Hawkeye flavor at Ames regional, kicking off new National Duals format

AMES – A new taste to the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen National Duals has a heavy flavor of the University of Iowa and legendary coach Dan Gable.

The new format has resulted in 24 teams competing in four six-team regionals with the champion advancing to next week's championship semifinals and finals at a site to be determined for what is referred to as “Mat Mayhem.” The regional in Ames consists of five teams led by former Hawkeyes, four coached by Gable and hosted by the school where Gable won two NCAA Division I titles.

Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, Oregon State, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin will compete in the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals regional Sunday hosted by Iowa State University at Hilton Coliseum. Competition begins at 11 a.m. with the finals set for 3 p.m.

Aside from the obvious with the Hawkeyes coached by Tom Brands, a four-time All-American and three-time national champion for the Hawkeyes, Wisconsin, Oregon State, UNI and Virginia Tech are coached by former Hawkeye NCAA champions coached by Gable and Iowa natives.

The Badgers and Beavers are coached by former Iowa three-time NCAA champions and former Cedar Rapids Prairie greats Barry Davis and Jim Zalesky. Doug Schwab is in his second year leading the Panthers after serving as a Brands protégé for years at Iowa and Virginia Tech. The Osage native was a national champion for the Hawkeyes, red-shirting as a freshman, which was Gable's last season. Humboldt native Kevin Dresser took over as Hokies head coach when Brands and Schwab returned to guide the Hawkeyes program, replacing Zalesky who replaced Gable.

The event will showcase Iowans who are continuing the state's tradition of wrestling leaders.

“You get to see a lot of former Hawkeyes,” Davis said. “It's a chance for people in the state of Iowa to see guys from here. I think it's a good thing. People get a chance to see their former athletes from the state. To do that is a nice draw.”

Davis, Zalesky and Dresser were teammates at Iowa in the 1980's. Davis said the focus is business, planning to attend district meets and spending time preparing his athletes Saturday. They will visit with one another at the event and share personal news.

“You've known them for a long time,” Davis said. “They're your friends. They're your teammates but they're your friends for life.

“It's nice to catch up.”

Many discuss the effects of the “Gable tree,” which refers to the number of former Gable wrestlers or assistant coaches that impact college wrestling by leading programs. Outside of ISU head coach Kevin Jackson, the field is made up of that tree's branches.

“It's a great example,” Davis said. “I know Coach Gable will be up there watching and he can take pride in that, because a lot of young me that he coached will be up there and their teams will be competing.”

Fifth-ranked Iowa (11-3) is the top seed and will receive a first-round bye. Oregon State (9-2) is the No. 2 seed and will also receive a bye into the semifinals. The winner between UNI (7-5) and Virginia Tech (7-4) will face the Hawkeyes. Iowa State (3-12) and Wisconsin (5-10) will determine who wrestle Oregon State.

The Hawkeyes won the National Duals title in 2010, but were not in the field last season. They are heavily favored to advance out of the region, but know it's a big weekend.

“We've got to be ready to go,” Brands said after Iowa's 39-3 win over Wisconsin last Sunday. “There's going to be a Hilton Coliseum full of people trying to do what we're trying to do. We're going to have six teams in there all trying to do the same thing.”

That is to advance to the next level in the restructured dual event. The goal is to create excitement and generate interest in the sport at the college level.

“You go and listen to where the most noise is in America, you're not going and rooting for the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. You're rooting for whom? You're rooting for a team,” Minnesota Coach J Robinson said. “That's what you have in the national duals and if you want it to grow you've got to have dual meets.”

One of the goals is for the event, which includes regionals hosted by Cornell University and Oklahoma State, to make a big enough impact for the NCAA to gain interest and sanction it as an NCAA championship event. Robinson said this has been 25 years in the making.

“Here in the state of Iowa, the finals will be here,” Robinson said after its dual with Iowa on Jan. 29, even though the finals site has yet to be announced. “The final four and what you need to do is you need to pack it. You need to have 15,000 people there. You need to make a half-a-million dollars and then the NCAA is going to want it and then you can bargain with the NCAA to get the things wrestling needs to grow.

“If we don't do that then we won't grow.”

Robinson, whose Gophers are in a regional hosted by Rutgers, was critical of former Iowa State and current Penn State Cael Sanderson for not being involved and complimented Brands for supporting the effort.

Brands still doesn't like the impact on the regular season, but is willing to work with the movement.

“I'm willing to give it a try,” Brands said. “At the same time, it can be better.”

Brands mentioned that coaches can strengthen wrestling in their own areas by improving their programs and providing an exciting product with strong performances on the mat. He isn't sold this dual format is the best way.

“I don't look at this as the savior of college wrestling,” Brands said. “There needs to be a better model.”

The first attempt is important in laying the groundwork for the future, according to NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer, who said finals could be held in Iowa, Minnesota or Oklahoma. It is crucial the inaugural “Mat Mayhem” has success.

“Obviously, it's very tricky, trying to figure this out,” Moyer said. “It's so important we get this right, being it is the first year we're trying it. We're trying to increase the likelihood of a huge success.”

The first steps are this weekend.