Hawkeye Wrestling Club gets big boost from Arctic Plunge

IOWA CITY - The Hawkeye Wrestling Club continues to gain momentum.

Not only have recent accomplishments improved, but so has the support for those athletes earning them.

The HWC held its fourth annual Arctic Plunge event Saturday night, where current members and supporters brave frigid waters to raise money for the organization dedicated to provide training, coaching and resources for international wrestling success.

This year's plunge was held at Coralville's Brown Deer Golf Course after nightfall for the second straight year. It also generated a record amount of money for the club, pulling in more than $95,000, according to HWC adviser and University of Iowa Director of Wrestling Operations Luke Eustice.

'It pretty much blew anything we ever done out of the water,” said Eustice, noting that it bested a silent auction that raised about $60,000 once. 'It was good.”

The money total was about double from a year ago. Eustice estimated the number of jumpers was in the mid-30s.

HWC members Tony Ramos and Brent Metcalf were 2014 U.S. World Team Trials champions, representing the U.S. at the World Championships. Matt McDonough is a member of the World team and earned bronze at the 2014 University World Championships. Phil Keddy was a 2013 World Team member.

Eustice said high-profile athletes, who have been around the program for years and remain in the Iowa City area to train, help draw support. Their success and more emphasis on making others aware about why the club is important and ways they can assist have strengthened the brand.

'It's snowballing on itself,” said Eustice, who wrestled for the HWC after being an NCAA runner-up for the Hawkeyes. 'I think those things all kind of work together. Like I always tell our guys, is we don't have much of a brand if you're not out there competing and winning. You're our biggest billboard.”

The ultimate goal is for the club to completely support the wrestlers' endeavors. Some rely on other clubs to supplement funding. These fundraising events help move in that direction, which will free them up for more opportunities.

'It's huge, because we can do what we want to do,” Eustice said. 'We can send these guys where we want to go. It streamlines everything, less red tape.”

Current Hawkeye wrestlers also benefit from the HWC. Thomas Gilman and Sammy Brooks have competed in the FILA Junior World Championships since joining the program. Gilman has represented the U.S. at the Junior World Championships the last two years. The university is not involved in covering expenses, so the HWC helps with costs, including vehicle rentals, hotels and entry fees.

'It's not just helping post-collegiate guys,” Eustice said. 'I think that is the next step that we're going to get to in trying to communicate what we're about.

'It's not all the money is going to post-collegiate guys. There are expenses our college guys have over the summer in freestyle that school doesn't pick up and if these guys are doing their job they are on world teams at the FILA Junior and University level. We're picking up the tab for them, too.”

Cyclones rising

Iowa State turned some heads with its recent 21-12 victory over previously sixth-ranked Virginia Tech in Ames. The Cyclones climbed to No. 8 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association/USA Today NCAA Division I Coaches Poll released Tuesday.

Iowa State claimed six weights, receiving bonus points from major decisions by Luke Goettl (157), 165-pounder Mike Moreno and Kyven Gadson at 197. Tanner Weatherman (174) earned Big 12 Wrestler of the Week honors with his win over then No. 9 Zach Epperly, 4-3.

It was the first win over a top-10 ranked team in the coaches' poll since beating Cornell University on Jan. 31, 2010.

'We can get better,” Iowa State Coach Kevin Jackson said in his weekly news conference. 'We have to be better, but what is exciting is we won the dual and nobody on the team can say they had their best match. I can't say that was the best we've wrestled all year. It wasn't and it hasn't happened yet, so hopefully it happens Sunday.”

Iowa State (6-1) hosts No. 7 Oklahoma State (5-2) at Hilton Coliseum on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m. Both teams have lost to top-ranked Iowa and the Cowboys have also fallen to No. 2 Minnesota.

The Cyclones look for a much needed win over the Cowboys, who have been perched atop the Big 12.

'They have had a strangle hold on the conference,” Jackson said. 'It's huge.”

Cabell posts big win

University of Northern Iowa heavyweight Blaize Cabell posted an impressive win Friday, when the Panthers faced Virginia Tech at the West Gym in Cedar Falls.

Cabell scored two third-period takedowns to defeat then sixth-ranked Ty Walz, 5-3. Cabell, a former Independence prep who had recently cracked the top-10, moved up to eighth in the Amateur Wrestling News rankings and is 2-0 against Walz all-time.

'That's a good win for him,” UNI Coach Doug Schwab said after the dual. 'He had a couple of good attacks. I think he can get even more attacks than he did. That's a big win for him. He's got a little roll going for him. He needs to keep riding the momentum.”

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