HAWK TALK

February 2016

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183 U niversity of Iowa junior omas Gilman can put a guy on his butt so fast that a na- tional television audience can sometimes miss it. Four seconds into his bout against Minnesota's Skyler Petry, Gilman was on the legs for two points. Both corners saw it. e referee called it. More than 11,000 fans celebrated it, but BTN missed it, so neutral they went. e takedown didn't count, but with Gilman in the circle, it didn't matter. One minute and 18 seconds aer the restart he had his seventh fall of the season. "at match started premature and then all of the sudden they have to stop it," said UI head coach Tom Brands. "e guy got a freebie really… then you go out there and keep doing what you're doing." What Gilman has done all year is spark an Iowa lineup that is undefeated in 14 duals and 8-0 in the Big Ten Conference. A ninth conference win Fri- day at home against Indiana will guarantee Iowa a share of the Big Ten regular season title, and as he has done all season, Gilman is ready to be the party's headliner. "I've talked about it all year, that's my job. I have a full-time job of starting things off and being a trailblazer," Gilman said. "I love getting the fans fired up. I love getting my teammates fired up. It just sets the tone and I love being that guy. I'm the type of guy that does my own thing and set my own path and it's no different here wrestling." e Minnesota dual marked the 12th time this year a meet started at 125 pounds. In those 12 du- als, Gilman has six pins, four technical falls, and one major decision. Junior Cory Clark has been on deck for every one of Gilman's leadoff at-bats, and eight times he's followed with bonus points. Against the Gophers, he answered Gilman's fall with his sixth pin of the season. It was one of Iowa's five bonus-point wins. Senior Patrick Rhoads and junior Alex Meyer re- corded major decisions, and junior Sammy Brooks scored 18 points in a first period technical fall. "I looked at Gilman and Clark, the example that they set," said Brooks. "Gilman completely takes the match to where he wants it to go. He's a great ex- ample, especially starting off a dual." In Gilman, Brands has a locker room leader that can be tough on both opponents and teammates. "If there are things out of line then he will let you know it," Brands said. "He's not afraid of making a five-minute enemy because of something he said. What he says is a true evaluation and it's dead on. He's a pretty thoughtful guy, he's an independent thinker and he's not a guy that just shoots from the hips. If he says something it's probably accurate. "He has that good leadership quality that you can look to." FEBRUARY SCHEDULE 05 Indiana 12 at Montana State Northern 22 National Duals (Iowa City)

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