to Hawkeye wrestling fans the last two years.

The red-shirt sophomore 125-pounder is constantly moving, creating angles, hitting moves and locking up holds to dominate opponents. It's what led him to his national title performance last year and has him in position to win a second straight crown at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, beginning Thursday at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Competition starts at 10 a.m. (Iowa time). McDonough (23-1) enters as the second seed, facing Manuel Ramirez of University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

McDonough's fire and desire to be the best extends beyond the mat, because all parts of his life are connected. The sport has taught him that over the years.

"It's a sport that demands so much endurance, strength, mental toughness with controlling your weight, how you eat, how you manage your time, the whole spectrum," McDonough said. "In each minor detail, if you're doing whatever you can do to the best of your ability that only positively affects your chances on the mat.

"Your energy, attitude and confidence, realizing what is the other guy doing. Is he doing everything right because I know that I am."

McDonough doesn't take anything in his life lightly. Wrestling, his spiritual and family life and school are equally as important to McDonough.

"One thing effects the other," McDonough said. "You have to work everything as best you can.

You have to have priorities. Your educational life, your athletic life, your social life, you have to figure out what's most important and stick to that." 

McDonough has always demonstrated those traits. The need to constantly improve all areas of his life is one of the reasons he is successful, according to his mom, Sandi McDonough.

"Matt is so driven, in general, as a person," Sandi McDonough said. "Matt tries new things and finds new ways to do things better all the time."

Iowa Coach Tom Brands called McDonugh a good kid who works hard. He compared McDonough's devotion with that of former Hawkeye three-time NCAA finalist and two-time national champ Brent Metcalf. That is quite a compliment.

"He's looking for an edge and he's one of those guys that wants what's best for his future and always looking to build," Brands said. "He reminds me of (former Iowa four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion Mark) Ironside. He reminds me of the group on that wall in there that are probably the most celebrated names in Hawkeyes history..."

McDonough has already joined the list of Hawkeye All-Americans, national champions and Big Ten champions that are on the wall of the Iowa practice room. Brands said a bit of complacency set in before the season, but  that's long gone and McDonough always remains more open to coaching than others at his level.

"Probably more trainable to some regards than a lot of the high-powered guys I've been around," Brands said. "He's pretty humble. Pretty coachable."

When McDonough steps away from wrestling he continues a tight schedule, trying to spend as much time with family and friends as possible. He makes sure to catch up with grandparents, watch a movie with his father or play a video game or two with one of his brothers.

Mike McDonugh, Matt's dad, and a former Iowa wrestler in the 1970's, called his son a type "A" personality.

"He's just busy," Mike McDonough said. "When he comes home to see family he wants to see and touch base with everybody."

Mike McDonough said there is some down time where McDonough recharges his batteries. He has always been that way.

"I used to say when he was a kid Matt had two speeds - fast and off," Mike McDonough said with a laugh.

McDonough devotes a lot of time working wrestling camps and even talks at churches, influencing others, especially youth, according to Sandi McDonough. She said he's always had an affection for children and that he's a prime example of a leader by example, which has carried on in his role with the Hawkeyes.

But, a time existed when McDonough wasn't capturing titles. His development is related to that need get better. setbacks only added motivation.

"He's resilient," Sandi McDonough said. "He lost a lot when he was younger. He took his lumps, big time. Those type of things get you to become who you are."

The impact is likely still being made. McDonough suffered his first defeat in the Big Ten finals last year, but that fueled his fire that led to an NCAA title in his first national appearance. In the Midlands Championships finals, he was defeated by Brandon Precin, which is his only loss this year, and he has beaten Precin twice since.

"You know, he's pretty tough," Brands said about McDonough. "When it comes down to the bare nones of it, Matt McDonough's a tough son of a gun. There's no doubt."

So where does that toughness and tenacious attitude originate? The consensus is Sandi combined with Mike's problem-solving ability.

"If you put the two together," Sandi said, "I think that's how you get somebody that does what Matt does."

With all Matt has done this season, it still wasn't enough to claim the top-spot from the seeding committee, even if he is the top-ranked defending champion who avenged his only loss with two wins over that opponent. Arizona State's Anthony Robles (31-0) received the No. 1 seed. McDonough said he isn't concerned with seeds.

"It's not important to me," said McDonough, who won in 2010 after being the third-seed. "What's important is showing up ready to go and no mercy and going through that tournament like a forest fire."

The semifinals could feature the fourth meeting between McDonough and the No. 3 seed Precin (30-2). McDonough has won the last two contests, scoring a late takedown for a 3-1 win in the finals of the Big Ten Championships. McDonough's approach for this tournament is the same as all the rest, so that's why it doesn't matter where he sits in the bracket or who he wrestles in any round.

"The only thing it does is give me another competitor to face, probably Precin," McDonough said. "Most people want me to say, 'Yeah, it's going to fire me up more,' but it makes no difference because the end result isn't who you wrestle in the semifinals. It's who you wrestle in the finals. Realistically, it's who you wrestle in the first match."

McDonough has been a leader for a Hawkeye lineup that saw up to eight new starters, but managed a whopping nine NCAA qualifiers. The Hawkeyes are contenders to win their fourth straight NCAA team title, competing with the likes of Cornell, Penn State and Oklahoma State. Returning NCAA finalist Montell Marion (141) is the only other Hawkeye with national tournament experience.

Tony Ramos (133), Derek St. John (157), Aaron Janssen (165), Ethen Lofthouse (174), Grant Gambrall (184), Luke Lofthouse at 197 and heavyweight Blake Rasing are making their NCAA tournament debut. The emphasis is always on each wrestler doing their best and that leads to team success.

"We've never been about team titles," Brands said. "The team title will take care of itself when the individuals do their job."