Brands reacts to first year of new NWCA National Duals format

IOWA CITY — The latest modification to a national duals competition concluded Monday.

Eight Big Ten programs hosted some of the top non-conference teams over the weekend.

Fourth-ranked North Carolina State upended No. 2 Iowa, 21-17, handing the Hawkeyes their only loss of the season in the final dual of the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals Championships Series on Monday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The event drew 6,056 fans on a night that isn't a normal one for wrestling competition.

'Crowd was smaller than I thought maybe,' Iowa Coach Tom Brands said. 'I think it's one of those things that you try something and if it works it works, if it doesn't then you tweak it a little bit. We have another year of this thing and we'll see where it goes from here.'

Brands said he watched some of the duals series and he is not sure if it is a better model. He said he would defer to the fans' response. This time, however, an actual national duals champion was determined in competition. Top-ranked Penn State defeated Oklahoma State, 29-18, on Sunday in what was billed as the championship.

'I think Penn State is the No. 1 dual team in the country,' Brands said. 'That was decided and there was some pageantry behind that instead of just a ranking with a season-ending dual.'

Criticisms included the two unbeaten teams were separated because they belong to the same conference and how the non-title dual pairings were made. The Wolfpack proved they belonged in the second-biggest dual of the series.

'We earned the right to be here,' NC State Coach Pat Popolizio said. 'I hope this puts a lot of that talk asleep.'

Brands said talk has already started of adding a Final Four component or making it a 16-team advancement tournament, instead of the series of duals. Decisions need to be made about the best time to hold it as well.

'I'm not a fan of the national duals,' Brands said. 'I'm willing to continue to try. We have another year of this deal with the way the contract is, so we'll see how it works out and we'll evaluate it.'

POSTSEASON LINEUP

Iowa Coach Tom Brands addressed the postseason lineup after the regular-season dual finale Monday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The lineup that took the mat against North Carolina State apparently will be the representatives at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships on March 5-6 in Iowa City.

Patrick Rhoads wrestled at 165 pounds. Brody Grothus wrestled at 141, losing by technical fall to third-ranked Beau Jack.

'We are settled on Grothus,' Brands said. 'We have to figure out, are you going to go out there and be timid or does a No. 3 ranking behind a guy's name make you a little bit wig out or are you going to get tough? I think we can get tougher.'

Grothus was a 2014 NCAA qualifier at 149. He experienced his first action last month after about a 13-month hiatus due to various injuries and surgery. Grothus has competed with junior Topher Carton (10-5) for the spot. He didn't perform to his norm against the Wolfpack, but Brands said Grothus can rebound.

'He can do it,' Brands said. 'I know he can do it. I know he's a competitor. I know he loves to battle, but for some reason he was sitting back.'

GILMAN, EVANS AMONG NCAA LEADERS

The NCAA released updated leaders for most pins, most technical falls and the most dominant wrestler awards Wednesday.

Iowa 125-pounder Thomas Gilman is listed seventh in the most dominant category in NCAA Division I. Gilman owns a 21-0 mark with an average point total of 4.67 per match.

Six points are awarded similar to team points with six per fall, default, forfeit or disqualification. Technical falls are worth five, major decisions are four and three are given for decisions, which are wins by seven or less.

Wartburg heavyweight Lance Evans, a former Solon state champion, is eighth in the NCAA Division III most dominant rankings.

Upper Iowa 157-pounder and Former Waverly-Shell Rock prep Jordan Rinken is ninth in NCAA Division II with five technical falls in 27:22.

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