Iowa men’s wrestling returns to competition with Soldier Salute

IOWA CITY – University of Iowa will return to the mat for the first time in nearly a month.

The Hawkeyes have been idle since dominant wins over Tennessee-Chattanooga and Utah Valley on Dec. 12 but a majority of the starters won’t be in the field.

Iowa has entered 16 wrestlers but only Nasir Bailey at 141 pounds, 157-pound duo Jordan Williams and Victor Voinovich III and Gabe Arnold are the only ones to start multiple duals in the Soldier Salute field this weekend. Action begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with the finals set for 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The tournament ran the final week of December, previously. This is the first time it was scheduled the first weekend of January, butting up to the start of fourth-ranked Iowa’s conference competition that begins at home Jan. 9.

“I think you’re making individual decisions there, who’s wrestling and who’s not,” Iowa Coach Tom Brands said. “We have Wisconsin on Friday night, five days later. That’s important as well. You don’t look too far ahead but you’ve definitely got to make sure you’re doing the right things for each individual. That’s how you coach wrestling.

“This isn’t about a team thing first. This is about an individual thing first and the team will take care of itself.”

Arnold, an NCAA qualifier at 184 last season, has filled in at 184 and 197 this season. He hinted about his descent to 174 after the Pitt dual. Arnold will compete at 174 for the first time in two years. Brands said Arnold has been very enthusiastic to compete.

“When it’s a question of whether or not you want to go, we have other options, he’s always saying I’m going. That is invaluable,” Brands said. “That’s what every program wants in an athlete. Plus, he’s a fighter. We just have to keep making progress there and we’ll see where we end up with him.”

Arnold is part of a logjam of talent in the upper weights. NCAA runner-up Michael Caliendo is at 165, Patrick Kennedy was ranked as high as No. 2 after his All-American finish at 175 a year ago and redshirt freshman Angelo Ferrari is unbeaten with the No. 1 ranking at 184. Massoma Endene, a three-time NCAA Division III national champion at Wartburg, transferred and is ranked fourth at 197.

Brands was asked if it’s a blessing or curse to have more talent than starting opportunities.

“All that stuff is inevitable,” Brands said. “Everybody wants to be on the mat. When it’s close, we want guys that believe in themselves. We want a guy that’s going to fight for his spot and advocate for himself. There is no better way to advocate than go out there, put points on the board and wrestle in a way that gives you the best chance to be as bulletproof as possible.

“I’ll take two great guys at every weight and I’ll take the drama that goes with it. I love depth.”

Bailey and Williams transferred in from University of Arkansas-Little Rock after last season. Bailey will be joined in the 141 bracket by teammates Kale Petersen and Jace Rhodes. Voinovich and Williams could be battling to be the No. 1 guy and this tournament is a chance to separate from any other contenders in the practice room.

The hope is for wrestlers emerge as the clear favorite and lock down weights with their routine and results.

“We’ve seen a lot already but we’re looking for the good things to continue,” Brands said. “We’re looking for the elimination of bad things. Sometimes habits change – good or bad. You want the bad habits to change. You don’t want the good habits to change, but generally, by this time, you pretty much know what you’ve got.”

Soldier Salute welcomes reserves from Iowa State and University of Northern Iowa. Army, Navy, North Carolina, Missouri, Virginia Military Institute, Bellarmine, Wyoming and some members from Oklahoma State, Minnesota and South Dakota State are in the field.

Among the UNI entrants are former Lisbon state champion and seventh-seeded Brandon Paez (125), fourth-seeded 133-pounder Garret Rinken and former Union Community prep Jack Thomsen, who is the No. 3 seed at 165.

Iowa State’s Rowan Udell, a former Iowa City Regina prep, will wrestle at 197. Former Iowa City High two-time state champion and SDSU 133-pounder Cale Seaton is seeded eighth.

The Hawkeyes (7-2) have a tough dual schedule that includes Wisconsin, Penn State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Ohio State, Michigan and Oklahoma State in successive weeks before the postseason.

“The biggest thing for us is make sure that we are gearing up for the end run,” Brands said. “The end run is a long run. When I say the end run, I’m talking about the Big Ten dual season right into the Big Ten Championships right into the NCAAs. So, we have to be at our best and getting better for a long period of time.”

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