Brands receives three-year contract extension

Tom Brands will lead the University of Iowa wrestling program into the next decade.

UI Athletics Director Gary Barta announced Thursday that Brands signed a three-year contract extension, spanning to the 2019-20 season. Brands took over in 2006 and previously signed a three-year extension before the 2012-13 season.

'Tom continues to lead one of the most successful programs in the country in any sport,” Barta said in a news release from the UI sports information office. 'He demonstrates tremendous passion for his program, and is an excellent ambassador for the University of Iowa and this community. I'm excited about the future of Iowa wrestling.”

Brands has led the Hawkeyes to four Big Ten Conference tournament titles, including a co-championship in March, and has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year three times. Iowa has won three NCAA team titles under Brands, who has coached nine NCAA champions, 50 All-Americans and 70 academic all-conference performers.

'We have high expectations for this program, and I know our fans, administration, and campus leaders share those expectations,” Brands said in the release. 'Being a part of Hawkeye wrestling is a privilege, and as head coach it comes with a responsibility that I take very seriously. We've got work to do.”

The Hawkeyes boast at least a share of seven of the last eight conference regular-season dual titles. They own the longest active streak with eight straight top-four team finishes at the national tournament.

Iowa has remained a top draw among college wrestling programs in each of the nine seasons under Brands. Iowa will likely continue to lead the nation in attendance this year, already selling more than 20,625 tickets by Thursday afternoon for a home dual against Oklahoma State on Nov. 14 at Kinnick Stadium.

The Hawkeyes return All-Americans Thomas Gilman, Cory Clark, Brandon Sorensen and Nathan Burak from last season's national runner-up team.

Read the full UI sports information news release:

Brands Receives Contract Extension

Head wrestling coach is signed through the 2019-20 season

IOWA CITY, Iowa - University of Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands has signed a three-year extension to his current contract. The agreement was announced today by UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta.

Brands is now signed through the 2019-20 season, a three-year extension to his previous five-year base contract, agreed upon prior to the 2012-13 season.

'Tom continues to lead one of the most successful programs in the country in any sport,” said Barta. 'He demonstrates tremendous passion for his program, and is an excellent ambassador for the University of Iowa and this community. I'm excited about the future of Iowa wrestling.”

'We have high expectations for this program, and I know our fans, administration, and campus leaders share those expectations,” said Brands. 'Being a part of Hawkeye wrestling is a privilege, and as head coach it comes with a responsibility that I take very seriously. We've got work to do.”

A three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Brands has won four conference tournament titles and three NCAA Championships in nine seasons at Iowa. He became the eighth head coach in program history in 2006, and has since coached nine NCAA individual champions, 50 All-Americans, and 70 academic All-Big Ten honorees.

The Hawkeyes have won or shared seven of the last eight Big Ten regular season titles, and placed in the top four at the NCAA Championships eight consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the country.

Iowa has led the nation in attendance in each of Brands' nine seasons, and the Hawkeye fan base is poised to break the national dual attendance record when Iowa hosts Oklahoma State on Nov. 14 in a never before seen college wrestling dual at Kinnick Stadium.

Brands was also instrumental in delivering the United States Olympic Team Trials to Iowa City in 2012. The two-day event drew a combined attendance of 54,766, shattering the previous event record, and generated more than $5.6 million for Johnson County. The community's response to the first Olympic Team Trials prompted USA Wrestling to return the event to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 9-10, 2016.

Iowa's dual against the Cowboys, billed as the 'Grapple on the Gridiron”, marks the beginning of Brands' 10th season. The University of Iowa hosts the Big Ten Championships on March 5-6, and the NCAA Championships are March 17-19 in New York City.

The Hawkeyes return four All-Americans from a team that shared the Big Ten championship and placed second at the NCAA tournament in 2014-15.

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