Champion McDonough leads cast of newcomers for Brands’ wrestlers

IOWA CITY - Tom Brands and the University of Iowa wrestling team accept this latest challenge.

They know turnover is a part of college athletics, and the Hawkeyes will have to overcome that very dilemma for the 2010-11 college wrestling season.

The Hawkeyes need to replace eight starters from last year as they attempt to win fourth straight Big Ten and NCAA team titles and extend a school record 61-match dual winning streak.

“There's a lot of excitement that is going into this season because of that turnover, and when you're talking about excitement it's not always about having a high-powered team coming back,” Brands said during Thursday media day. “Actually, the fans are almost contrary to that. They want to see the new guys on the mat, so to speak.”

The Hawkeyes, ranked as low as 11th in preseason polls, graduated seven senior starters, including six All-Americans and national champions in Brent Metcalf and Jay Borschel. How those big shoes get filled depends on how the wrestlers trying them on progress.

“We like our guys,” Brands said. “They know how to wrestle. I'm not making a prediction, but the unknown is the toughness factor when it's time to get tough. And that's a big part of wrestling, especially in this program where you make your living being tough.”

The top returner is defending national champion Matt McDonough. The red-shirt sophomore was 37-1 at 125 pounds.

McDonough said he knows a target is fixed to his back.

“The things I'm doing in the room are the same,” McDonough said. “My objective's the same. The way I train is the same. It's not just about national titles. It's just about performing the best I can and living up to my own expectations, and that may be the top (of the) podium.”

The cupboard is far from bare for Brands. Seniors Jake Kerr and Aaron Janssen have varsity experience after alternating at 157 until Kerr received the nod for the Big Ten tournament. Kerr was fourth at the Big Ten meet, qualified for the NCAA meet and ended the season with a 13-11 record. Janssen was 12-4.

Red-shirt sophomore Nate Moore filled in at 133 pounds when Daniel Dennis injured an ankle. He went 9-6 and should contend for a spot at 133 with red-shirt Tony Ramos, who was 12-0 with three open tournament titles. Tyler Clark, an NCAA qualifier for Iowa State in 2009, is eligible and could contend at 133 as well.

Luke Lofthouse will look to replace Chad Beatty at 197 pounds. He filled in admirably last season when Beatty missed extended time with a broken foot, going 19-13. Heavyweights Blake Rasing and Jordan Johnson saw varsity action in the first half of last season. Rasing, who took Iowa State national champ David Zabriskie into overtime, seems to be the front-runner after a 9-9 record last year.

“Yeah we're going to be younger but we're still going to be talented,” Janssen said. “We're still going to be loaded.”

Red-shirt freshmen Derek St. John and Ethen Lofthouse had solid first seasons. St. John, who won the 157 wrestle-off at the start of the season, placed sixth at the Midlands Championships and finished with a 26-4 mark.Grant Gambrall, a red-shirt sophomore, went 22-6 overall at 184, including a fifth-place showing at the Midlands.

The Hawkeyes also welcome the top recruiting class from last year, including Josh Dziewa of Pennsylvania and Mike Evans of New Jersey, Moore of Iowa City West and heavyweight Bobby Telford, Waverly-Shell Rock three-time state champ Jake Ballweg and Cedar Falls two-time state champ Michael Kelly.