Answering the call: Brody Teske’s wrestling journey finally leads him to University of Iowa

IOWA CITY — Twenty missed calls.

Brody Teske entered the transfer portal, put on his headphones and went on a jog. When he finished the workout, he noticed 20 missed calls from Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands.

There would be no mistaking about the interest in Teske being a Hawkeye this time.

“Yeah, it was funny,” said Teske, a four-time Fort Dodge state champion who started his college career at Penn State before transferring to Northern Iowa to become a two-time NCAA qualifier. “I got back and 20 missed calls. Well, I think that tells me what’s up.”

Teske’s journey has led him to the Iowa lineup, providing an accomplished replacement for graduated All-American Austin DeSanto at 133 pounds. He has been a key addition and is expected to wrestle when second-ranked Iowa hosts No. 9 Michigan Friday in a Big Ten Conference wrestling dual at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, starting at 8 p.m.

“We love him,” Brands said. “He’s made us better. He has made our room better.”

Mutual interest has existed since Teske produced one of the state’s best high school careers, winning Class 3A titles at 106, 113, 120 and 126 from 2015-18. He amassed a 177-1 record and ranks eighth all-time winning 162 straight victories.

The parties were unable to get on the same page during the initial process. Brands said he wanted Teske the first time but the message wasn’t communicated well enough or just wasn’t received. The result of those talks and the addition of Spencer Lee sent Teske out of state to a rival.

“I probably would have come here,” Teske said. “Spencer got recruited and that’s not the main excuse. I don’t live by that, but the opportunity Penn State offered me was awesome to an 18-year-old kid, having everything covered in terms of not worrying and being able to go out and get away from home and have a whole new life, basically. It was cool.”

The ties to his home state were too strong, causing him to come back. He joined UNI and was a two-time Big 12 Conference tournament finalist, winning the 125-pound title in 2021. He reached the NCAA tournament the last two seasons, going 2-2 each appearance.

“Coming to the realization last year after the national tournament that I need more in terms of some resources and some things like that and this place had it,” Teske said of Iowa. “Partners (and) the medical team that this place has that has helped me a lot this year. Those things persuaded me to come here.”

Twenty missed calls led to the second round of courting. This time, both sides were clear on what they needed and expected. Crystal clear.

“The second time recruiting him was a lot simpler,” Brands said. “It was, ‘What do you want? What’s important to you? Here’s our strength.’ Those two lined up, so it was a matter of him taking a leap of faith and that’s what he did.”

The first conversation was brief and direct. Teske said he responds well to the straight-forward, no beating around the bush approach by Tom and associate head coach Terry Brands. He was driving home after a visit a few days later and already reached a decision.

“Very, very short call. It might have been literally 30 seconds,” Teske said of the first phone conversation after he entered the transfer portal. “It was like, ‘You want to be a Hawk?’ I was like, ‘Very interested.’ (Tom responded), ‘Alright, when can we meet?’ Got up here and that was it.

“It was like we have what you need, you know that it and very simple and to the point. That’s exactly what I’m about.”

Brands used Teske’s habit of silencing his phone notifications for some good-natured ribbing, especially once Teske arrived in the practice room.

“Once I finally called him he gave me some crap for it,” Teske said. “The first couple weeks being here he called me out in front of everybody.”

Teske (5-1) is ranked as high as 13th nationally and should see No. 11 Dylan Ragusin (12-6). He has a 4-0 win over Wisconsin’s Taylor Lamont and won his first four matches. His lone loss is to Penn State’s national champion and top-ranked Roman Bravo-Young. Teske has battled a knee injury that limited his action and also impacted his early-season wrestle-off, but he has been undeterred.

“I just think he needs to get the best version of himself out there,” Brands said. “He knows that it’s about being tough. He is a very competitive wrestler. He does not take well to embarrassment, even though for me and you he hadn’t embarrassed himself.

“To him, he takes it personal when those results aren’t up to snuff. So, he looks at it like I embarrassed myself. I need to do better. That’s a good quality of a competitor.”

Every second of being a Hawkeye has been enjoyable, according to Teske. He said he has loved the experience and he continues to work, pursuing his dream. One he is currently living.

“It’s been a rough season, as far as being able to compete as much as I wanted to, battling injuries and stuff,” Teske said. “I’m learning, growing and enjoying the process. The journey has been one I will never look back and wish I would have done it differently. This is the way it is. God’s plan at the end of the day.”

The answer came after 20 missed calls.

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