Panther Wrestling

Parker Keckeisen has applied the work ethic he learned from his parents to his wrestling career. His dedication and relentless pursuit of his best has elevated Northern Iowa’s three-time All-American to the top of college wrestling’s 184-pound weight class.

Iowa, Iowa State, UNI and former Iowa preps have compelling stories that could play out at the NCAA Division I Wrestlin Championships this week at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

University of Northern Iowa’s Cael Happel didn’t have a win in his first two Big 12 Championships appearances. Happel reversed the trend by winning his first three bouts Saturday to reach the 141-pound finals at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.

Iowa State went 14-3 in the opening session of the Big 12 Championships Saturday at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. The Cyclones have seven semifinalists with six earning automatic NCAA berths. UNI has four semifinalists and was fourth in the team standings.

Northern Iowa has an uncommon combination of youth and respected talent entering the Big 12 wrestling tournament, and redshirt freshman Wyatt Voelker said that even though all but one Panther returns next season, the time is now to become a great team.

Brody Teske’s college career has included three programs in two states. He has also earned three trips to the NCAA Championships. In his sixth and final season, Teske will represent Iowa at 133 pounds for the Big Ten Championships this weekend at Maryland.

A big weekend is ahead for wrestling fans in the state of Iowa. The National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships come to Cedar Rapids and the Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa men compete in their respective conference tournaments. We preview them all on this week’s episode of the Pinning Combination podcast.

Iowa State’s Anthony Echemendia (141) and Casey Swiderski at 149 and Northern Iowa 184-pounder Parker Keckeisen earned No. 1 seeds for the Big 12 Wrestling Championships this weekend at Tulsa, Okla.