Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State earn at-large bids for NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

The field for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships has been set.

University of Northern Iowa will send a complete team to the national tournament March 20-22 at Philadelphia, Pa. Iowa earned nine qualifying spots and Iowa State has eight.

NCAA announced at-large berths to the national tournament Tuesday. The pairings and full brackets will be released Wednesday.

UNI earned nine automatic berths at the Big 12 Championships Sunday. Panthers heavyweight Lance Runyon received an at-large berth, giving the Panthers 10 qualifiers to the D-I Championships for the second time in program history and the first time since 1986.

Runyon (18-7) is a three-time NCAA qualifier, reaching the tournament in 2021 and 2022.

It is the most under UNI Coach Doug Schwab, who had eight qualifiers in 2022.

Iowa claimed eight automatic berths to the NCAA tournament at the Big Ten tournament Sunday. The Hawkeyes’ 125-pound Joey Cruz received an at-large berth and makes it nine qualifiers for Iowa. Cruz (16-12) will make his NCAA debut.

The Hawkeyes have had at least nine NCAA qualifiers for the last 13 seasons, including the last two years.

Iowa State’s Evan Frost (133) and heavyweight Daniel Herrera each earned at-large berths. The Cyclones have eight qualifiers overall, capturing six automatic spots at the Big 12 tournament over the weekend. This marks the seventh straight season Iowa State has had at least eight national qualifiers under Coach Kevin Dresser.

Frost (19-4) was an All-American last season, placing sixth at 133. Herrera (22-13) is a freshman and will make his NCAA debut after filling in for injured All-American Yonger Bastida earlier this season.

NCAA QUALIFIERS PER TEAM

Iowa (9): Joey Cruz (125), Drake Ayala (133), Kyle Parco (149), Jacori Teemer (157), Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy (174), Gabe Arnold (184), Stephen Buchanan (197) and Ben Kueter (Hwt.)

Iowa State (8): Evan Frost (133), Jacob Frost (141), Paniro Johnson (149), Cody Chittum (157), Aiden Riggins (165), M.J. Gaitan (174), Evan Bockman (184) and Daniel Herrera (Hwt.)

UNI (10): Trever Anderson (125), Julian Farber (133), Cael Happel (141), Colin Realbuto (149), Ryder Downey (157), Jack Thomsen (165), Jared Simma (174), Parker Keckeisen (184), Wyatt Voelker (197) and Lance Runyon (Hwt.)

Other Iowa preps (3): Cobe Siebrecht (Lisbon/South Dakota State, 157), Hunter Garvin (Iowa City West/Stanford, 165), Cade DeVos (SE Polk/South Dakota State, 174)

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com