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5 Iowa storylines to follow in the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Iowa’s team potential and the Hawkeyes’ best shot at a finalist. Iowa State vies for best team finish under Kevin Dresser. Can UNI’s Parker Keckeisen continue dominance? Tanner Sloan vies for another finals appearance.
Mar. 17, 2024 3:47 pm, Updated: Mar. 17, 2024 6:18 pm
The field and the brackets have been set for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships March 21-23 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. There are plenty of intriguing storylines for all three state schools and former Iowa preps in the field. Here are five things to watch:
Iowa’s rebound from Big Ten showing
Iowa enters the national tournament after a fourth-place team finish without an individual champion at the Big Ten tournament. The Hawkeyes have the potential to place higher at the NCAA tournament than in the qualifier. Don’t get caught up in prognostications, including the fact that Iowa projects ninth according to seedings. Only nine points separate third through ninth. Those don’t count possible bonus points and can easily be made up with someone placing a couple spots above their seed and another team having a high seed miss the podium.
Iowa has nine wrestlers in the field. NCAA finalist Real Woods (141) and Drake Ayala at 125 pounds lead the way as No. 3 seeds. Michael Caliendo, who was an All-American last season at North Dakota State, provides another medalist candidate as the No. 6 seed at 165. Zach Glazier has produced one of the top seasons with a 24-2 mark with his lone losses coming to Penn State’s top-ranked three-time NCAA champion Aaron Brooks, including one in the Big Ten finals.
Like Caliendo, Franek was an All-American at NDSU in 2023. He is seeded 10th at 157 but has the potential to return to the podium. Patrick Kennedy makes another NCAA appearance. He is the No. 12 seed at 174. Kennedy would need one additional win, which is possible, to make the podium. Iowa needs a total team effort but can contend for a trophy, especially with five or six All-Americans.
Is Iowa’s finalist streak at risk?
Iowa doesn’t have a wrestler seeded in the top two of their weight class. Flowrestling.com’s Andy Hamilton reported this is just the third time since 1975 that has happened. But third-seeded Cory Clark made the 133-pound finals in 2015 as the No. 3 seed. Mark Perry was the No. 4 seed at 165 in 2005, beating Lehigh’s Troy Letters before earning a runner-up finish to Oklahoma State’s Johnny Hendricks.
The Hawkeyes are in jeopardy of not having a finalist for the first time since 1989 — freshman seasons for Tom and Terry Brands. That’s the only time since 1974 that has happened. Iowa has a few wrestlers with the potential to take the Saturday night stage.
Ayala (125) and Woods (141) are both seeded third. Woods was an NCAA finalist a year ago. When he’s on, Woods can rack up points on his feet and in the top position. We just haven’t seen that consistently this season. Woods is more than capable of putting it all together for one final run. He does have North Carolina’s No. 6 Lachlan McNeil, who he beat in the finals of the Soldier Salute, and Penn State’s Beau Bartlett, who beat him in the February dual.
Ayala is one of the leaders in what can only be called the most unpredictable weight class of the entire season. Upsets galore. Even Stanford’s No. 14 seed Nico Provo, who could be Ayala’s second-round foe, was ranked No. 1 nationally at one point. The whole “anyone can beat anybody” cliché fits here. If Ayala reaches the quarterfinals, he could face Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley, who Ayala beat in sudden victory to end the regular season. Lehigh’s Luke Stanich is the No. 2 seed, despite being ranked ninth nationally.
Despite being ranked 10th at 157, All-American Jared Franek has a strong chance to return to the podium and even a possible opportunity to reach the finals.
Iowa State Cyclones’ climb continues
Iowa State has impressed in tournament competition. Remember when the Cyclones captured the Cliff Kleen Las Vegas Invitational in December? It was just a precursor to winning its first Big 12 Championships team title since 2009.
Iowa State also has nine qualifiers, looking to improve last year’s 11th-place finish, which was the best under seven-year head coach Kevin Dresser. The Cyclones are poised for their first top-10 finish since getting third in 2010, which was Kevin Jackson’s first year as head coach.
Yonger Bastida leads the way as the No. 2 seed at heavyweight. He is 24-0 and has displayed power and athleticism, moving up from 197. He beat Air Force’s Wyatt Hendrickson in the conference finals, handing him his lone loss. The pair could meet again in the semifinals.
Iowa State also has fourth-seeded and former NCAA champion David Carr at 165. Carr was an NCAA finalist last season. He fell to Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole in last year’s national final and again at this season’s Big 12 final. Carr can win that rematch in the semifinals and wrestle for another title.
The Cyclones have much more balance than previous seasons. Anthony Echemendia is the No. 5 seed at 141. Evan Frost (133) has had a breakout season and is the No. 8 seed, as is 149-pounder Casey Swiderski. Cody Chittum (157) and 184-pound All-American Will Feldkamp, a transfer from Clarion, can reach the podium. Iowa State could produce its best finish under Dresser.
Parker Keckeisen’s dominance
Few wrestlers have been dominant like Northern Iowa’s top-seeded 184-pounder Parker Keckeisen. He was an NCAA runner-up last season after placing third his first two seasons.
Keckeisen owns a 26-0 record and how he has posted his wins has been impressive. He has an 88.5 bonus-victory rate, tallying 11 major decisions, 10 technical falls and two pins. Keckeisen has pulled away from the field, beating Oklahoma State’s second-ranked and third-seeded Dustin Plott, 14-5, for his third straight Big 12 title. Keckeisen won the previous meeting, 12-6, in the dual, one of just three regular decisions all season. He has been held under double digits in a match just twice this season.
Oregon State’s No. 4 Trey Munoz or Nebraska’s No. 5 Lenny Pinto, who lost to Keckeisen, 8-4, in December, could be the top obstacle to a finals return.
UNI has seven qualifiers for the second straight season after eight in 2022. Former Lisbon four-time state champion Cael Happel and Ryder Downey earned top-eight seeds. Downey, who won the 157-pound title at the Big 12 tournament, is the No. 5 seed. Happel is the No. 7 seed at 141, reaching the conference finals last week. Juian Farber (133) and former West Delaware two-time state champion Wyatt Voelker (197) are seeded 19th for the Panthers, who tied for 16th a year ago.
Tanner Sloan vies for finals return
South Dakota State’s Tanner Sloan is 23-1 this season and coming off a Big 12 title at 197. He is the No. 3 seed for the Jackrabbits. Alburnett’s two-time state champion and World silver medalist is looking for his second straight All-America performance.
Sloan was the 197 runner-up last season. He has continued to be a terror on top and looks improved on his feet. Sloan has nine technical falls, five pins and three major decisions this season. He has posted five bonus-point victories in his last six matches entering the NCAA tournament.
Look for a possible semifinal against North Carolina State’s No. 2 seed Trent Hidlay or Glazier in the semifinal.
Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com
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