Grothus on the way back

IOWA CITY - Brody Grothus may not compete in the upcoming Midlands Championships.

The good news for the University of Iowa wrestling fans is that he is closer to vying for a spot in the Hawkeyes' lineup.

Grothus has recovered from a shoulder injury and awaits his opportunity to take the mat, but he and Iowa Coach Tom Brands aren't taking any unnecessary chances.

'We're doing everything we can to be ready,” Grothus said after a workout at the Dan Gable Wrestle Complex in Carver-Hawkeye Arena last Thursday. 'We keep taking it day-by-day and keep building.

'In my mind, he wants the best guy out on the mat. If I'm ready, I'm going to be the best guy, so I just have to be ready.”

Brands discussed the progress of Grothus after Iowa's 29-6 victory over Rutgers on Dec. 10. He said they were going to be 'smart” about when to put Grothus on the mat, whether it was for Northwestern's annual tournament Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill., or after the New Year.

'We're not going to jump the gun and get impatient with throwing him out there,” Brands said in the post-meet news conference. 'We're going to make sure we do it right.”

Grothus declined to give specifics, but said he underwent a procedure for repairs on his shoulder. He said he recovers faster than the average person, but the process has been prolonged.

'It was a longer recovery time than we'd want to, but we've taken it slow,” Grothus said. 'We've done what the doctors wanted to and we've also done more than what the average person would.”

When Grothus does return, he will be at a new weight. Grothus has wrestled at 149 pounds before this season. He has dropped to 141. Grothus was in Colorado during the off-season when he realized it's his best chance to crack the lineup again.

'It clicked,” said Grothus, a senior who qualified for the 2014 NCAA tournament at 149. 'I want to be a national champion. I think the best weight for me to win a national title is 141 pounds. I'm the strongest there.”

Brands said Grothus is looking good in his move down a class.

'It's looking like he's doing a good job that way,” Brands said. 'We're seeing that come around and we'll see where he's at Midlands-wise.”

COE GOES 3-1

Coe competed in the Desert Duals in Las Vegas on Monday. The 10th-ranked Kohawks posted a 3-1 mark, moving to 5-1 overall this season.

Coe opened by beating No. 6 Alma (Mich.) 23-16, and followed it with a 19-16 victory over No. 16 Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio). Coe also defeated St. John's (Minn.), 39-12. The Kohawks' lone setback came to 14th-ranked Johnson & Wales (R.I.), which won 20-19, receiving a point on criteria for most falls.

UIU'S RINKEN CLAIMS TITLE

Upper Iowa's Jordan Rinken won the 157-pound title at the Midwest Classic hosted by the University of Indianapolis, helping the Peacocks tie for third in the team race.

Jordan Roths placed second at 141, while Matt Paulus (133) and Damian Penichet (149) were fourth for Upper Iowa. The Peacocks' Zak Benitz (165) and 174-pounder Colbey Vance finished seventh.

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