Iowa Wrestling Weekend That Was: Takeaways from the inaugural National Duals Invitational

University of Iowa men and University of Northern Iowa competed in the inaugural National Duals Invitational tournament. Iowa State opened its dual schedule against NCAA Division II power Nebraska-Kearney. Iowa women threw down in the Carolinas in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

NATIONAL DUALS INVITATIONAL WAS WELL RECEIVED

The preliminary response to the first National Duals Invitational sponsored by Paycom created to display college dual competition seemed to be positive. The 16-team field offered a $1,000,000 purse, making it different iteration than any national duals event in the past.

The top eight teams cashed in with champion Ohio State taking home $200,000. Runner-up Iowa and third-place Oklahoma State each earned $150,000. Nebraska was fourth and received $75,000. Minnesota ($50,000), Virginia Tech ($40,000), Illinois ($25,000) and Missouri ($20,000). UNI went 1-2 and missed on the placing pot but still collected $20,000 for participating at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.

“I attribute a lot of what I have to the sport,” Paycom President and Found Chad Richison said during the finals Sunday night on ESPN2. “Anytime I get the opportunity to spotlight something that was meaningful to me and to give back to such a great it’s something that I want to do.”

As Iowa Coach Tom Brands said multiple times before and during the weekend, the purse was “unprecedented.” Wrestling programs could desperately use corporate support. College basketball has benefited from events like this in the past. It was a great opportunity to showcase college wrestling.

One of the attractions of this version is it had many of the top programs in the country. The field had eight of the top-10 teams in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association. Top-ranked Penn State and No. 6 Iowa State were the only ones that didn’t attend.

The tournament had competitive and entertaining duals throughout. Multiple duals hinged on one match and a reversed result could have changed the team outcome. Each round seemed to produce intriguing individual matchups. Four No. 1-ranked wrestlers lost during the two-day tournament. Multiple NCAA finalists lost. Commentator Shane Sparks, who was on the ESPN2 call with Hardell Moore, said the “excitement has been palpable” during the event.

Iowa’s 18-16 win over Oklahoma State highlighted the front side. The Hawkeyes looked solid through the first three rounds, despite having to forfeit heavyweight Sunday.

The finals was lackluster but credit a hot Ohio State for that one. The Buckeyes continued their momentum from steamrolling Wyoming (33-6), No. 9 Minnesota (29-6) and No. 2 Nebraska (33-3 in the semifinals. The Buckeyes turned heads with their successful aggressive style. Ohio State punched Iowa in the mouth at the start and the Hawkeyes weren’t able to recover the first half of the dual.

Richison said it was fitting that Iowa and Ohio State were in the finals as Brands and Ohio State Coach Tom Ryan were two of the first to say yes to this competition.

Iowa’s upper weights won some hard-fought bouts. Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy (174) and Angelo Ferrari (184) won 4-1 decisions in sudden victory. Former Wartburg three-time NCAA Division III champion Massoma Endene may have answered some questions about his transition to the D-I level. He went 4-0 during the tournament, beating Oklahoma State’s No. 10 Cody Merrill and pinning Missouri’s No. 15 Evan Bates. Endene nearly pinned Ohio State’s Seth Shumate, closing with an 8-3 decision.

The sport experienced unparalleled exposure for a regular-season event. All but the finals were livestreamed on Flowrestling. The championship dual was on one of ESPN’s main channels, even though the timing hurts attracting mainstream sports fans, who are consumed with college and NFL football during weekends this time of year.

This was a good start highlighting the team aspect of an individual sport. Many believe that dynamic is what will get casual fans to support wrestling more. Organizers committed to reinvest in the event and will look to continue to grow and develop the event.

“It’s been incredible to watch this,” Richison said. “This is a group effort. I’m one of several people putting this on and helping at this event. It’s our goal to make it better as we continue on. We’ll take feedback and look forward to continue to make it better.”

IOWA STATE THUMPS KEARNEY

Iowa State hosted Nebraska-Kearney Friday night at Hilton Coliseum. 37-3. The Cyclones won nine bouts, receiving technical falls from 141-pounder Evan Frost, his brother, Jacob, at 157, and Isaac Dean at 184.

Stevo Pulin (125), Paniro Johnson at 149, Connor Euton (165) and 174-pounder M.J. Gaitan added major decisions.

Another notable item was former Waverly-Shell Rock standout McCrae Hagarty has bulked up to heavyweight and filled in for All-American Yonger Bastida. Hagarty won a 3-2 decision over Crew Howard.

IOWA WOMEN WIN OVER PRESBYTERIAN

The Hawkeyes women had a successful weekend in the Carolinas. They defeated No. 6 Presbyterian, 35-9, in a dual Saturday. Brianna Gonzalez (117), Skye Realin (138) and top-ranked Kennedy Blades all posted pins. Blades needed just 19 seconds to deck Lexi Fornshell at 180.

Iowa followed with five titles at the Blue Hose Challenge in Clinton, S.C., on Sunday. Valarie Solorio (103), Nyla Valencia (110), Bella Williams (131), Realin and Reese Larramendy (145) won gold.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com