Articles Tagged: Drake Ayala

All three state NCAA Division I wrestling programs received at least one at-large berths to the national tournament March 20-22 in Philadelphia. The three schools qualified 27 of 30 starters combined.

For the second straight year, second-ranked Iowa did not crown a champion at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships on Sunday at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Hawkeye trio of Drake Ayala, Michael Caliendo and Stephen Buchanan all earned runner-up finishes in their first conference finals and Iowa toted home a third-place finish.

Top-seeded Stephen Buchanan, No. 1 Drake Ayala and No. 2 Michael Caliendo each advanced to the finals, helping Iowa to third place with 98 points after the opening day of the conference tournament. The Hawkeyes also secured eight automatic berths to the NCAA Championships on March 20-22 in Philadelphia, Pa.

Iowa experienced multiple ups and downs during the opening session of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. Overall, the Hawkeyes advanced into the semifinals. Here are some takeaways from the first session.

Kyle Parco has wrestled at Fresno State, Arizona State and now Unviersity of Iowa. Parco, a four-time All-American, has experienced success at each stop. He enters his final postseason with Iowa, competing in his first Big Ten Wrestling Championships.

The Big Ten Conference released pre-seeds Wednesday for this weekend’s conference tournament and NCAA qualifier hosted at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. Drake Ayala (133) and Stephen Buchanan (197) earned No. 1 seeds.

Iowa freshman Angelo Ferrari has contributed in some key spots this season. He defeated NCAA finalist Dustin Plott in sudden victory, creating an instant classic moment in the Hawkeyes dual win over Oklahoma State Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa men’s wrestling won seven bouts and beat the Golden Gophers, 23-11, Friday night at Maturi Pavillion in Minneapolis. The Hawkeyes are 11-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten Conference, entering its conference finale Sunday at home against Northwestern.

University of Iowa men’s wrestling suffered an up-and-down weekend, rebounding from a loss to Penn State with a win at Maryland. Iowa women’s wrestling crown five champions at Grand View Open. UNI overcame travel woes and West Virginia. Upper Iowa clinches GLVC dual title in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

The second-ranked Hawkeyes received wins from Drake Ayala and Stephen Buchanan but the No. 1 Nittany Lions dominated the rest of the dual for a 30-8 victory Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa.

Joey Cruz has been competing for the 125-pound starting spot. He has won his last two chances, including a major decision to spark Iowa’s 28-6 Big Ten Conference dual win over Illinois Friday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena,

University of Iowa’s Drake Ayala said he was destined to be a wrestler and than wrestling is in his family’s blood. They have been by side through the good and the bad. Now, he is reunited with his brother, Dru, on the Hawkeyes roster.

Second-ranked Iowa dominated Wisconsin in the Big Ten Conference opening dual Sunday. The Hawkeyes won all 10 bouts, including seven bonus-point victories, in a 45-0 shutout.

University of Iowa’s No. 4 Kyle Parco used a first-period takedown and nearfall points and posted an 8-5 decision over North Carolina’s No. 6 Lachlan McNeil for the 149-pound title Monday night at the Soldier Salute. Iowa swept the men’s and women’s titles.

From hanging out in the wrestling room of the high school team his dad coached to the NCAA Division I awards stand, wrestling has always been Michael Caliendo’s top sports love. He reached his second straight Soldier Salute finals Monday at Xtream Arena in Caliendo.