K.J. Pilcher

Iowa wrestling 125-pounder Drake Ayala has ascended the rankings and owns the No. 1 spot in three of four national polls. He has won four straight against ranked foes and will take on NCAA finalist Matt Ramos when Iowa hosts Purdue Friday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Weather wiped out much of the wrestling schedule in Iowa last week, but there still are plenty of topics to discuss on this week’s episode of the Pinning Combination, including Iowa’s impressive win over Nebraska and Ben Kueter’s debut.

West Delaware’s Jeff Voss became just the eighth coach in Iowa high school wrestling history to reach 500 career dual wins.

Ben Kueter beat No. 29 Bennet Tabor, 5-3, in the final match of No. 3 Iowa’s 22-9 victory over No. 10 Minnesota in a Big Ten dual action Monday night. Fans stood waiting for the Hawkeyes’ heavyweight to be announced for his debut. They erupted when Kueter emerged from the smoke at the end of the tunnel.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Colin Falck didn’t like finishing second at a previous tournament. He took it out on the field Monday, pinning his way to the 165-pound title of the J-Hawk Invitational at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Third-ranked Iowa improved to 6-0 overall and 1-0 with a victory at No. 6 Nebraska on Friday. The Hawkeyes host No. 10 Minnesota in a rare Monday night dual at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Wyatt Vlasek posted the principles of a new mental approach on his mirror, reading them each day. He has applied them to his wrestling and has reaped the rewards, climbing to sixth in the 157-pound rankings of Class 3A.

Iowa’s men’s wrestling team has competed just once in the last month. As the Hawkeyes soar into Big Ten duals, Coach Tom Brands has his eyes set on production and results.

The first weekend of wrestling tournaments in 2024 gave the Pinning Combination podcast plenty to discuss this week, from the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls to high school action returning around the state.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s wrestling program will be celebrated again Saturday during the 50th J-Hawk Invitational. The event that began in 1975 has been a local staple of regular-season wrestling tournaments.

Iowa men’s wrestling coach Tom Brands was asked about the possibility of second-semester roster additions and Soldier Salute happenings Tuesday during a Zoom conference call for his weekly media availability. No. 3 Iowa heads to No. 6 Nebraska Friday

Wartburg captured its 13th title, while Coe and Upper Iowa rebounded after opening-round losses at the NWCA Multi-Divisional Dual Championships at the UNI-Dome. Life University got a title sweep. Iowa State swept out west, UNI got its 800th dual win and the Alburnett boys and Decorah girls impressed during the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

Bohnsack is a key piece of those accomplished Knights. The defending state champion defeated Williamsburg’s Lincoln Schropp, 18-5, for the 113-pound title of the 50th annual Bobcat “Jerry Eckenrod” Invitational on Saturday at Benton Community High School.

Any questions Linn-Mar boys’ wrestling coach Doug Streicher had returning from the holiday break were answered in a 49-25 win over No. 15 Iowa City High. The Lions also won the girls’ dual, 48-30.

The NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals return to the UNI-Dome. The two-day event includes some of the top teams in NCAA Division II and III and NCAA women’s and NAIA men’s and women’s brackets. Here are a few notable items to watch this weekend in Cedar Falls.