Brands, Duroe set friendship aside for 10 matches tonight

MOUNT VERNON - Wrestling coaches Tom Brands of Iowa and Mike Duroe of Cornell have a strong relationship, but that will take a back seat for a while tonight when the programs compete in a triangular hosted by Cornell at the Small Multi-Sport Center.

The double-dual opens with Cornell wrestling Tennessee-Chattanooga at 5 p.m., and the Mocs take on Iowa at 6:30 p.m. The event concludes with the Iowa-Cornell meet about 8 p.m.

“My relationship with him goes way back,” Duroe said. “Coaching him in the Olympics, and I still help coach the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. I stay really close to that program.”

Duroe was head coach of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club from 2003 through 2005. The 2005 USA Freestyle Coach of the Year also was head coach of the 2005 U.S. World Team. He has worked with the U.S. men's freestyle coaching staff the last four Olympic Games, including 1996 when Brands won a gold medal in Atlanta.

“He's a big part of who I am as a coach and helped me a lot as an athlete,” Brands said. “Especially, internationally.”

Brands said the biggest influence came Duroe's emphasis on preparation.

“How thorough you have to be,” Brands said. “Every detail counts.”

Iowa (2-0) swept Coe (44-0) and Iowa Central (45-0) last Friday in the Iowa City Duals. Cornell is 4-0, beating Iowa Central, SIU-Edwardsville, Augustana (Ill.) and Iowa Conference foe Simpson. UTC enters the meet at 3-4.

Iowa's Nate Moore appears to be getting the start at 133 pounds. Tyler Clark won the wrestle-off at that weight but injury defaulted from the UNO Brand/Kauffman tournament last weekend.

Cornell is hosting a major wrestling event. Last year, Cornell hosted a USA vs. Russia dual. Duroe said he appreciated Tom Brands' suggestion of holding the meet in Mount Vernon.

“Wrestling deserves to have some excitement and some hype,” Duroe said. “I'm hoping we can do other things in the future.