Brands and Duroe have long history

MOUNT VERNON - University of Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands and Cornell College Mike Duroe have a long-standing relationship, but that will take a backseat for a little while Friday.

Friendship will be secondary when the two programs compete as part of a triangular hosted by Cornell Friday night at the Small Multi-Sport Center. The double-dual opens with Cornell wrestling University of Tennessee-Chattanooga at 5 p.m. with the Mocs taking on Iowa at 6:30 p.m. The event will conclude with the Iowa-Cornell meet at approximately 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 served as the head coach of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club from 2003-05. The 2005 USA Freestyle Coach of the Year 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, which included 1996 when Brands won a gold medal at the Olympic Games 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.”

Duroe stressed dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's, and Brands said the biggest influence came in preparation.

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

Brands said the pair have a relationship extends beyond wrestling, but its demands make it hard to find time outside of the sport. Wrestling is the priority when the whistle blows Friday.

“It's bittersweet for me,” Duroe said. “I only want success for Brands, but that particular night I don't want too much success for him.”

The coaching connections don't end there. Iowa Associate head coach Terry Brands was the UTC head coach from 2003-05, and the Mocs current head coach, Heath Eslinger, was his assistant for two years. Mocs assistant, Mike Hatcher, a former Cedar Rapids Prairie prep, is a former Hawkeye wrestler under legendary coach Dan Gable.

Duroe said Terry Brands helped turn around the UTC program and get it in the right direction.

“That's a direct result of Terry's leadership and coaching ability,” Duroe said.

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

For the second straight year, Cornell has hosted a major wrestling event. Last year, Cornell hosted USA vs. Russia dual. Duroe said 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."

Iowa's Nate Moore appears to be getting the start at 133 pounds. Tyler Clark, who won the wrestle-off, injury defaulted from the UNO Brand/Kauffman tournament Saturday. Clark apparently broke his hand in his first match. Moore placed third at the event, which 133-pounder Tony Ramos did not attend. At the Iowa City Duals, Nick Trizzino filled in and went 2-0.

There also appears to be a question about 149-pounder Dylan Carew's knee injury. He was listed as one of two possible wrestlers at that weight with Jeret Chiri in the UI SID news release earlier this week. The same release listed both Jake Kerr (2-0) and Aaron Janssen (5-0) at 165. It's similar to last year when the pair platooned at 157 before Kerr got the nod and became an NCAA qualifier.

"It presents a huge challenge to our guys," Duroe said. "I just wish it wasn't during a break where the whole campus could get involved. The whole campus would have the chance to see their peers compete against arguably the best team in college wrestling."